Juvenile Sanderling

[Brian Barcelos]

Took this a few hours ago at the local Audubon Sanctuary. A bunch of these guys were sleeping and some were awake, pretty easy to sneak up on them today.;) I couldn't get any of them alone in a frame and had to remove a butt from the right hand side. I believe this is a juvenile molting into first winter plumage and there were others already in full winter plumes. Appreciate all C/C, Thanks

Canon EOS 50D
Aperture-Priority AE
Tv 1/1250
Av 8.0
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Comp 0
ISO Speed 400
Tamron 200-500mm
Focal Length 500mm

[Randy Stout]

Brian:

Nice low angle, sharp, the whites look right on the edge, but still good detail in most areas.

Unless I am missing something here, it needs a big CW rotation. Quick check with my Stanley level says, 8.45 degrees would be about right. this much rotation is going to clip the tail unfortunately.

Cheers

Randy

[Brian Barcelos]

Randy, thanks for the comments. The boulder they were standing on sloped to the left a bit, but now I see it does need at least some rotation. Thanks

Here is the re post with more of the natural slope...

[Dave Barnes]

Brian he still looks as though he is going to fall over. If foreground was sloped his leg would be perpendicular.
I also like the low angle, detail and colour captured.

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Brian,
Nice image, good detail in the plumage and nice HA. colors are nice too. I'd run a ruler from the tail to the beak and just straighten by the angle. might brighten the pupil a little bit too. TFS

[Harshad Barve]

awesome image with nice low angle , expo , compo and sharpness, repost is looks better
TFS

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Brian, I like the lazy pose on one leg, and good job on the exposure. I agree regarding the rotation, and keep them coming.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Good close-up view of this guy. You are correct on the aging of this individual too. I imagine it either just finished, or is about to begin a feather "shake"? I agree with the rotation, and for more even after the repost (my eye says the leg should go straight down)

[Ilija Dukovski]

Very good exp. and excellent bird. I think I see a bit of blue cast on my monitor?
Good re-post.

[Arthur Morris]

You are correct on the aging of this individual too.

Hi Dan, Actually, the aging is incorrect; this bird is a bird of the year but it is in first winter not juvenal plumage. Note the gray saddled-look. All of the juvenile feathers of the mantle and all of the scapulars have been replaced by light grey feathers. Check out the young Ring-billed Gulls right now and you will see the same molt patter. Herring and Black-backed also have a first winter plumage but it is not as distinct on those species.

Respectfully.

ps: It is all in Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Artie, I wasn't going from the title of the thread, but rather from this quote in Brian's initial description:

I believe this is a juvenile molting into first winter plumage and there were others already in full winter plumes

I thought the darker feathers on the wing were remnant juvenal plumage thus I wasn't convinced it was in full first winter plumage...thanks for the correction.

P.S. I have your book, and enjoy it alot :-)

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks on all counts Dan. I missed that in the original post. IAC, the bird is pretty much in 1st winter.