A while back in About Birds I promised to post a gannet yawn. So here it is, not in all its glory as the real yawn at its peak is even bigger than this. Anyway it shows the main features. Image made at Bonaventure Island late in the breeding season so the subtle colours of the eye ring and hood are less pronounced than in the spring. I laid down at the edge of the colony to get a nice clean background. After about 10 minutes the birds do not know you are there and you run the risk of one landing right on top of you. Biology note: at the end of the yawn, gannets distend their gular pouch (the black thingy below the lower mandible). This betrays nicely their relationship to the pelicans.
I cropped to vertical and sharpened.
Date: 20 September, 2011, Time: 1424h
Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens: EF70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM, @ 300 mm
Program: Manual
ISO 400, 1/800s, f/9
Exp. comp.: 0.0
Flash: no flash
I'll take your word that it's a yawn and that it's not scolding you . Incredible detail in there and the blue eyering goes nicely with the sky. Interesting biology note...TFS.
Love the symmetry and the chin. Flash on these can really open up the shadowed details in the mouth. Though you did a great job of not clipping the bill tip I would definitely add some canvas top. Bad luck with the partially lowered nictitating membrane (right eye) as is barely touches the pupil. All in all superb and dramatic.
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Ha! This image cracked me up. Love the comical look and everything else about this image. Perfect exposure and sharpness.
I'd add a bit more above and would clean up the little bit of fluff at the tip of the bill.
Thanks so much everyone. I was pleased too with the detail I got in the mouth considering there was no flash used. In a colony of white birds there's a lot of light bouncing around in all different directions which tends to soften the effect of the direct light source.
Sidharth- I just noticed that bit of down on the bill tip! Even if I had seen it I would not have removed it. I used to do that but don't anymore.
open wide
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. Incredible detail in there and the blue eyering goes nicely with the sky. Interesting biology note...TFS.
