Curve-billed Thrasher

Gallery: AvianPosted July 30, 2010123 views16 comments

Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)

Place: Water Ranch, Gilbert, AZ
Date: February 12, 2010
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 plus TC20E (2x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 400, aperture priority matrix metered, 1/160th @ f/8
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac G4, modest crop

Summer weather continues to limit my time outside with birds, so here's a shot from five months ago. This is a pretty standard shot for the Water Ranch and I've posted similar images here before. For me the Saguaro cactus is an important part of the composition so I've given it a large part of the frame.

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

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on July 30, 2010 at 1:57 AM

Love the beautiful warm light. Artistic assortment of curves and sharp areas, simple and effective. I like the weight you gave the cactus as well as the placement of the bird. The sky is a lovely hue, I have a lot of difficulty getting sky colors the way I want them.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on July 30, 2010 at 5:18 AM

Nice one Richard - it's handy to have two subjects to work with.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on July 30, 2010 at 8:56 AM

It's amazing that these birds can sit on such a spiny perch.. though the bird doesn't look too happy.

Overall I like the shot - especially the lighting. However, there is something that bothers me about the angle. I don't know if it's too low (exacerbated by the bulbous cactus perch) or if it's because the bird is angled away from the camera.

- Luke

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

Comment posted by Eric Diller on July 30, 2010 at 9:58 AM

Awesome lighting on this guy! You wonder how he does it with all those needles!

Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 30, 2010 at 11:18 AM

...or if it's because the bird is angled away from the camera.

This has bothered me about the image as well.

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

Comment posted by Darren McKenna on July 30, 2010 at 3:01 PM

Killer light, very nice perch and you have good detail. A slight head turn towards the camera would be better but this is fine as presented. A beauty Richard.

Registered on October 28, 2008, 31 Posts, 214 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on July 30, 2010 at 3:55 PM

Very nice shot; I like the cactus as perch very much.

Congrats

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 30, 2010 at 4:12 PM

Beautiful light, and an unusual, but powerful composition, Richard. To me, the eye is the finishing touch.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on July 30, 2010 at 6:37 PM

Just wonderful warm light on both thrasher and cactus Rich. F/8 was perfect for this large perch.

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on July 30, 2010 at 7:09 PM

Gotta love the light here. Nice DOF. Awesome looking bird. Very nice.

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

Comment posted by John Maynard on July 30, 2010 at 9:57 PM

It's the diferance that makes life fun, good work

100+ is even to hot for the birds.

Registered on August 19, 2007, 29 Posts, 50 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on July 30, 2010 at 10:32 PM

This may be a standard shot for the water ranch but I think it's very cool, especially since we don't have anything like this in the midwest. The cactus adds a lot to the image and you included just enough of it. My only nit is the head angle being slightly away from the camera. If you have another version with a better head angle I'd love to see it.

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Jenkins on July 31, 2010 at 12:47 PM

Nice comp, lighting and feather detail as the others have said. Very nice, Richard.

Registered on April 20, 2008, 307 Posts, 604 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 31, 2010 at 1:00 PM

If you have another version with a better head angle I'd love to see it.

There are alternative compositions of Curve-billed Thrasher on Saguaro cactus in this gallery on my web site: especially 085, 404, and 436. This image is the last in the gallery (511).

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

Comment posted by Steve Balke on July 31, 2010 at 3:54 PM

That cactus perch is such an interesting one that I think it deserves to occupy plenty of image area, Richard. Also, the look in that eye makes up for the lack of a head turn towards us. Finally: the lighting is great!

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on July 31, 2010 at 5:34 PM

Rich,

I always love the images you post with cacti in them and I especially love the subdued light you have here. Love the pose of the Thrasher and actually enjoy the head turn because it shows the curve of the bill so well. I like the natural colors. Techs look great as usual.

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