Snail kite-adult female

Gallery: AvianPosted March 18, 2011166 views22 comments

First trip with the goal of getting some images of snail kites. The weather could not have been better. Blue skies and no wind. The birds were there too. I just love these birds and watching their behavior this morning was a real treat. This is full-frame. Please note these birds where not baited, called in, or harrassed in any way. I anchored the boat right up against a reed bank and let the birds come to me. Thanks so much for looking and please view the larger image for more detail.

Canon 1DM4
500mm f/4 + 1.4x TC
ISO 800
1/2000s
f/6.3
Manual exp.
Hand held from a boat
full frame, no crop

Comments

22 comments

Comment posted by Dottie Short on March 18, 2011 at 5:42 PM

This is a beautiful flight shot! The larger images really shows the sharpness of this kite. I just bought a 500 about 6 weeks ago, and I can really appreciate your 'hand holding' ability. Every time I try to do that my back aches.

I'll just stick to my Gitzo & Wimberly

Registered on April 12, 2010, 61 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 18, 2011 at 5:58 PM

Very nice, it looks like the boat blind is working

. Wonderful full frame flight shot with excellent feather detail, the larger image was a pleasure to view.

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 18, 2011 at 6:11 PM

Just realized the small version is in the wrong color space (Adobe RGB instead of sRGB). The larger version is correct. Sorry. Here is the correct small version

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on March 18, 2011 at 6:56 PM

Beautiful bird, beautiful image. Great light and colors.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Jenkins on March 18, 2011 at 7:52 PM

Great feather detail, wing position and lighting. Really good shot, Ron.

Registered on April 20, 2008, 307 Posts, 604 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 18, 2011 at 8:05 PM

Another exceptional shot!
Aren't the kites wonderful?
Beautiful flight shot - fine detail, great colors, good pose and clean BG.
The only thing that could make this better is a big, fat apple snail in it's beak!
And I'm betting you'll get THAT shot soon...

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on March 18, 2011 at 9:06 PM

If I could I would use a "boat-blind" all the time. Birds don't seem to think there are any water-bound predators. Fantastic shot!

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 18, 2011 at 9:09 PM

A masterful image. Awesome detail. Nice wing position to show off the feather detail. Good job with keeping this centered so well in the frame.

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

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on March 18, 2011 at 9:37 PM

I'd love to just see one of these, let alone get a full frame flight shot like this!

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on March 18, 2011 at 9:54 PM

Exceptional shot,Ron: great bif capture and full frame comp!

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on March 18, 2011 at 9:54 PM

Ron,
Exceptional detail in this image. Nice eye contact and exposure. You must have been over the top when you got this full frame. I know I would have been. Fantastic image Ron.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by John Blumenkamp on March 18, 2011 at 10:06 PM

Fantastic image Ron! Awesome detail and light on the hawk... really nice work.

Registered on February 26, 2011, 58 Posts, 313 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 18, 2011 at 10:26 PM

Really Beautiful - these birds don't get nearly as much attention as they deserve. I like how it shows the hooked bill so well

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Diller on March 18, 2011 at 10:43 PM

Hey those shots look familiar!!

Great shot Ron, still going through all my shots. We couldn't have had better conditions! See ya in the morning!

Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 19, 2011 at 7:48 AM

Ya know I looked at the shot and said " something is flat about the color" I hate when I do that

Great shot as usual and the detail for hh is amazing.especially right down to the pint of the beak. You keep workin those biceps

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 19, 2011 at 8:03 AM

You're like a bulldog when you set your mind to something Ron. Another difficult goal achieved. Love the wing position, eye contact and incredible detail in flight. Amazing job getting this kite perfectly composed in the FF. Excellent.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 19, 2011 at 8:07 AM

Amazing detail and sharpness Ron - what a great shot.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 19, 2011 at 12:00 PM

Truly magnificent image. Full of power with expert skill.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 19, 2011 at 10:42 PM

love it, Ron. great pose and detail. and phenomenal job getting perfect comp on a full frame flight shot--it doesn't get much better than that!

congrats on the new boat, too--can only imagine the opportunities you'll have now!

now that I've just returned from Florida, I'm looking at your little avatar photo and it looks like a Mottled Duck. I was really surprised by how beautiful they are--they don't look like much in the field guides, but in the field they have such rich color and intricate patterning.

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 20, 2011 at 12:31 PM

Absolute corker Ron!

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

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 20, 2011 at 3:45 PM

Excellent!!

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 22, 2011 at 7:58 AM

The feather colors and patterns came through very nicely Ron, great details & light.
Very well done

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments