Northern Wheatear

My local dungheap has been super productive again this spring, large numbers of Yellow Wagtails, a couple of Whinchat and several Wheatear.
Most of the Wheatear have been a bit wary, but there is a male that is just so bold, it often comes too close to focus and with the help of a few mealworms it has been happy to be "art directed" onto various perches; I now have images of it on carefully selected colour coordinated rocks, lichen covered branches and old weather beaten posts (see my Flickr).
However, this is my favourite shot, the perch is the corner of a straw bale used to contain copious amounts of fly producing cow poo, there is a "window of oportunity" of about an hour when the low sun shines through a gap in the hedge/trees and lights the spot at an angle that allows the flowering Oilseed Rape in a rising field several hundred metres away to be used as a background.

2010:05:04 19:09:32
Canon EOS 1DsMkIII, Canon 600mmf4IS + 1.4X (840mm)
Subject dist: 6.9m
1/500 sec, f/10
Mode: Av
Metering: Evaluative
ISO: 400
AF mode: AI Servo AF
Drive: Continuous (high)
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
File size: 24.1MB
Image size: 3744 x 5616
Color space: AdobeRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: 0
Contrast: 0
Tone: Normal
Custom Functions:
CFn III-2: AI Servo tracking sensitivity: slow (-1)
CFn III-13: AF point brightness: brighter

RAW conversion DPP; levels, curves, resize & sharpen all done in Adobe CS3, this is not cropped.

Good to see that the extension of the Rape field extends past the head and doesn't run through it. Might lessen the contrast as it looks like it is 'chocking' some of the fine detail, especially in the feathers/shadow areas. Not sure about f/10, however I thought that might have been more clarity in the detail than this? Probably might have opened up a bit more to aid SS, based on the kit.

TFS
Steve

Great shot Nigel. Never fails to impress with your 'setup' shots! Background really compliments the image. Nice one.

Hi Nigel,
Good vision and planning to get the bird against such a colourful backdrop.
Very nice indeed and certainly different to a lot of Wheatear images.

Very nice capture Nigel,i like the yellow BG.

Keith.

Fantastic colours Nigel

Hi Nigel

You have made a 'dung heap' look very attractive - great pose and I love the colours!

David

Brilliantly thought-out and executed shot. Top drawer stuff


Simon

A great shot and thanks for all the accompanying info. I've been scanning the area for a good dung heap myself...

Tim

That's certainly one colourful,sharp pose and excellent planning from you too.

Phil.

Cracking Image. The additional colour makes it special!

C.

Congrats to your fine work Nigel,
did you use a hide?

Bertl

Many thanks all; Bertl, I used the car as a hide.. it now needs a good wash, but the rain today is doing quite a good job of that I think!!

A very well conceived shot and I especially like the backgound to the head

I like it Nigel, maybe a touch contrasty.

Dale

Lovely shot with a interesting background

A well structured and vibrant image .

I echo Mark, it's a very vibrant image indeed. The bird is very well detailed but looks a little contrasty to me but otherwise it's a fine bit of work.

Brett

I think that's a lovely shot, but the colours look a little too rich especially on the dark wing feathers to me. I don't know whether that is just caused by the sunlight or too much contrast, but it makes it look a little too harsh to me and jars a bit. I can't fault the shot though it's well planned and executed and filed away in my collection of good ideas to nick.
eric

A cracking image Nigel. Like it very much. Colours are great. Must start visiting dung heaps