Another Herring Gull

Gallery: AvianPosted October 17, 201568 views7 comments

We just returned from a few days on the Olympic Peninsula. One day we drove along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Cape Flattery. We stopped for a bite of lunch at a small picnic area/boat launch on Hwy 112 and this gull decided to spend some time in the water within reasonable photographic range.

7Dii, Sigma 150-600mm @ 562mm, f/6.3, 1/4000, iso 500, aperture priority, pattern metering, -2/3 stop compensation. Processed in LR5 & CS6. I put the gull on a separate layer and brightened the water a bit to compensate for the negative compensation I'd used to avoid blowing the whites in the bird. Cropped to 10.8MP. Taken at 11:52 am on October 14th.

I appreciate your comments on the Great Blue Heron and look forward to your input on this image.

Thanks,

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on October 18, 2015 at 3:50 PM

Good processing and nice detail on the Herring Gull. There is a trail out to Look Through Rock for a good shot of the lighthouse on Tatoosh Island. Did you make it that far? cool

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 18, 2015 at 6:06 PM

Gulls are often overlooked and under photographed - I love the plumage you have caught here - kind of an in-between look. Nice wave action with the wind disrupting the feathers giving me a sens eof how chilly it probably was.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 18, 2015 at 6:39 PM

From Phil: " There is a trail out to Look Through Rock for a good shot of the lighthouse on Tatoosh Island. Did you make it that far?" Yup. I haven't posted that shot, but did post a NE view from the same point in the Weekly Challenge gallery.
crying

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 18, 2015 at 11:39 PM

A good shot showing the windy weather in the Striats. In the larger version, the head looks just a bit soft; maybe a bit more selective sharpening?

I wonder about the ID. I'd expect a Herring Gull old enough to have a red gonys spot to have the classic yellow eye of a Herring Gull. And a darker grey back. Maybe a Glaucous-winged x Herring hybrid? That area is famous for its hybridized gulls.

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on October 19, 2015 at 7:57 AM

Very nice Dennis, I like the waves and the ruffled feathers. Ray

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on October 19, 2015 at 3:08 PM

Fine environmental shot, love the windblown feathers ! Cheers, Hans

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

Comment posted by Gary Minish on October 24, 2015 at 11:12 PM

Glad to see someone else appreciates gulls! I like the choppy water and windblown feathers in this shot as it adds a bit of a chill to the scene. A little more sharpening on the posted version might help bring out the details.

Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments