Gauging the Weather

Canon EOS 7D, EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, Shutter Priority @ f/4 (1/400 sec), -1/3 EV, ISO 250, Tripod, JPEG from RAW, Cropped 40% from Full Frame

Subject: White-Crested Laughingthrush

Location: Bangpra Non-Hunting Area, Chonburi, Thailand

Situation: A 10-minute drive away from my local zoo there is a protected forested area surrounding a fair size lake, where one can also find a good selection of bird species, ranging in size from Scarlet-Backed Flower-Peckers, Sunbirds, Pied Fantails, Hoopoes, Bee-Eaters, Barbets, White-Crested Laughingthrush, Black-Naped Oriole up to Little Cormorants, Black-Crowned Night-Herons and Egrets.

I've visited this area on five or six occasions and really should (and will) spend more time there in the future. The only reason I haven't visited more often is that, being an equal distance away from my home, invariably I'll head to the zoo first (where of course there's many more subjects to photograph) with the thought in mind that I'll stop off at Bangpra on the way back. But more often than not, I'll end up spending six hours in the baking heat at the zoo and, by the time I'm heading out, feel like that's enough for one day.

On the afternoon I shot this Laughingthrush there had been a few sudden but (thankfully) brief downpours. Fortunately I always carry with me protective coatings for my equipment, so each time I'd quickly cover my lens and camera and get myself under the nearest tree that offered some shelter, then soon as I felt the rain was easing off and not likely to get into my lens I'd be shooting again.

The subject you see here was actually one of a number (perhaps 10 or more) that like to hang around a certain part of the woods and, due to their incessant calling, are relatively easy to find. They're also quite at ease with the few people they get to see wandering about below them, which makes them a great subject to photograph. Aside from the rain, the only real challenge was the lighting being so low under the canopy of trees as well as the cloud-filled sky.

Nevertheless, I was able to capture a number of pleasing images, and this one particularly appeals to me for the way the Laughingthrush appears to be gauging the likelihood of another torrent from the skies.

In post-processing I removed a couple of hanging twigs that I found to be too distracting.

Critique and comments always welcome :^)