just a willet
I didn't notice until this outing how often willets and other smallish shorebirds seem to cross their legs while walking & feeding, as this bird did (and several others did, as well):
50D + 500L f4.5 + 1.4x non-reporting, on tripod & Wimberley II (as low as possible - on shoreline at low tide). ISO 800, f9, 1/640. pp in Lightroom; removed some small debris in water and at shoreline, medium crop.
Hi Allen, I like the low shooting angle and pose. They do get a little crossed up from time to time! Nice soft light that helped bring out the feather detail. The goodie in the willet's bill adds interest.
Would be nicer to have all water behind the bird, as the intersecting shoreline is a little distracting. If it were mine I would evict the specular highlights in the water, directly under the bill, and add a little bit of saturation. In these situations where you have water behind you and you see the reflection of the sun in the bird's eye, I find it best to paint out the secondary catchlight in the eye, which would be the smaller bottom one.
Nice capture!
"It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera... they are made with the eye, heart, and head." - Henri Cartier Bresson
Please visit me on the web at http://kerryperkinsphotography.com
This year I've joined the local Audubon group and have been going with birders on a regular basis. It really helps to have their expertise on habitats and habits. I saw my first willet a few months back, so I can't relate to "just a willet" - I love watching birds of all varieties, common or unusual. The crossed legs and nugget in the beak make this image special. It may be my new computer, but it looks a little blue to me.
Thanks, Kerry. I should clean up those specular highlights.
Dawn: I only meant that willets are a relatively plain bird (unless you catch them in flight), and common in my part of the world.
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