Say’s Phoebe

Gallery: AvianPosted December 20, 2015100 views8 comments

Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya)

Place: Bosque del Apache, New Mexico
Date: December 4, 2015, 12:21 pm
Equipment: Nikon D7200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E III (2x), beanbag on car window
Exposure: ISO 800, Aperture priority spot metered, 1/2000th @ f/8
Raw, PS CC on Mac, 43% of frame

The colors at Bosque del Apache are a good match to the Say's Phoebe, and I look for shots of them on every visit. As in previous years this bird was photographed on the west side of the Farm Loop near the flight deck.

Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. Please view the larger version if possible before commenting.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Cay-Uwe Kulzer on December 20, 2015 at 11:54 AM

Richard,

as you say the matching colors of the surroundings and the bird are really interesting and this image shows it very well. I like also the simplicity of composition of this image. Well seen.

Registered on January 27, 2004, 494 Posts, 4021 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on December 20, 2015 at 12:01 PM

Really nice capture. Beautiful background. I would add a little up top and take a bit off the bottom. Well done.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hansen on December 20, 2015 at 5:05 PM

Nice catch Richard. Great pose and perch. The bird's colors certainly do match the background! When I lived in Wyoming I saw these birds regularly, but very rarely now in my part of California. I do miss them. I wonder if a slight saturation increase on the bird would be helpful?

Registered on May 5, 2011, 161 Posts, 908 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on December 20, 2015 at 9:16 PM

A very nice image of the Say's Phoebe. The image just screams Bosque Del Apache to me with that color palette. I do wonder if it could go just a touch darker, and just a little bit more vibrance as well.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on December 20, 2015 at 10:12 PM

Lovely, Richard. You have just enogh dof that I can make out hints of habitat in the bg, and I love the palette.

devil

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

Comment posted by Todd Bauer on December 21, 2015 at 9:28 PM

It's very natural, and to my eye, perfect as is. Refreshing.

Registered on May 28, 2014, 50 Posts, 176 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on December 21, 2015 at 9:41 PM

Great color palette, Richard, and a classic Say's pose.

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on December 22, 2015 at 4:05 PM

I saw a lot of Say's Phoebes this year in Bosque and have a few of these myself. Nice head turn and good clean comp on this one Richard. I do find myself wishing for a bit more saturation or even a boost on the WB toward warming this up a little. I know this is probably as seen since it was taken around noon, but I think those things might make this pop a little more.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments