Bittern

Gallery: AvianPosted January 2, 201174 views6 comments

Day after Christmas at Bolsa Chica, California. We were trying to capture some Pintails who would occassionally come close to the bridge we were shooting from. Some of the photographers started to head down the bridge excitedly and I looked through my lens to see what was causing all the commotion. There was this bird holding his head straight up in the air. I saw my first American Bittern. We stayed where we were at. Boy he could hide, but I decided to keep an eye out. He was working his way back to our area. Suddenly he emerged from the pickle weed and I got this shot. He imediately went back into the weeds and we could only get glimpses of him from then on. I think I was pretty lucky. Just a little sharpening. Crop shows 50% of original.

Comments are appreciated.

12-26-10 9:15a.m.
Canon 7D
300 2.8L w/ 1.4x
420mm
f/6.3
1/320
ISO 500
Tripod
20-------

00

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 2, 2011 at 8:10 PM

I photographed this species for just the second time over the weekend and it's such a thrill to find them especially in the open! Great habitat with the mussels and vegetation. I think the WB can be warmed a bit as there is a little green cast over the image

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 2, 2011 at 8:21 PM

The first is always a thrill, and getting a photo is icing on the cake when it happens. This looks pretty good given the limited opportunity you had. With more time you could have worked some on composition and perhaps avoided the out of focus bush on the right side of the frame.

I'd increase the brightness of this a little, but avoid blowing out the light stripes on the breast of the bittern. I'd also increase saturation a little to make the bittern's stripes a bit richer.

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

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 2, 2011 at 8:36 PM

Harry, I agree with the comments so far, but wouldn't mind having this shot myself. They are so elusive. Like the raised leg.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on January 2, 2011 at 9:02 PM

How exciting. These guys can be elusive. I really like the raised foot and excellent reflection of the same. I would bring up the mid-tones a bit.

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 2, 2011 at 10:36 PM

Harry, you got the shot and even with a reflection and even with the reflection including the raised foot. That's very cool.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on January 3, 2011 at 8:10 AM

Congrats on your out in the open Bittern. I might have considered a little tighter crop and brightening the eye. Otherwise the habitat and composition are great!

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