Piping Plover

Gallery: AvianPosted October 30, 2009239 views25 comments

Charadrius melodus

This photo was taken the only time I took my 200-400mm VR lens to the local beach with me while I was in FL. The abundant sand and low angles that I use to photograph there made me very cautious with that lens on the beach, especially about the sand getting into the zoom mechanism.

One of the easiest ways to tell the Piping Plover from its near relative the Snowy Plover is by the color of the legs, the Piping Plover has yellow legs, the Snowy Plover has legs that are more nearly gray.

D200, HH, laying in half in and out of the water at the edge of a lagoon, f5.6, 1/750, ISO 250, 200-400mm VR w/1.4x TC at 400mm, 60% of original image, natural light. I'd only had the 200-400mm VR a few weeks and was trying out different dof's, I like how using a shallow dof worked for this image.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques, thank you for looking.

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 30, 2009 at 3:32 PM

I like the low angle and quality of light here Lia

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Carrie O'Brien-Sib on October 30, 2009 at 3:35 PM

This is magnificent, Lia! The shallow dof works beautifully!! LOVE the yellow legs! Great job!

Registered on August 4, 2009, 149 Posts, 889 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on October 30, 2009 at 3:59 PM

What a great image Lia. I too love the shallow DOF and the great detail and light in this image. Of course the low angle makes the shot yours along with the BG. You did an excellent job on the whites. Well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on October 30, 2009 at 4:12 PM

I can't give you any nits, Lia. My only choices here are to either turn green with envy, or offer my salaams. This is very, very good!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on October 30, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Wonderful image, Lia. This little fellow seems to be looking out into a vast unknown. I thought that he was in snow at first.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on October 30, 2009 at 5:24 PM

A little beauty. These are one of my faves. I wish he'd turn a little more toward the camera, but this is lovely

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Drew Fulton on October 30, 2009 at 5:59 PM

Great bird Lia. Beautiful image and lighting. I wish the bird had turned towards the camera a little more.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 43 Posts, 357 Comments

Comment posted by Greg Cope on October 30, 2009 at 6:26 PM

Outstanding shot Lia! Low angle and slight sand on the beak are terrific

Registered on January 22, 2007, 212 Posts, 2737 Comments

Comment posted by Karon Welter on October 30, 2009 at 6:39 PM

What a beautiful shot! The details of the bird really stand out nicely against the soft background. Gorgeous!

Registered on November 10, 2008, 67 Posts, 543 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Vance on October 30, 2009 at 7:40 PM

Outstanding photo all around. I especially like how the BG colors seem to mirror the bird's coloring from top to bottom. I don't know if this was intentional, but it works very well. Gorgeous bird, too, one that is still to be marked off on my life list.

Registered on October 31, 2008, 26 Posts, 136 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on October 30, 2009 at 8:51 PM

Another beauty Lia. The light is just awesome. I really like the sand on the beak. The more I see of your images , the more anxious I am to get down there this winter.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 30, 2009 at 9:31 PM

One of my favorite birds (I've spent a few summers working the beaches protecting these guys). Now that I have my new setup I'll be able to take photos that hopefully can one day rival this one. I love how you caught the subtle yellow ring around the eye - excellent touch!

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on October 30, 2009 at 11:20 PM

at first glance I was not crazy about the turned away pose, but after clicking on the larger version, the longer I look at it, the more I like it. this is really good. perfectly executed with the angle and exposure, nice DOF. I like the comp with the dark at the top.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on October 31, 2009 at 12:16 AM

Love the low angle and light on this image Lia. Definitely a wall hanger!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 31, 2009 at 12:39 AM

There haven't been many photos posted in this forum where you can actually see wear on the secondaries and coverts. Terrificly sharp, Lia, and your usual perfect techs and signature low angle. Lovely light.

This is presently my nemesis species...

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on October 31, 2009 at 4:41 AM

Exceptional and very nice artistic quality. I love the blurred back and foregrounds are and the DOF!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on October 31, 2009 at 10:24 AM

This is very nice, Lia. Your description of "laying in half in and out of the water at the edge of a lagoon" reminds me of my April visit to South Texas when Charlie van Tassel and I waited, under camouflage, at the edge of a pond for the Green Kingfisher well before daybreak, and suddenly thought about the possibility of an alligator appearance!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on October 31, 2009 at 1:46 PM

Very nice image. Wonderfully clean look to this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on October 31, 2009 at 8:30 PM

My thanks to every one who has commented on this image.

KC, the only reason I felt safe being half in and half out of the water there was because it was all salt water, I avoided getting into fresh water in FL period because of those gators.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on October 31, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Gorgeous. I love how the bird just seems to be floating in a sea of mist. In my dreams I imagine getting such an image of this bird.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on October 31, 2009 at 11:05 PM

This is terrific Lia...love to get so close to one here. Only very minor thing I'd like is a bit more of a head turn towards the camera.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on November 1, 2009 at 12:18 PM

I love those sand grains on the bill. The light and everything else is spectacular as always in your images but my eye keeps going back to that sandy bill.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on November 1, 2009 at 2:19 PM

Lia - I love this one! He looks tiny and so forlorn. Technically flawless as always.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on November 1, 2009 at 2:48 PM

Lia, these birds are so small I'm not sure I would even notice them. A bit of a head turn would be good, but excellent exposure on the whites and a very nice image for such a diminutive subject.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 2, 2009 at 1:53 AM

What a cute little beast - love the stubby bill. Nice low angle Lia and a slight head turn would have made it perfect although it does have that 'wistful look into the distance' look about it.

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments