Fieldfare on frozen snow

[Austin Thomas]

I spent most of yesterday inland where there were few birds and all water was frozen hard. Today I set out towards the coast in search of unfrozen water but only managed about a mile in the car. I came across flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing that I normally struggle to get close enough to photograph, so spent the last daylight hours chasing them around the fields.

Their love of frozen berries outweighed their fear of me watching them.

This is a hawthorn hedge with frozen snow on the top, on the edge of a field. Lower down the birds could get under the frozen snow and remove the berries, but images of them in the twigs with berries were a little "busy".

This might be next years Christmas card if I don't get a better opportunity.

Happy Christmas everyone.

Austin

Canon 1DMK4, f7.1 800mm ISO 800 beanbag on roof of car.

[Arthur Morris]

Great job with the exposure. Sharp as can be with a very nice pose, BKGR, and head turn. It seems that the broken stem is the perch... BKGR looks noisy and a bit uneven.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice pose - love the perfect HA, and the pointed wings. Snow cover looks good. Too bad about the broken branch...it would have been even better with legs only. I don't see much noise in the BG, but I would even out the faint largish OOF circle above the bird's back. It would indeed make a nice Christmas crad, even an e-card with plenty room to write on.

[Paul Randall]

Very sharp and I don't think the noise (or the broken twig) is all that noticeable. My preference would be for a little more of the snow FG to anchor the image a little.

[Arthur Morris]

Very sharp and I don't think the noise (or the broken twig) is all that noticeable. My preference would be for a little more of the snow FG to anchor the image a little.

Hey Paul, I will give you the noise but the broken twig is brutal, especially that it intersects the body. Compare with repost.

And enjoy the rest of the holidays.

[Paul Randall]

Does make a big difference actually, touche :)

[Arthur Morris]

:) After 28 years, I do have some of this stuff figured out :)

[Arthur Morris]

ps: If I had a leg or two against the same BKGR I would have done a lot more/better :)

[Nate Chappell]

Looks good to me Austin, great head turn.:cool: