The Assemblage

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 9, 2014270 views7 comments

The Assemblage

This one is for those getting bored of all that darned colour!

Anyone who has spent time in the proximity of Humpback Whales on North America's Pacific Coast should be able to relate to this shot. One of the key food/energy sources that drives the near-shore marine ecosystem is the presence of herring and other small "bait-fish". Organisms of all sizes - from small seabirds like the Rhinoceros Auklets shown here (and the Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel flying behind the whale in the "midground") through to massive 40-ton Humpback Whales - are absolutely dependent on them. Find a whale feeding on herring and you'll almost always birds working the herring over as well.

So...what comes first - the chicken (the auklets) or the egg (in this case the whale - which is one huge egg!)? Well...after seeing dozens of these and other mixed-species assemblages feeding on herrings I'd have to say that more often or not it's the chicken (the birds) that come first! But once in a while you will see the odd whale ravenously sucking in the herring in blissful solitude (for at least a few minutes until the eagle-eyed birds descend upon the scene).

Subjects: Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeagnliae) and Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata)
Location: Northern tip of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D4
Lens: Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR VR lens - handheld. VR on and in "Normal" mode.
Exposure: 1/1250s @ f5.6; ISO 250. -0.33 stop compensation from "recommended" matrix-metered exposure setting.
Crop: Extremely minor - this is at least 95% of full frame

For those that might be interested, there's a bit of a discussion about shooting in "drab" conditions associated with this image on my website - which is currently residing right here:

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/

Comments and critiques welcomed - probably best to view the larger version prior to doing so!

Cheers...

Brad

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Clinton Bauder on April 9, 2014 at 6:32 PM

Hi Brad, I always love pictures from this part of the world. This captures the feeling of what it's like to be there very well. Tree covered islets, fog, whales, birds, cold, etc. Maybe would like just a bit more room above the trees? Maybe. Anyway, nice!

Clinton

Registered on December 8, 2009, 31 Posts, 231 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 9, 2014 at 6:36 PM

This is a way cool look, Brad. If I didn't know where your interests lie, I might not have known that it was a whale's mouth in the lower right. It almost looks like the whale is going for that little bird above it. I like the sharpness on the whale's mouth and the birds set against the soft landscape fading into the mist.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on April 10, 2014 at 9:09 PM

I think you did well to get as much detail as you have with this lighting. Fine image.
thanks for sharing.

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

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on April 12, 2014 at 8:47 PM

Neat scene, Brad. I feel the general lack of lighting and color make for an effect that is less compelling than your usual color rich offerings. Interesting? Yes. Drab? Yes. To most of us land locked folk, the reality of the huge feeding mouth is hard to grasp.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on April 12, 2014 at 11:48 PM

Quite reminiscent of the time I spent on the west coast involved with the controversial herring and roe on kelp fisheries. So often the overcast misty conditions on the west coast blur the distinction between earth and sky, this photo captures that feeling well. Obviously 90% of the action is happening below the surface of the waves but the "assemblage" (great title) of creatures relying on the herring are present and makes for an exciting ecological statement.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 13, 2014 at 1:56 PM

I like this Brad, I imagine viewed much larger it would be even more impressive to see the detail of the auklets etc.

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

Comment posted by William Bickle on April 18, 2014 at 11:33 AM

Hello Brad

Well done, to set the mood with colourization! (or lack of)

Can almost smell the Whale-Breath ! Can definitely hear the noisy feeding birds , jostling for the herring.

Thanks for sharing

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments