Wilson's Phalarope

Gallery: AvianPosted August 13, 20181,099 views5 comments

Wilson's phalarope feeding at sundown on midges and brine flies near the Great Salt Lake. Their feeding habits are quite comical as they lower their profile and stalk the prey, pouncing on it at the end. I got several images of this behavior in nice light, but I had to sit in the middle of month old fish skeletons. The water color is reflection from dried rushes and late sunlight coming through smoke-filled skies (a result of wild fires all around). The foreground is dried up lake bed.

840mm, 1/800s@F9, -2/3 Ev, ISO800. Tripod.

Larger version also presented.

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on August 13, 2018 at 10:28 PM

Interesting behavior capture, Govind. I've seen them swim in tight circles to stir up prey, but not this.

Dealing with the orangish/yellow light is a real challenge.

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

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on August 14, 2018 at 12:14 PM

I like the pose and detail in the bird and the light on the water is quite nice.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on August 14, 2018 at 2:05 PM

Excellent point of view in addition to what other people have already stated. The light and watercolor around the bird are just wonderful. Well composed.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 15, 2018 at 12:02 PM

Cool behavior, Govind. Nice low angle, excellent detail in the Phalarope, and beautiful light. You might think about removing some of the out of focus dry mud foreground. To me it detracts from the luminance of the rest of the image.

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

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on September 2, 2018 at 11:43 AM

Hey Govind,
Excellent action of this behavior with a nice low POV. The composition seems well balanced as is in my opinion.

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments