Goldfinch (juvenile) Feeding
Bean bag Canon 7D Canon 100-400L IS @ 365mm ISO 320 -0.33 1/640 sec f7.1
This shot was taken from my garden hide. I had placed the mossy log on the soil overnight hoping a few invertebrates may had infiltrated it and hey voilą!
All C&C welcome.
Now I see the image posted maybe it needs a little more room at the bottom??
Last edited by Jonathan Ashton; 10-12-2010 at 07:02 AM.
I like this very much. Nice exposure, good detail. I agree that a bit more room at the bottom might work well, but the eye is drawn to the bird's head, as one would wish, so the lower margin is not a major issue. I might also move the whole frame slightly to the right (i.e. less left margin, more right margin) -- not so much as to center the bird, but give it a bit more 'breathing room' and the log a bit less! But these are minor points. This is a very fine photo.
I love the detail showing molting, and the action of the bird getting breakfast. The only thing that I don't like is that the log occupies so much of the image. I wonder if it wouldn't be better something like this, where the bird and its action are emphasized.
The feeding behaviour is very interesting, did not know these guys ate anything else but seeds. The perch, however lush and pretty it is, is much too powering IMO and there bits of debris that could be hand-picked off. I like Chris' crop idea alot, makes a much cleaner and stronger comp. Good choice of BG, and exposure and sharpeness look good as posted.
Thanks for the C&C, I take on board your comments regarding the mossy stump and I do like Chris' repost but I personally find the original OK apart from a little more room at the bottom. The log is bigger than the bird - but somehow it doesn't scream at me, the composition looks pretty well balanced to my mind:)
I am with Daniel for my taste the log is too big draws too much attention. As the European Goldfinch is not a forest-bird it does nor add information to the bird’s ecology either.
I like the background and the details captured but for my taste the reposted version is the more balanced version. But this of course is only my personal preference.
I am pretty sure what the bird is feeding on is a germinated niger-seed, the species feeds on insects while the chicks are still in the nest; but even at this point seeds are the main part of their diet. Dandelion-seeds and their relatives and in fall thistle-seeds are the main food-source. I would be interested to see the close up whether the bird really went for a worm or a spider.
Last edited by Geraldo Hofmann; 10-12-2010 at 04:30 PM.
Excellent image, I kind of agree that a tighter crop would help with the dominance of the perch in frame. Great light, exposure and colours. The top of the perch/log looks very strange, quite distorted and fuzzy. Do you use a filter(UV or lens protector) on that lens?
They can sometimes give off this sort of effect.
Geraldo, you make some good points, I did wonder how natural a goldfinch on a perch such as this would be. The bird is eating a small worm and I think you may be right in noticing the husk of a niger seed on the bill as I did indeed place niger seed on the log.
Paul I noticed this artefact once posted, I suspect it is a part of the mask that had not been fully sharpened.
Jonathan,
don't think I am crazy but I really would like to see a super close up of the bill and the worm I still think it is sprout of niger-seed (they prefer sprouted seeds over dry seeds). To feed on worms is very, very uncommon on goldfinches to say the least.
But maybe this guy had other ideas somebody has to be the first :-)
Cheer Geraldo Wirral Uk
Geraldo - you are absolutely right,;):):cool: that worm is in fact a germinating niger seed, I thought it was odd for a goldfinch to eat worms but I just figured any opportunity like this and a bird would just take it. Thank you for your keen observation and comments I appreciate your interest.Originally Posted by Geraldo Hofmann
Last edited by Jonathan Ashton; 10-14-2010 at 02:52 AM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote