Dowitcher Landing

Gallery: AvianPosted April 20, 20081,674 views20 comments

I photographed this Short-billed Dowitcher coming in to land in a large flock of dowitchers and godwits on the Washington coast yesterday. I really enjoy photographing shorebirds because they are often approchable. Sometimes its challenging getting one bird to stand out from the flock. I used some noise reduction on the bg here partially for the noise and partially to blur the bg more. This is cropped from the bottom and left.

MarkIII 500IS 1/3200 F7.1 iso 800, evaluative metering -1/3

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on April 20, 2008 at 2:41 PM

Lovely image Nate , beautiful feather detail

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on April 20, 2008 at 3:54 PM

An upper case WOW. I don't think I have ever seen a shot showing so vividly the beautiful pattern of feathers under the wing. The sharpness of the head and bill is just terrific too.
David Sparks

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on April 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM

This is just a great shot. Nice and sharp, lots of action. All in all very, very nice.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Larry McFerrin on April 20, 2008 at 6:30 PM

Nate,

Incredible detail. IMO this is over the top.

Larry McFerrin
Oregon

Registered on March 30, 2008, 34 Posts, 272 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on April 20, 2008 at 7:19 PM

Great capture Nate and I think the separation here is very good. Exceptional detail and image.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on April 20, 2008 at 7:56 PM

vow ... what a shot.

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on April 20, 2008 at 7:57 PM

The main subject is perfect IMO - in fact exquisite. Above and beyond that I agree with Pat that your separation of that bird from the masses here is expertly done. The only place I notice any competition at all with the main subject is where it's toe crosses the bill of one of the birds on the ground and that's so minor. Don't know how you did it Nate but you did and a big congrats!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Evanoski on April 20, 2008 at 8:07 PM

Love the image Nate, The eye contact definitely stands him out from the crowd. Great detail in the bird!

Peter

Registered on March 27, 2008, 51 Posts, 176 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on April 20, 2008 at 9:13 PM

Stunning detail on the incoming Dowitcher. Unique sort of group photo.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on April 20, 2008 at 9:48 PM

Hi Nate,
I didn't think much from the thumbnail but a what a pleasant surprise.

Excellent shot.

Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on April 20, 2008 at 9:57 PM

Great detail and pose, beautiful landing shot

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on April 20, 2008 at 9:59 PM

Incredible sharpness Nate. A very unique composition.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on April 20, 2008 at 10:53 PM

Amazing! Great to be able to shoot at ISO 800 and get results like this (not that it makes it easy). Your treatment of the BG worked well, too.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by raymond j barlow on April 21, 2008 at 12:23 AM

really nice action shot Nate, well done.

Registered on March 29, 2007, 218 Posts, 964 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on April 21, 2008 at 3:15 AM

Feather detail and patterning is superb Nate. Very interesting background, what is it?
Superb shot

cheers Rob

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

Comment posted by Paul Inglis on April 21, 2008 at 6:32 AM

Hi Nate,

Beautiful capture!

Registered on October 23, 2007, 26 Posts, 2832 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on April 21, 2008 at 9:29 AM

Fantastic detail, Nate.... beautiful!

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 21, 2008 at 11:06 AM

Thanks everyone for your kind comments, the bg is a flock of dowitchers and godwits on the right and the left edge is the old dock they were roosting on.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 21, 2008 at 1:27 PM

Terrific as posted.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on April 22, 2008 at 12:57 AM

Sometimes the flock of birds is an organism itself, especially in the case of shorebirds. You've captured a sense of that very well here.

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