White rumped sandpiper on a rocky beach

[Grace Scalzo]

I am happy to share this image as it was such a thrill for me to see and photograph a white rumped sandpiper in breeding plumage. (Thanks Lloyd Spitalnik for confirming my id) They are frequent here on Long Island in the fall as they head south but they look so different then. It was taken at our town beach on the north shore of Long Island. I was hip deep in the water, photographing this bird on the beach as he rested and preened. The beach is rocky and slopes steeply upward, and in fading but lovely light, I chose the settings below to make the most from this opportunity. I hope you like it.

1/400, F 7.1, ISO 640
Canon mk4, 500 f4 + 1.4tc + tripod
Processed on MBP 15 inch, lr3, cs5

[Karl Egressy]

This is great, Grace. The bird is rare here, and it is hard to ID as well. I love the rocky shore as a for- and background. The likgt is great and the pose with this nice head turn is perfect.
I try to find something that I don't like (you almost have to) but I like the way it is.

[Grace Scalzo]

Thank you Karl. I appreciate your comments regarding the rocky shore. I like it as well, but it is not conventional and I was wondering how it would be received.

[Arthur Morris]

Mazel tov on a beautiful bird, a typically very late northbound migrant. Nice pose and EXP with the perfect look-back head angle. Note the wings longer than the tail and the orange base to the lower mandible.

The real, real jewels are the juvies that do not arrive on LI until about the first week of October. I have not seen one of them in 20+ years.... To learn more, check out my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.

[Grace Scalzo]

Thank you Artie. I would love to photograph a juvie. Maybe we'll have a good fall this year at Jam Bay.

[Lorant Voros]

Yeah, it is funny that we post the same bird :-). Very nice and I like the environment that is very different than what we have here. Nice light and colors. Well done.

Lorant

[Michael Lotito]

Wonderful and well captured subject! I like the lighting and background. Well done Grace!

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the look back pose, details, lighting and rocky beach. Beautiful image Grace!

[Arthur Morris]

Thank you Artie. I would love to photograph a juvie. Maybe we'll have a good fall this year at Jam Bay.

They usually let the place flood by OCT and even when there has been some shoreline there have been zero birds for whatever reason.... I think that Cupsogue on the bay side might be the ticket....

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Grace, one heck of a shot. Excellent call on f-stop. Perfect head turn and subject placement. What I like most is all the pebbles on the beach. They give a very unique feel to the image. Thx for sharing.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Love the perfect HA, and the pebble habitat is very nice. I had the pleasure to photograph a beautiful juvie of this species at point-blank range a couple of years ago (here in Ottawa). Hope you get the pleasure to find some this fall!!

[Arthur Morris]

Love the perfect HA, and the pebble habitat is very nice. I had the pleasure to photograph a beautiful juvie of this species at point-blank range a couple of years ago (here in Ottawa). Hope you get the pleasure to find some this fall!!

Hey, it's White-rumped Day on BPN: please post your best juvie image; they rock!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Will do!!

[Dumay de Boulle]

Man this is a lovely image...The overall textures of the rocks and bird are great and I love the colors. Lovely stuff Grace!

[noelle zaleski]

The rocks really make this image foe me! I really like it Grace

Noelle

[Chad Caswell]

I agree Grace, those rocks add to the colors of the bird.. Nice image, very nice!

[Mark Young]

Very nice! The soft yellow light is nice on the bird.

[christopher galeski]

Beautiful Grace,nice HA,good lighting,nice gravel,nice exposure.thanks.