Boodjamulla Birds #8

[Colin Driscoll]

The last in my Boodjamulla NP series is the Carpentarian Grasswren. This mouse-sized bird is rarely seen. The species is sparsely distributed through rocky spinifex country in north western Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. The main threat is high frequency fire as it is dependent on mature spinifex habitat for breeding, food source and refuge from predators. They rarely show themselves and then only briefly - I had a half second sighting to get this shot. Fortunately the AF locked onto the bird first up otherwise I would have missed it. Not the greatest shot in photographic terms but one of my most pleasing just to get it- a lot have tried and very few have succeeded.

50D 100-400 @ 400 1/500 f6.3 0ev iso400 430EXII -2/3 plus beamer. Just on sundown.

[luc hoogenstein]

Good catch, I'm jealous! I failed to find this one on my trips to Australia. Pic could use some extra sharpening if possible, but overall it looks a bit too unsharp to be fixed.

best,
Luc

[arash_hazeghi]

it doesn't look like the AF locked since the bird is really soft. not sure if it works...

[Craig Brelsford]

I'm not sure why your image isn't sharper, considering your speed of 1/500. Great work documenting this remarkable and rarely photographed species.

[Tom Rambaut]

Sharp, not sharp this image had me drooling. These guys are rare - I've never seen one. Well done.

That does seem odd that it is so OOF??

[Colin Driscoll]

Well maybe the AF got onto something nearby (was using centre only) but it was just a matter of first stage button then shoot and the bird was gone. It is a decent crop because even though I was only about 30m away these birds are small. The image was also a little bit noisy so I did a de-speckle on the bird before sharpening so will have lost something there. De-noised the BG separately.

Thanks for the comments.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Sharp or not, certainly a wonderful Aussie bird to even see! Well done Colin, you must have been chuffed! :)

[Tom Rambaut]

Just had another look - Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.