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Thread: harbinger of winter

  1. #1
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    Default harbinger of winter

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    The yellowlegs pass through our area on their way south for the winter depressingly early in the year. Last year they arrived on 4 July. This year they were later, but whenever they arrive, you know winter is around the corner (kind of the same feeling when the nights start to get longer). I was looking through some older images and experimenting with Adobe Camera Raw and found this one from 2008; thought it was worth posting.

    I cropped a little and cleaned the water up a little.

    What species of yellowlegs is it?

    Canon EOS 40D, 500/4
    capture date: Thursday, 24 July, 2008 7:03 PM
    exposure program: Aperture Priority
    ISO speed: 400
    shutter speed: 1/1000
    aperture: f6.3
    exposure bias: +0.0
    metering: Pattern
    flash: OFF
    Last edited by John Chardine; 08-30-2009 at 07:16 PM. Reason: added detail

  2. #2
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I like the light and wide crop and think a lower angle might have made it even stronger. Is it a lesser yellowlegs?

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    It's an obvious Greater Yellowlegs, a worn molting adult. Break the bill off and stick it through the head. If it sticks out more than a tiny bit, it is a Greater. Half the length of this bill would protrude. Do consider a copy of my "Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers." It contains dozens of aging and ID tips.

    Does any know why this is an adult?

    For me GYL is a sign that summer is coming into full swing. Depressing is a choice.
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  4. #4
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    It's an obvious Greater Yellowlegs, a worn molting adult. Break the bill off and stick it through the head. If it sticks out more than a tiny bit, it is a Greater.
    Interesting, the length of the bill makes sense but I thought the bill of greater YLs is bent upward.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Agree. The shape of the bill is atypical for GYL but it surely looks like a greater to me. The bills of LYL are needle-like and just about the same length as the head. And they are almost always fully black. The prominent heavy chevrons are also indicative of greater rather than lesser. Heck, I have been wrong before even with common shorebirds but I believe that this is a greater.

    Where is Wayne Richardson when we need him?
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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  6. #6
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    Love the low angle and reflections, light is perfect. congrats

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