Curve-billed Thrasher in Cholla

[Gus Hallgren]

Hi Folks;

This is one of our well fed resident curve-billed thrashers who have been with us in the same Cholla Cactus for over 20 years. Cholla has been uprooted in heavy storms. Once with 2 baby chicks in the thrown out nest who Gina rescued in torrential rains, she was soaked thru & thru more than once, and every time we would reroot the Cholla for many more years. They are very aggressive, and call out for others all the time. Personality plus!

Another gloomy cold windy late afternoon, required fill flash

Comments always welcome & appreciated

Happy New Year

Gus

Olympus E-3, Zuiko ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD @ 400mm equiv.

AP: F/5.6, 1/640s, ISO 200, -0.30eV, CWA, sRGB, AWB. Oly TTL flash set at Auto Fill, +0.30

[CliveTonge]

Hi Gus,
Very nice Thrasher. Plump little guy too.

I think that you may be adding to much flash to the picture at +.3ev
Maybe an ev of -1 or -.7 would fill the picture but look a bit more natural.
Thank s for sharing,
Take care and Happy New Year,
Clive

[pat lillich]

Gus, he is a hoot- love the cholla perch and the gorgeous bird. I would have liked to see him with just a little less light too.

[Peter Farrell]

Brave bird to perch on that cactus. Nice detail throughout. Maybe some more room on the left?
The lighting does not bother me.
Best wishes for the New Year
Peter

[Julie Kenward]

Gus, the bird is beautiful - I've never seen one of these up close so TFS. His tail is a bit dark and he's got a pretty bright spot of sunlight peeking through right above his head. This makes the image a little busier in the BG than I would normally prefer to see. If you had moved to your right and he'd cooperated with a head turn I think you would have had a little better, more cohesive BG and less bright/dark areas.

Try bringing up the tail with a shadow/highlight adjustment and tone down the bright spot (or clone over it with the cactus behind it) and see if that evens out your lighting situation a bit more.