Red Billed Wood Hoopoe

[Ken Watkins]

OOF tree in background cloned out.

Taken from stationary boat on Lake Kariba, whilst staying at Rhino Safari Lodge, Matusadona NP, Zimbabwe, 21st June 2010

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 IS hand-held

F8, ISO 800, 1/1600, EV +0.33

[Daniel Cadieux]

Neat bird, and pretty cool perch! Good comp too. Looks like you had sweet light in your favour. I would have prefered the HA a bit more towards us, but that's it.

[Dan Busby]

Very nice composition with the "X" of the branch and bird Ken. Good exposure against the difficult sky. Good detail. I am not really a fan of shots of underside of birds but doesn't seem to be a problem here. I am seeing some sort of whitish haze around the tip of the branch - an artifact or perhaps just my eyes or monitor!

[Stu Bowie]

Sweet light and warm colours Ken, and I like the food item in the bill. We have these guys in our garden.

[Ken Watkins]

Dan,

Now that you mention it I can see it as well, thanks I will clean it up.

Stuart,

Now that is really unfair, next you will tell me that they sit still in your trees:D

[Stu Bowie]

Dan,

Now that you mention it I can see it as well, thanks I will clean it up.

Stuart,

Now that is really unfair, next you will tell me that they sit still in your trees:D

They do sit quite still, but make a lot of noise.

[Fabs Forns]

Very nice bird, in a pleasing composition and good colors. HA mentioned, very nice light too.

[Michael Stern]

Just an all around excellent photo of a very interesting bird...with a "cricket" ? for dinner.....
I would like to see a little tighter crop...
Mike

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Wow this is a first for this species. What a beautiful bird capture on a nice perch in lovely lighting and well exposed. Beautiful BG and excellent detail. Many thanks for sharing Ken.

[Ken Watkins]

Thanks for the kind comments, this was also the first time for me to get an image of this colourful species.

Stuart,
They are very noisy, but not as bad as the Hadeda Ibis we have on our roof every morning:D