Running Grebes

Gallery: AvianPosted February 10, 2012896 views23 comments

D300s
600mm + 1.4 TC
Aperture Priority
Exposure Compensation -1.67
1/2500
F/9
Metering Spot
ISO 500
Distance 50.10 meters
White Balance Cloudy
RAW
Wimberly head on Tripod

These images were taken in early January when the Western Grebes and the Clarks Grebes were running regularly. The running has slowed since then because I believe they are nesting. We should have baby grebes on parents backs in just a few weeks which I'm looking forward to. The day was fairly sunny making exposure of both the whites and blacks very difficult necessitating a pretty dramatic negative exposure compensation value. The water color is from a mountain in the background that is reflecting on the lake. Thanks for having a look see. Larger version included.

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 10, 2012 at 3:34 AM

Great action !!! Well done.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on February 10, 2012 at 6:39 AM

You handled the exposure well and I like the mating posture of the birds. Really neat behavioral shot David.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on February 10, 2012 at 7:34 AM

Terrific frame, very nicely captured !!!
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by John Robinson on February 10, 2012 at 9:19 AM

Excellent !

Registered on March 2, 2008, 535 Posts, 2453 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 10, 2012 at 11:41 AM

Exellent - a great view of both and good handling of a tough exposure.
Nice BG and super action -

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on February 10, 2012 at 2:10 PM

Great capture of these fantastic birds- Nice angle, fine detail and a dinamic pose on this shot- My best congrats, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 10, 2012 at 2:22 PM

Great capture, David. Nice work on the whites. I believe that this is called "rushing".

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 10, 2012 at 3:42 PM

Excellent timing to get this behavior. I have seen this on several bird programs. Great job to get an image showing this dancing on water. I like the you can see both grebes eyes and the water splashing really adds, way to go, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on February 10, 2012 at 4:33 PM

Superb action shot ! I particularly like the color tones in this image ! well done ! Grtz, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 10, 2012 at 5:10 PM

This is Awesome David

Great action behavior illustration, good detail in both birds, excllent exposure work.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by John Fan on February 10, 2012 at 5:14 PM

Great capture! I like the synchronized action of two birds.

Registered on August 24, 2010, 135 Posts, 489 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on February 10, 2012 at 5:51 PM

Great shot!, David. Really like the action and the water splash is an extra plus! Nice work.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 10, 2012 at 6:01 PM

Terrific! Very nice classic action. Strong composition. Nice exposure.

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 10, 2012 at 8:06 PM

Wonderful image David, you don't see many shots of this behavior where it all comes together like this, great lighting, action and I like the way you composed it with the splash, congrats!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 10, 2012 at 10:27 PM

really cool, David. great matching poses, great color in the water, and I love all the flying water. really a great looking shot.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on February 11, 2012 at 12:36 AM

Stunning. You post one great image after another.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM

This is just about perfect, David. I know from experience how hard it is to capture, and you've really brought it all together. Excellent!

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on February 11, 2012 at 9:43 PM

Outstanding! the red eyes glowing and the intensity of the action and the splash is wonderful.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 12, 2012 at 5:13 PM

Sweet, David. Nice freezing of the water and classic pose.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 15, 2012 at 2:08 PM

Congrats on a great WP!!
Right time, right place, perfect techs and perspective.

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on February 19, 2012 at 1:39 AM

Thank You all for the kind words. I am thrilled that this image has been chosen as a weekly pick. Thanks again!!!

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on February 21, 2012 at 9:22 AM

Totally cool action David. I dream of getting such a shot.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on August 13, 2012 at 7:06 PM

Congrats on your WP David. Love this matching pair and their dynamic action, lots of energy here..
A unique and novel image that's one of a kind. I'd be very happy to call it mine

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments