Western kingbird

Gallery: AvianPosted January 31, 2014225 views15 comments

I photographed this bird at White Rock lake park in Dallas, Texas last spring. The bird is a western kingbird but if anyone knows the ID of the flower I would appreciate it. It looks like some kind of yucca flower to me but that is just a guess.

D300s and 200-400 w/ TC14 and monopod

1/800 sec @ 5.6 ISO 800

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 31, 2014 at 12:37 PM

Hi Robert:

I can't help with the flower ID. I like the flower as a perch. Lovely color palette with the background and the flower. Sharpness looks good where it needs to be. I'm not very comfortable with the centered composition however. I think the image needs more room on the left, and less room on top. I took a little time to work the image, added canvas on the left, did some work to remove the bright area on the left edge as it was a distraction for me. Here's a version of it. I also brightened up the bird just a little bit.

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

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on January 31, 2014 at 1:06 PM

Wonderful details on your kingbird. I like what Keith did on the repost...the bright foliage on the lhs was distracting and the bird looks even better brightened up. This is a wonderful perch for the bird! I did a little search on my Audobon wildflower app and find it looks like Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)...see what you think. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 31, 2014 at 1:40 PM

Nice crisp image, and I like the flower (though I can't ID it). I think Keith's post processing modifications do help kick the image up a notch.

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

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on January 31, 2014 at 2:12 PM

The flower looks like Yucca filamentosa. The reworked image is a nice improvement. ....................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on January 31, 2014 at 4:17 PM

Robert the second post is the one for me, but agree would like to see a bit more on the left "been picky "it's a super image nice looking bird on a lovely perch .
Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on January 31, 2014 at 6:41 PM

really nice, Robert. great perch and setting. I like the tweaks that Keith made. flower definitely looks like yucca, but don't know what varieties you have there.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 31, 2014 at 7:08 PM

Keith nailed the processing - needed to be lightened up a bit.
Nice bird, perch, and BG.
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 31, 2014 at 7:48 PM

A sweet photo of this beauty posing nicely on a great perch Robert. I like your original post, but I like Keith's version also.

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

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on January 31, 2014 at 9:26 PM

Great perch and complementary colours in the background Robert

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on January 31, 2014 at 10:53 PM

Hi Robert

A beautiful bird , on a nice perch, And well composed .... i too agree a slight brightening would help. Keith. did a fine job on the finishing touches

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on February 1, 2014 at 6:27 AM

Very nice all around Robert, and the repost by Keith has kicked it up a notch.
Especially like the perch and BG, well done!

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on February 1, 2014 at 9:17 AM

Don't know the flower but it is and wonderful perch for this shot, very nice in all aspects!

Ray

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on February 1, 2014 at 10:39 AM

Lovely bird on the Yucca flowers (Jim is right). Keith's modifications are spot on.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 1, 2014 at 10:59 AM

Nice perch and good soft colors throughout this image with fine details. I would brighten the bird up selectively a touch

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

Comment posted by Basri Akcasoy on February 3, 2014 at 2:38 PM

Excellent perch and composition, I'm agree with Keith.

Registered on February 16, 2012, 118 Posts, 767 Comments