Grackles

Gallery: AvianPosted July 10, 2010131 views9 comments

These grackles were going back and forth posturing on a pipeline running through a patch of cat tails in the swamp. I'm not sure what this display is all about. Even though this went on for quite a while, I never could get both in the plane of focus.

50D, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/400 sec, f6.3, ISO 400, 80% of original frame
David
South Louisiana

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on July 10, 2010 at 10:08 AM

interesting poses, David. I really like your comp. I'm not sure why, but the second bird being oof doesn't really bother me here--I actually like it. I think it makes it feel like it is falling away from what I perceive as the dominant (probably only because it is in focus) bird.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on July 10, 2010 at 12:07 PM

Nice capture of the displaying. I see what Brian says about the perception of "dominance", and the potential effect of the OOF bird maybe being perceived less dominant. Not sure it quite works from that persepective for me. Dunno...maybe it's because the OOF bird is higher in the frame, and that negates that perception of dominance?

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 10, 2010 at 12:32 PM

I call this "sky pointing" and I see our Great-tailed Grackles do it a lot here in AZ. But I've never been able to get a shot of it.

I like this as posted even with the right bird being out of focus. The exposure and sharpness and detail on the left bird are excellent.

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

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on July 10, 2010 at 3:31 PM

Interesting behaviour the OOF bird doesn't bother me.
Like the detail in the bird

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on July 10, 2010 at 6:44 PM

I like it David. Unusual and artistic, while also demonstrating some interesting behavior. You also captured the color and iridescence of the feathers very well.

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

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on July 10, 2010 at 7:38 PM

Like the comp David - the detail and exposure on the left hand bird are wonderful.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on July 11, 2010 at 1:31 AM

I looked at this for a while, and the picture grows on you.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on July 12, 2010 at 7:02 PM

Good composition to go along with the story and the left bird detail really makes the image, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on July 13, 2010 at 12:55 AM

Hey LB,
Good job of capturing the colors of this species. Weird thing they do but I guess it's just their thing. It would have been real cool if the right side bird would have turned facing the other bird.
Thank for posting,
Ronnie G.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments