Y-H BB with prey

Gallery: AvianPosted July 10, 2012261 views7 comments

Female Yellow-headed Blackbird

The goopy stuff is pond scum - pretty disgusting, but full of bugs, so the birds love it.

D300
500mm+ TC 1.7
1/640 sec, f/8
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 500
AF mode: AF-C
White balance: AUTO
Flash: Off

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on July 10, 2012 at 6:43 AM

A nice look at this pretty little lady. I really like the pose and the OOF goop provides a nice soft BG for her. Excellent detail and the meal is a big plus, nicely done for a not so elegant setting.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Alan Murphy on July 10, 2012 at 6:06 PM

Excellent pose and setting. A kiss of fill flash on the dark bird would give it some pop.

Registered on December 3, 2003, 192 Posts, 739 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 10, 2012 at 7:33 PM

The ponds at the Water Ranch sometimes look that way, but I still can't get a Yelow-headed Blackbird to pose for me this close.

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

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on July 10, 2012 at 11:05 PM

Another beauty, Sandy. Really like the angled pose. Nice to see the damselfly in the mouth. Would have never guessed the pond scum.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on July 11, 2012 at 8:25 AM

Sandy, good eye to find this image! I like the pose and colors, but it does seem just a tad soft, maybe it is just me. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on July 11, 2012 at 12:03 PM

That is some nasty looking pond scum! I like the pose of the bird. Feels just a touch soft? Selective sharpening of the bird could solve this I think.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 11, 2012 at 12:40 PM

Yum! Nice pose, Sandy. If you have a bit more room above a vertical crop might be interesting.

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