White-Tailed Kite

[Doug Brown]

While in Northern California with Gary Rouleau and Arash Hazeghi I had my closest encounter yet with a White-Tailed Kite, a notoriously skittish bird. This one sat on a 4-foot perch for 5 or 10 minutes while we slowly approached. Even though this was the most cooperative WTK I've photographed, I was still glad I was using my 600mm with a 1.4x. WTKs just don't let you get that close.



Canon 1D Mark IV, 600mm + 1.4x, f/6.3, 1/2000, ISO 800, manual exposure, hand held

[James Salywoda]

Outstanding!!! Probably the best perched shot of this species I've seen as I know from experience about them being skittish. Beautiful colors and detail throughout well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Yep, long lenses certainly help, and Im glad you got your shot. I know the feeling stalking a subject for it to run or fly away before you even have a single image. Well exposed here, and the comp works well. Did you shoot vertical Doug?

[Myer Bornstein]

Doug, definitely an outstanding image. My only encounters with a white-tailed kite is seeing them fly way overhead while I was in Florida

[Dumay de Boulle]

Great stuff...Super BG and exp. Detail and comp are great. Nice one Doug!

[Doug Brown]

Did you shoot vertical Doug?

This was cropped from horizontal Stuart.

[Stu Bowie]

Appreciate the feedback Doug.

[Richard Unsworth]

Outstanding Doug

some lens, and use of same, perfect
all I need is a Harpy of the same quality:o

[Allen Hirsch]

Gorgeous shot. Where in NorCal was this, Doug?

[Norm Dulak]

Simply a splendid shot in all regards! :)

[Gary Esman]

Excellent! Love that eye.

Gary.

[Bhushan Dalvi]

Doug, beautiful capture and very well exposed.

[Pieter de Waal]

Nice image Doug, love that eye and the fact that you left the branches in the image prefer it with habitat.

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Here in india , the black shouldered kite ( they are a carbon copy of this bird ) allow you quite near . the only issue is that they prefer electric lines to perch !! Beautifully exposed subject . Love the perch as well !! I am only wondering if the eye could have been more reddish ( or are they naturally this colour ) .

[Doug Brown]

I am only wondering if the eye could have been more reddish ( or are they naturally this colour ) .

I think it depends on the light Rakesh. This was rather late in the day. I suppose I could lighten the iris a little more though.

[Herb Houghton]

Great shot Doug, I love the vertical crop for this image.

Herb