Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres

[Brian Grant]

Nikon D300 70-200mm VR with TC-17E II 1/400 at f11 Morning shot

Camera model:	NIKON D300	Date/Time:	2008:04:29 13:15:30
Resolution:	750 x 600	Flash used:	No
Focal length:	340.0mm (35mm equivalent: 510mm)	Exposure time:	0.0025 s (1/400)
Aperture:	f/11.0	ISO equiv.:	200

[Harshad Barve]

Nice look back pose and colors of bird
I am not a fan of angle you have chosen here, Image looks bit dark to me. Shadows shows light was bit harsh
TFS

[Lance Peters]

Hi Brian - the angle and quality of light looks to be a issue here. Like the look back pose - the eye needs some life in it - looks a bit like a black hole here at present - maybe you could add a catchlight.
A lower shooting angle might also have ben worth a go.
TFS

[Daniel Belasco]

Agree with the comments above. Love Ruddy Turnstones--how'd you think they got such a name?

[Brian Grant]

Agree with the comments above. Love Ruddy Turnstones--how'd you think they got such a name?

I actually see them turning over the larger pebbles when feeding. While the other feeders seem to take what shows up on the surface as a wave retreats, these birds actually tend to stay more in one place and move things to find their food.

I agree that the angle is high. As it happened, I was using the lip of a seawall as a blind. I happened across this bird and a couple of others, at the bottom of a seawall at low tide. They became very attentive and uneasy when I looked over the wall (giving me the over the shoulder pose) but didn't leave. So, a spent some time moving forward for visibility and a quck shot then backward to give them some time to relax and get used to me.