White-tailed kite

[arash_hazeghi]

Here is a WTK image from Half Moon Bay, CA. These are one of the most skittish and difficult to photograph raptors in this area. Almost a year ago, Doug Brown and I spent four days in a row photographing a family of WTKs in Palo Alto area, we got some good frames but it was lots of work. I hope you like this one.




1D4 700mm f/8 1/2500sec ISO 800.

[Ken Watkins]

This is a beauty, the head looks similar to our Black Shouldered Kite, but the rest has very muted colours in comparison

[Ofer Levy]

Beautiful image Arash! Awesome light, sharp with great exposure control, eye contact and shooting angle.

[Randy Stout]

Arash:

Very nice as mentioned by Ofer. Excellent techs.

I like the fact that he is slightly angled in the frame, so you can see a bit of the back wing. To my eye this gives extra depth to the image, which can sometimes be an issue with perfect profile shots and no background detail.

Cheers

Randy

[gail bisson]

Another beauty Arash. I think you must be a "bird whisperer" because you can get these guys to look at you as they fly by. I never seem to have such luck.
I find the image a touch washed out and would consider adding some black to the neutrals.
Gail

[Mike Landwehr]

Truly a gorgeous bird in beautiful light. The result is a pastel look that I really like. Highlights for me are the clean, complementary background, the perfect head angle, the striking orange eye, the scallop of the back edges of the wings, and the depth provided by the back wing edge. The crop looks perfect.

[Doug Brown]

Sweet image Arash, with great eye contact and perfect wings-down position.

[stuart wanuck]

one great image after the other!

[dankearl]

That is a close up!
The head turn and eye contact makes the image for me.

[Stu Bowie]

Arash, cant beat the eye contact here, and what a great wing position, and I like the curve formed on top of the kite. This guy is very similar to our black shouldered Kite, but they have striking red eyes. Well captured.

[Declan Troy]

Ken & Stuart,

Indeed it should look similar to Common Black-shouldered Kite (the one you have). The understanding of the taxonomy of this group of birds is oft revised. Sometimes these two and the Australian Black-shouldered Kite are merged into as single species (North American's with older field guides can find it labeled as Black-shouldered Kite). Currently the three forms are generally considered three species forming a "superspecies" and some taxonomists favor a forth found in the Philippines and parts of Indonesia.

Declan

[James Salywoda]

Superb Arash!!!!!!

[Mikko Viljamaa]

Stunning! Love the sharpness...

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Stunning in every way, Arash. Pose, eye contact, light, sharpness - just killer.

[Karl Egressy]

Just great Arash.
Great down and forward wing position and excellent HA and eye contact. The details are amazing too.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Exp looks spot on with great light and perfect wing position!

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks everyone

[RAM MALLYA]

Amazing action and eye contact