on the rocks (+ pano re-post)

Another one from my recent trip to Wales. The Choughs were ducking and diving around the sea cliffs on the Pembrokeshire coast and rarely touched down but I managed to catch this one during a brief landing and with the sea in the background.
As ever, c&c most welcome

Canon 7D with Canon 100-400 L IS at 400mm, f/5.6, ISO400, 1/1600th sec

Like this Jeff. Desperately contrasty lighting, so its good that you got the gloss of the plumage to lift the chough. I do find the lower white rock very distracting and would crop it off just at its top which (to my eye at least) throws more emphasis onto the bird, and makes it look more like its just emerging from the perfectly shaped rock. Great oof background too. I've only ever seen these birds once, at Inchnadamph in Sutherland. They are very elegant.

Nice Shot Jeff nits covered great background
Bronia

Thanks for the comments John and Bronia. I had thought about a pano crop John (given my love of panos ) but I do quite like the diagonal created by the rockface in the original image. However, here's a pano version (which I also like) and it'll be interesting to see which others prefer - thanks again

Hi Jeff

a very nice shot taken under tricky lighting conditions the bird really stands out and you have a nice sheen to it.

I prefer the pano

Love the composition,works really well IMO,beautiful colours and well exposed,wonderful image Jeff

Jeff, I must admit that I prefer the original. I don't find the lower rock distracting, if anything it creates more of a sense of place.

Thanks for the further feedback folks - much appreciated

I prefer it in it's orginal format as well. looks like Wales was a success.


Calum

It's the original post for me too Jeff, the last time I was in Wales I deleted 4gb worth of Chough shots by mistake

Andy...