Mourning Dove

Gallery: AvianPosted May 5, 2013109 views9 comments

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Place: Phoenix, AZ
Date: April 28, 2013, 5:27 pm
Equipment: Nikon D300, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8, TC14E(1.4x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 800, Aperture priority matrix metered, 1/60th @ f5.6
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac, 69% of full frame

My time for photography is still limited by other higher priorities, so I’m not getting out much to shoot. But I did take a moment to get this young Mourning Dove taking a drink from the water feature just off our patio. Note that this is taken through the glass patio door which can cost a little sharpness and contrast.

Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. Larger image provided for judging image quality.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on May 5, 2013 at 8:07 PM

Lovely setting Richard, looks sharp on my screen but contrast may have been affected very slightly. You a captured a fleeting moment of this bird's intimacy. Good shot.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on May 5, 2013 at 8:13 PM

Looks pretty sharp tome, Richard. Nice pose, and a cool looking water feature.

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on May 5, 2013 at 8:16 PM

Well caught of an intimate moment. I can't honestly say whether you lost anything by shooting through the glass door. I do wish you had caught it either just before or just after the drink, where the beak is fully revealed.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on May 5, 2013 at 9:57 PM

Beautiful image - love how the bird blends in... it reminds me of those novelty "dipping birds"

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

Comment posted by David Chauvin on May 6, 2013 at 6:22 AM

This reminds me of one of those drinking bird toys.

I never would have guessed this was shot through a glass door,,,,the color and sharpness look fine at this size,

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 6, 2013 at 10:09 AM

This is typical of how see these birds drink, they really get down

Very nice Rich

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

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on May 6, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Good capture Richard.
The colours are subtle and the image is sharp. If you lost sharpness by shooting through glass it doesn't show at these sizes. I like that you've caught the dove in the act of drinking. The submerged beak is a much more fleeting moment than that of the bird sitting beside the water before or after drinking.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on May 6, 2013 at 4:15 PM

A really nice comp Rich. Too bad you can't find more time to shoot. Hope the changes for you soon. I like the feather pattern on the young bird.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on May 7, 2013 at 2:43 PM

Very nice action Richard. I very much enjoy the setting.
May

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