Western Grebe

Gallery: AvianPosted March 28, 2010203 views20 comments

Western Grebe ( Aechmophorus occidentalis)

Place: Water Ranch, Gilbert, AZ, USA
Date: March 21, 2010
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (2x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 400, aperture priority matrix metered, 1/500th @ f/10
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac G4, 34% of frame, minor cloning to clean up a few blemishes on the water surface

A few Aechmophorus grebes winter in the lower elevations of central AZ, but they like to stay as far from shore as possible making it challenging at times separating Western from the closely related Clark's Grebe

This bird was a One Day Wonder that I discovered on a late afternoon visit to the Water Ranch – only the second one I've seen there in over 10 years of visits. It was close to shore at the far end of a large pond and I rushed to get there before a fisherman spooked it away. The fisherman arrived a moment before I did and of course the bird started out into the pond. This was a hurried shot and needed a major crop to deal with my sloppy composition.

Please view the larger version if possible before commenting. Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated.

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 28, 2010 at 12:15 PM

Rich,

This held up well to the large crop and the tufted head looks great - I also like how the bird is not looking directly at the camera

- Luke

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 28, 2010 at 12:17 PM

Terrific portrait Richard, he looks surprised maybe he's thinking "what I am doing in the middle of the desert?"

The crop held up very well.

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

Comment posted by Monica Siri on March 28, 2010 at 12:21 PM

What a beautiful portrait, Richard. I really like the facial expression and the detail.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on March 28, 2010 at 12:50 PM

This made me laugh...I love the expression and your details are fabulous. What is this water ranch that you keep going to...is it a park?
Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 28, 2010 at 1:19 PM

a very cool shot, Rich. Love the look and the poofy head. great details. I think a vertical, not necessarily a vertical comp but one with even more of that long neck would be even better.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 28, 2010 at 2:05 PM

What is this water ranch that you keep going to...is it a park?

It is 110 acres of multi-use property owned and maintained by the City of Gilbert, AZ, about 25 miles east of Phoenix. It is a "water recharge" operation where Gilbert percolates treated waste water back into the ground in a series of seven shallow ponds. There dirt/gravel paths around the ponds (wide enough for the maintenance crew trucks). There's an eighth pond with fresh water in front of the library on the edge of the property for urban fishing, and that's where this grebe was.

Over the years the number of people using this place has grown a lot, including birders and bird photographers as it is the best place in the Phoenix metro area for bird photography.

There's lots more about GWR in this article on my web site (including links to examples of this I've photographed there, a comprehensive and nearly current checklist of birds seen there, and the official web site of the facility (actually named the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert).

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

Comment posted by Dan Moore on March 28, 2010 at 2:31 PM

It sounds like your "sloppy comp." was dictated to you and you made the best of it. I especially like the portion of the off eye being visible.Good one!!

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 28, 2010 at 3:22 PM

A great shot Rich. I think the crop held up very well. Tack sharp images such as this usually do. Well done on a hurried shot. I like everthing about this, but the eye is the best. In the larger image it is just riviting! Very well done.

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

Comment posted by May Haga on March 28, 2010 at 4:50 PM

Wonderful portrait Richard. Love the hair. He looks like he is puffing out his cheeks with the eyes focused straight ahead.
May

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 28, 2010 at 5:03 PM

Rich,

You deserve a big pat on the back for getting this image before the fisherman spooked it! Despite the large crop you mentioned you have very nice details, wonderful exposure control and caught a great expression too! Love the eye of the species and like Luke mentioned I like how the bird is not looking directly into the camera.

I would expect that you would do very well even though this is a hurried shot because you have terrific "muscle memory" and can quickly adjust the techs on the fly.

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on March 28, 2010 at 7:50 PM

Very sharp and the red eye really stands out. Would look great as a vertical as well.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on March 28, 2010 at 8:29 PM

The bird looks like "Ok its a bad feather day"

Great made bot my wife and I laugh. Other than that the shot looks great even with a large crop.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 29, 2010 at 2:03 AM

Amazing detail for a large crop Richard

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 29, 2010 at 2:49 AM

Most engaging image Richard - love the spiky head feathers and red eye. Crisply presented and well exposed too.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Joel DeYoung on March 29, 2010 at 8:44 AM

I can't help but smile when looking at this. What a great portrait. The feather detail in both the whites and the blacks are amazing. And those eyes are just mesmerizing. Well done. (As usual)

Registered on July 12, 2009, 92 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 29, 2010 at 12:06 PM

What an interesting combination of colors to this grebe, great look and what what a hair cut, wonderful job for a rushed shot, really enjoyed the other pictures and story on your blog, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on March 29, 2010 at 5:14 PM

Love the expression on the bird's face it makes for an excellent portrait. It may have been a hurried shot but the exposure looks well controlled giving good feather detail and I wouldn't have known it was a large crop. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 29, 2010 at 8:26 PM

What great detail and fun expression. love it

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 30, 2010 at 10:35 AM

This is a simply wonderful portrait Rich. I've probably taken more shots of this species than any other over the years and getting perfect exposure and excellent details in both the blacks and whites like this is hugely difficult. Very impressive!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on March 30, 2010 at 9:11 PM

Very nice shot, love the portrait, the detail is excellent, I would never know it was a large crop. amazing eye and crown. Gorgeous light.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments