Short Billed Dowitcher

Gallery: AvianPosted September 26, 2010137 views13 comments

A first for me, first time to capture one, and I think the first I've ever seen. I burned a whole 8GB card, about 90% on this one bird. This is a bit tight comp for my tastes, but overall I liked it. Shot yesterday on the beach in Gulfport in sunny morning light. The same bird (probably) was there this morning, so a grabbed a few more. Larger image provided.

Olympus E-3 ZD300 F2.8 +EC20 Wimberley I, ISO 400 1/2500 f6.3 -0.3EV

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on September 26, 2010 at 3:44 PM

Oops - sorry, I posted a large one of another from this morning (duhh!)

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on September 26, 2010 at 4:29 PM

Bill,

Don't feel bad about posting the wrong larger image, I've done once too. Bu tbecause no one had commented on it yet I deleted my post and reposted with the correct version very quickly. It was one of my "I should have had more coffee before posting" moments.

I love the coppery color with the blues of the water, your low angle, the eye contact, details, sharpness, natural colors, comp and I especially like the concentric ripple in the water just under the dowitcher's bill.

Very well done and very appealing to me.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 26, 2010 at 4:36 PM

Nice detail from the close view. Good exposure as well.

Dowitchers and other shorebirds can be ridiculously tame, especially in fall migration when the young of the year are having their first contact with people.

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

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on September 26, 2010 at 5:44 PM

Rich, interesting that you should mention how tame they can be. This one kept advancing closer to me, so on several occasions I had to back up and reframe. Think I did this at least a dozen times.

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

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on September 26, 2010 at 6:28 PM

Both are really nice. I like the head turn in the first and I like the diagonal rippled sand in the second. Sharon

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 26, 2010 at 7:01 PM

Nice, bill. Excellent detail and I like the quality of the water and the excellent eye contact.

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

Comment posted by Buck Ward on September 26, 2010 at 7:33 PM

Definitely a nice photo.
SB dowitchers are one of my favorite shorebirds and they are fairly common here. I've never found them to be particularly tame, so glad you were able to take advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 96 Posts, 1917 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on September 26, 2010 at 8:01 PM

I hadn't seen your "apology" below. I thought-wow-enlargement did more for this photo than any I've ever seen.

Great image. Sounds like you had a great day.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 26, 2010 at 8:31 PM

Really nice bill. I like the foraging pose with the nice rings in the water by the bill. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Craig Strand on September 26, 2010 at 10:09 PM

Really nice captures Bill. I like your exposure settings and wonderful am light.

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

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on September 27, 2010 at 6:38 AM

Nice pose and eye contact Bill.
A lower angle would have improved.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on September 27, 2010 at 5:09 PM

Darn you!
I have taken hundreds of these guys and you get a better shot than I have the first time.
Very nice job!!!