Red Grouse

Red Grouse, Bingley Moor, West Yorks. Early September 07

For the last few years the grouse have been in a very bad way (worm troubles) on the local moor. I could spend the whole day on the moor and may be hear or see just a couple. The local keepers have been very active trying to remedy the situation. So it was a real pleasure to go on to the moor early one misty morning and find a section full of grouse.

I have mixed feelings about this shot, it feels a bit wooden to me.

Techs 20D 300 2.8 x1.4. 1/500th@F5.6 ISO 400. Mainly processed with Lightroom, resized for web in PS.


Any thoughts

Not a wood in sight John, and I would be pleased enough with it - the wall works well and the b/g has some nice tones in it. Only minor observation is that a slight head-turn towards camera rather than the slight looking away that the bird is doing would help but it's a clean well-composed colourful shot.



Mark

It is nice to see their numbers stabilising or increasing a bit again. Quite like the shot - don't know about 'wooden' pose - it's a typical grousey pose, ready to fly away from you . Possibly be better as a vertical shot. Did he oblige or bugger off?

I must get out there and find a few grice again .

The trouble with grouse is that they're rather 'wooden' anyway so I'd stop worrying about that and be well chuffed with a nice shot. I think the background is terrific.
Dave

Well I'd be very pleased with it if I were John - as Mark noted, the head turn could be a bit more favourable but it's a minor thing - very nice image

Wonderful shot with a perfect background. Love everything about it.

Edwin Kats

Very nice shot indeed. I believe that the grouse/worm problem is cyclical so hopefully they are on the upturn on your moor and you will get more opportunities to take quality pictures like this one.

Thanks everyone, your opinions are really helpful. It was a really great morning and the emotion of the occasion tends to cloud judgement even now. Nick I got plenty of shots in all sorts of poses, that morning they all seemed quite friendly and good humoured

Looks very good to me and i really like the background in this image. The bird looks rather majestic in this pose

Lovely picture,nice light, nice pose, nice wall.....well one
Frederic

Can't fault bar the head turn but that's picky. Great work

Nice one john, suggest you should have themed it 'Famous Grouse'?

Steve

Wonderful photo. First that I've seen this bird--made my day!

Laurie

Cracking shot

Super shot John,

Really like this

Alan

Very nice love the background

Andy

Hi John a cool shot I really must go out and get something like this one-day.

Phillip.

The BG colours compliment the colours in the bird well.
Its a good looking bird.

Major

I think it is a little beauty, John.

Hello John

Very nice you gotta love Reds.



Dan

Hi John. Its doesn't feel wooden to me. It looks great. The grouse really pops out from the BG which has beautiful colours. I don't think anyone here could want more from a grouse.

Nice image John good comp. and a great BG.
John
Aberdeen