It's not easy being purple

[Grace Scalzo]

A target species of mine for this winter...really enjoyed photographing them as they ran around the icy jetty, constantly dealing with waves and wind.

1/250, f5.6, ISO800 flash ettl-2 + tripod
Canon 50D, 500mm f4 + 1.4tc

[Dave Phillips]

love the feel here Grace.....maybe a wee crop off the top placing bird higher in frame....... for my taste.
Tell him to keep his foot still!!

thanks for sharing....did ya get wet?

[Arthur Morris]

Glad that you got it. The crop needs to be from the bottom to eliminate the o-o-f foreground elements. I'd love to see a pano crop if there was more room in front. Love the snow and the wind. Was this West End?

[Grace Scalzo]

Thanks for the help with the crop. This is full frame...I struggled with what to do about it, which is why I posted here...know there would be help offered. Yes, West End. There was a flock of about 30. That was just water splashing up from the waves.

Dave, of course I got wet....it seems as if I always do. Cold! Fell on the ice on the way back, too...luckily only my knee hurts, gear, which is what I checked first is fine. Priorities!!

[Paul Kusmin]

That's a nice shot Grace, I have yet to see Purple Sandpiper, maybe next trip out east.

Since that's full frame, it looks like you have room to crop tighter if you desire, the positioning looks good to me.
I like Artie's idea about pano-cropping as well.