Lesser Yellowlegs

[Michael Zajac]

Canon 1d Mark III
1/1250 sec at f/7.1
ISO 400 EF 500mm Lens
Manual Mode
Hand Held

Jamaica Bay NY

[Arthur Morris]

EXP and SH perfect as expected. BKGR water killer beautiful. I only wish that the wings were in the full downstroke position. I am glad that you liked JBAY. If they keep the water down (unlikely) or it goes back to hot and not raining much (also not likely) it can be very good for another two months... Juvenile white-rumpeds, Dunlin, golden-plover, long billed dow, and even Hudsonian Godwit are possible if the water levels are low enough.

[Daniel Cadieux]

A difficult one to pull off, and you did so very nicely. Good exposure control with the white rump in check. Ditto Artie on wing positions, or perhaps a bit more of a banking pose to get the far wing higher, but I would love to have taken this one!!

[Bill Dix]

Lovely shot, Michael. Techs and bg are perfect. Wing position less so, but the fact that you captured a top-side view rather than pancake-view makes this look good to me.

Artie, I've read that they keep the water levels down for the month of September (don't remember where I saw that, maybe Brooklyn Bird Club?); but you would know. If so, I'll have to go back in the hopes of seeing American Golden-Plovers.

[Bill Jobes]

Masterful job grabbing such a spectacular image hand-held. Ditto Artie's observation on the stunning BG water. Ideals aside, the wing positions, at least to my eye, don't detract from a beautiful image.

[Lloyd Spitalnik]

FWIW, water levels are very high and the outflow valve is clogged. It's doubtful that conditions are going to get better anytime soon:( Yesterday there was a total of 250 birds on the pond, down from several thousand when you were there Artie.
Michaael, very nice flight shot. Lesser Yellowlegs are extremely difficult because of their erratic flight style. Very good job!

[Arthur Morris]

Masterful job grabbing such a spectacular image hand-held. Ditto Artie's observation on the stunning BG water. Ideals aside, the wing positions, at least to my eye, don't detract from a beautiful image.

Hey Bill, Less than ideal wing positions do not detract as much as the very best ones add :)

[Arthur Morris]

Lovely shot, Michael. Techs and bg are perfect. Wing position less so, but the fact that you captured a top-side view rather than pancake-view makes this look good to me. Artie, I've read that they keep the water levels down for the month of September (don't remember where I saw that, maybe Brooklyn Bird Club?); but you would know. If so, I'll have to go back in the hopes of seeing American Golden-Plovers.

There have been big mis-management issues at JBWR especially this year. And whatever you read does not take into account the heavy rains :) What they are supposed to do and what they actually do are two different things.

A very few juvenile and sometimes a worn adult American Golden-Plover begin showing up just aftetr 1 SEPT. Good luck.

[Greg Basco]

Michael, very nice work. Wing position has been noted, but I agree that this is still a fine shot. I'm not a big fan of squarish crops (personal preference), so I would be interested to see what a more 3:2 ratio would look like.

Cheers,
Greg Basco

[Bill Jobes]

Hey Bill, Less than ideal wing positions do not detract as much as the very best ones add :)

That is so right, Artie. Your keen and perceptive nuance always enriches the dialogue ! :)

[Arthur Morris]

Either that or it makes me a pain in the A _ _ :) IAC, this is way better than anything I have on this species in flight :o

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Beautifully exposed !! Love this image !