Wilson's Phalaropes

Gallery: AvianPosted May 19, 20048,865 views27 comments

After numerous failed attempts last night to make a close approach on a few phalaropes, I decided to give it one more try. 30 minutes later I was shooting two birds, but with my 2X. I moved a bit closer and decided to switch to the 1.4X. Sure glad I did. Seconds later this male dropped in out of the sky and promptly climbed on top. I guess they already knew each another.

Photographed locally about 30 minutes before sundown.

10D, 500mm f4 IS, 1.4X, ISO 400, evaluative metering (-.3), 1/1250, f11. Cropped about 20%, and cloned out a bit of junk in the water.

Comments

27 comments

Comment posted by Kai Hui on May 19, 2004 at 2:14 PM

This is awsome!

Kai

Registered on May 10, 2004, 133 Posts, 574 Comments

Comment posted by Brian E. Small on May 19, 2004 at 2:31 PM

Bob,

Quite simply this may be your finest bird photograph.............enough said..........except I hate you!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 147 Posts, 933 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Edwardes on May 19, 2004 at 3:10 PM

There just aren't enough smiley things to do this shot justice

Fantastic image Bob!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 45 Posts, 279 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Davidson on May 19, 2004 at 3:15 PM

Absolutely outstanding, Bob! It just doesn't get any better
than this!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 38 Posts, 815 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on May 19, 2004 at 3:22 PM

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Palmer on May 19, 2004 at 3:28 PM

Wonderful image with great light.

Registered on November 13, 2003, 132 Posts, 367 Comments

Comment posted by Helge Sorensen on May 19, 2004 at 3:55 PM

Absolutely stunning!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 186 Posts, 1526 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Kijewski on May 19, 2004 at 4:44 PM

nuff said!

Registered on February 17, 2004, 166 Posts, 3390 Comments

Comment posted by Skip Layman on May 19, 2004 at 5:03 PM

I am neither a skilled enough bird photographer nor master enough of the English language to make a comment that would do justice to this incredible shot. WOW and WOW.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 558 Posts, 1704 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Holland on May 19, 2004 at 5:17 PM

Bob,
The birds are stunning, but I think what I like best about this photo is the way the water fades into the background. Talk about making the subject pop! I thnk from now on I should just save money on equipment and take you along to do my photography for me!

Good job!

Registered on February 17, 2004, 49 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on May 19, 2004 at 5:38 PM

I think you've finally caught on to this bird photography stuff.

This is wonderful!

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

Comment posted by Bruce Sherman on May 19, 2004 at 8:08 PM

Hi Bob,
About time you posted something decent.

The English teachers of the world will hate what I am about to say because of the double negative, but there is absolutely nothing not to like about this shot.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 165 Posts, 1116 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zipp on May 19, 2004 at 8:45 PM

Geez Bob, This is awsome!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 86 Posts, 940 Comments

Comment posted by Pete Parker on May 19, 2004 at 9:46 PM

Sweet,Sweet Sweet. It doesn't get much better than this!

Pete

Registered on November 9, 2003, 29 Posts, 184 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on May 19, 2004 at 11:21 PM

Dang your good

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Ganesh H Shankar on May 20, 2004 at 12:17 AM

Simply wonderful shot ! Very pleasing light, nice action.

Registered on March 1, 2004, 324 Posts, 1867 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Barnes on May 20, 2004 at 1:35 AM

Did you catch them in any other positions? Or did they just stick to 'birdy-style'?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 231 Posts, 1153 Comments

Comment posted by Meint Sijp on May 20, 2004 at 1:46 AM

Amazing shot

Registered on November 30, 2003, 76 Posts, 135 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Danzenbaker on May 20, 2004 at 11:17 AM

What Brian Small said ... all of it.

Registered on December 2, 2003, 40 Posts, 791 Comments

Comment posted by Matthew Whitley on May 20, 2004 at 11:26 PM

WOW! It doesn't get any better than this!
Matthew

Registered on November 1, 2003, 2 Posts, 5 Comments

Comment posted by Jasper Doest on May 22, 2004 at 4:18 AM

Bob, this IS Fantastic!!!! Excellent pose, you've timed that really well. Exposure is dead on and the light is GORGEOUS! I Don't see anything to improve here. This is what bird-photography is all about....

Registered on November 1, 2003, 371 Posts, 2101 Comments

Comment posted by Miguel Lasa on September 20, 2004 at 11:29 AM

Wow, awesome.The bg complements the birds colours.Fantastic Bob

Registered on November 1, 2003, 71 Posts, 63 Comments

Comment posted by Toni Lankerd on January 6, 2005 at 11:04 AM

Awesome! I am soooo jealous!

Registered on January 3, 2005, 360 Posts, 4004 Comments

Comment posted by bruno on May 6, 2006 at 7:57 AM

great light, great moment and great shot! bravo!

Registered on March 20, 2006, 23 Posts, 24 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on June 23, 2006 at 12:30 PM

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on April 22, 2007 at 12:47 PM

Beautiful capture, Bob.

Three observations. One is that you have demonstrated that patience does pay off.

Two, I love the dof. The water flows seamlessly into background.

And three, as I review photos, I'm discovering everyone has a distinct tehnique and I'm beginning to look at an image and say, "Oh that belongs to Guy or Bob or Richard or Bill and, or others."

Thanks for sharing this photo.

It's great.

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Bartsch on May 5, 2008 at 1:30 AM

Such LOVE, hehe. What an intimate moment.

Outstanding shot Bob, thanks for sharing.

Registered on December 1, 2003, 80 Posts, 354 Comments