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Yellow-headed Blackbird
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Yellow-headed Blackbird

by Terry Sohl

Gallery: AvianPosted February 1, 2011133 views23 comments
Was going to clone out the little specs in the upper half (visible on the bigger version), but they're little gnats buzzing around. Kind of liked keeping them.

Canon 50D, 400 5.6L, ISO 400, 1/1300, f8, 430EX @ -2

Comments

23 comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 1, 2011 at 11:18 PM
Nice pose in a natural habitat - makes me think spring is coming.
:smile:

Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Terry Sohl on February 1, 2011 at 11:21 PM
Ah, if only it were, Sandy. I have my doubts right now!!

Especially after I was stranded in a snow bank for 3 hours today, with wind chills of 40 below making life pretty darned miserable as I tried to dig out!!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Twaddell on February 1, 2011 at 11:27 PM
I like the gnats as well! I am envious of this one. I have been trying to get one of these in the clear for a couple of years now. We don't have them here in this area of the Pacific Northwest, but when I travel around I will see them, but they hide in the reeds very well! Nice image.
Registered on August 16, 2007, 199 Posts, 2132 Comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 1, 2011 at 11:58 PM
We are keeping Spring here for you. Don't worry. Just let me know when you're done with all of that snow stuff.... :wink:
This is great, Terry. I've been trying to get close to one of these birds for years and it seems that it just never works out. Nice clean presentation. :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 2, 2011 at 6:50 AM
Nice one Terry - great bird, wonderful setting and an obliging head turn

cheers
Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 2, 2011 at 6:51 AM
Love the gnats Terry. Glad you kept them in, they add to the image IMO. Great shot of the blackbird too. Love the comp and the nice head turn. Nice habitat and BG. Well done overall.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 2, 2011 at 7:53 AM
love the reeds, pose, and comp here, Terry. maybe a little NR to smooth the upper part of the bg? I like the gnats too. cool shot. stay warm. :smile:
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 2, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Excellent. A tough exposure in my experience. I wish I could get this close to one here in AZ.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 2, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Great shot! I would love one of these. :toast:
Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments
Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on February 2, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Super image! Gnats don't bother me as long as they're only in the photo! Great job on this one. Sharon
Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments
Comment posted by Charles Gangas on February 2, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Terry- I like the little gnats! Really nice image-sharp, good exposure on the difficult tones you encountered, and neat perch, especially the way it frames the bird. Well done. :toast:
Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 2, 2011 at 12:47 PM
A bird I wish we had here in NY - the only very inor nit is the bugs which obviously you couldn't do anything about... on a larger version it's clear what they are but on a smaller version they're a bit distracting (just like in real life!)
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 2, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Hi Terry :wavey: I thoroughly enjoy this lovely composition.The reeds make a perfect perch for this beautiful bird :cool: :smile:
Albert Darmo. Canada
Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 2, 2011 at 3:04 PM
Very nice composition and a wonderful overall image on a bird I have tired many times to photograph but they will not cooperate. I like the head turn and perch material, good job in getting this, well done.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Simon Bennett on February 2, 2011 at 3:49 PM
Nice pose, head-turn and natural setting. The gnats are a plus.
Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments
Comment posted by dan elster on February 2, 2011 at 5:22 PM
Definetely keep the nats. :toast: Really sharp. Are these guys in South Dakota all winter?
Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on February 2, 2011 at 5:46 PM
Love these guys and you have captured this one beautifully.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 2, 2011 at 7:15 PM
Realy nice Terry. The tough exposure looks good as does everything else. I get gnats in my images of these species too and nearly always leave them in if they're sharp and identifiable.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on February 2, 2011 at 7:58 PM
Great shot! This is how I've typically seen them up here. I like the fact that you left the gnats.
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on February 3, 2011 at 1:05 AM
Ah, this is most excellent. Great decision to keep the gnats. :cool:
Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 3, 2011 at 8:41 AM
I love these Blackbirds Terry and you have presented him well. They are a tough bird to expose correctly and you have done that. Love the gnats, comp and pose.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on February 3, 2011 at 5:14 PM
A beautiful image :smile:
Well captured.

Geoff.
Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments
Comment posted by Roger Kirchen on February 18, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Excellent. Love the pose and the head-turn with catch light in the eye. It's good you kept the gnats - they belong to such a scene. Actually, they are identifiable as gnats (as opposed to specks) even the the small version. Great detail. Well exposed. It's so easy to blow the yellows on YHBBs.
Registered on March 6, 2011, 95 Posts, 847 Comments