Good Thinking

[Arthur Morris]

With all the rain we've had--more than I have ever seen in 15 year in Indian Lake Estates, the lake level is so high that there is lake where there has never been lake before! Two sand pits near the pier are now underwater. I'd been thinking that if the sun ever came out again that I might get a Limpkin in the new "pond." The sun came out this morning but just for 20 minutes.... Well, my plan worked.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/9. Central sensor rear focus/AI Servo AF with AF active at the moment of exposure.

Lens/camera micro-adjustment: -4.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Artie, what a catch. loved that prey. Excellent composition as usual.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Wow no way and you wished it there! Nice shot and I like the reflection. I see two teeny little black spots close to the head I would want to remove. Is that all they eat? It's all I ever see them eating.

[dankearl]

Wonderful light, and nice sharpness, especially on the snail?
A couple of dust specks above the head.
I think a bit more room above would be nice.
Terrific exposure.

[Troy Lim]

Artie,

Why did you decide not to include the full reflection? It does not look that bad. Were the grass in the way?

[anujgandhe]

beautiful light on the bird. loved the Water BG. agree, the reflection would also have looked great. grass is it?

[Shreeni Rao]

Terrific

[arash_hazeghi]

great light, sharpness and details, the snail is a real plus

[Mital Patel]

Great think necked bird. superb compo and sharpness with marvelous catch.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all. . Yes, the foreground grasses and the progressively weaker reflection kept me from including the whole reflection. The "dust spots" were tiny flying insects but I did miss them so thanks X2. And yes, their diet is "almost exclusively apple snails" (Birds of North America) though I am sure that they eat some other stuff on occasion. I did have more room above and agree that it needed it so here is the repost improved by y'all.

[Mital Patel]

Thanks all. . Yes, the foreground grasses and the progressively weaker reflection kept me from including the whole reflection. The "dust spots" were tiny flying insects but I did miss them so thanks X2. And yes, their diet is "almost exclusively apple snails" (Birds of North America) though I am sure that they eat some other stuff on occasion. I did have more room above and agree that it needed it so here is the repost improved by y'all.

to add i might consider mixing the brown band getting straight into back form mid top . .

[Albert Rizzo]

Canon 800mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/9. Central sensor rear focus/AI Servo AF with AF active at the moment of exposure.

Artie, did you mean "Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens"?
Love the light, reflection and composition. My eye was immediately drawn to the snail which has been captured perfectly (pun intended!)

[Arthur Morris]

Artie, did you mean "Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens"? Love the light, reflection and composition. My eye was immediately drawn to the snail which has been captured perfectly (pun intended!)

Thanks Albert for catching my brain typo and for the pun :).

[Grace Scalzo]

The repost dealt with the spots, but for some reason it doesn't appear to have the same sharpness and clarity as the original. Agree with Mital on the top vertical brown stripe. I find the apple snail to be as interesting as the bird, nice to have two good elements in an image. As far as wishing for this bird to appear, I have nothing to say. Clearly it worked.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I like the repost but now there's that funny brown line up there I think I'm voting for the OP minus the little flies.

[Herb Houghton]

Hi Artie, I agree with some here. I noticed the dust specks in one, corrected in the repost, but scrolling between the two, the first image is sharper than the second. I do agree about the brown band up top in the second post.