Yellow-billed Cuckoo Calling

[Alan Murphy]

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Upper Texas Coast

D3, 600, ISO 640, f7, 1/1250.

I had a wonderful time at Fotofest in Florida where I did a bunch of Raptor workshops (images coming soon)
I got home Monday night exausted, and to find a cold front pushing through the coast. That meant there would be late migrants in the woodlots. Instead of unpacking, I drove straight to the coast :-) I had two insane days of migrant photography. Yesterday I photographed 13 Cuckoos coming to my drip :-) Here's one that was responding to my call.
I gave up a bit of DOF on the tail to not render the BG busy.

[Arthur Morris]

Killer calling pose, BKGR, sharpness. Great decision to let the tail go soft.

To learn about how Alan creates his drip pond set-ups, get yourself a copy of his Songbird Set-up Guide. His techniques work as well in your backyard as they do on the Texas coast.

[Norm Dulak]

Alan.

A very nice bird, pose and perch. And the excellent background sets off the subject nicely.

I wish that the tail was as sharp as the rest of the bird and that that leaf tip did not cover part of the bird's wing. But this image should produce smiles on the faces of most viewers.
Very well done!

[Humberto Ramos]

Like always, a fantastic shot, I don't see any problem with the DOF in the tail, I prefer tbhis way rather a bad BG...

[Marina Scarr]

Love the perch, pose, light and great BG. The calling is such an eye catcher that the OOF tail is not that noticeable.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Alan, agree with your DOF choice...that bokeh is too sweet to take chances with. Wonderful pose and sharpness...and of course the spot-on- exposure. Very well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Super pose and comp, and this is really sharp. Well timed to capture the open beak, and love greens and yellows in the BG.

[Don Lacy]

Wonderful image Alan, Love the pose.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Lovely setting and the call pose makes this...

[Shaun Boycott-Taylor]

Your decision to let the tail go soft was spot on. The BG is superb as is the detail in the Bird itself. You could cut yourself on the sharpness..

Sadly Cuckoos are few and far between in the UK now.

Shaun

[Krijn Trimbos]

It is not funny looking at your shots sometimes, they are too good! Excellent subject, BG and of course set-up. Love the pose.