Snail kite - male

Gallery: AvianPosted March 22, 2011132 views25 comments

I have posted two females, so here is a male. I like the light and the flight position of this bird. The eye is nice too as the red really shows well in this shot. A simple comp with a blue sky BG, but I still like it. Please view larger image for max detials. Thanks so much for looking.

Canon 1DM4
500mm f/4 + 1.4x TC
ISO 800
1/2500s
f/7.1
Manual exp.
Hand held from my boat
65% of FF
Not baited or called in

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 22, 2011 at 7:41 PM

Works for me as posted. A fine image in the series.

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 22, 2011 at 7:57 PM

Super flight shot Ron. Maybe not as much ID detail as on the galsl, but the position is wonderful.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 22, 2011 at 8:15 PM

Love the wing spread and look at the eye

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 22, 2011 at 8:29 PM

Ron, really like the intense look in the face and the well separated head and beak. The eye is spectacular. I just noticed another similarity between this species and harriers - the white rump patch, which is nicely exposed BTW. Another fine flight shot.

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

Comment posted by Eric Diller on March 22, 2011 at 8:33 PM

Love the look Ron...nice capture!

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

Comment posted by Harry Harris on March 22, 2011 at 9:20 PM

Ron B, I like the light blue background, it shows off the kite. The detail really allows me to inspect the bird. Thanks.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 22, 2011 at 9:22 PM

Sweet, Ron. Great job on the exposure and the eye is wonderful.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on March 22, 2011 at 9:57 PM

Outstanding image, Ron! I like this for all the reasons you quoted.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on March 22, 2011 at 10:17 PM

Another beautiful flight shot, Ron. Great pose, very sharp, and I love the view of the eye and beak.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 22, 2011 at 10:52 PM

Holy mackerel, great flight photo. Background color suits the birds slaty coloration.

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 22, 2011 at 11:16 PM

Those eyes are stunning Ron! Great work

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 22, 2011 at 11:52 PM

love the view of the eye and bill on this one, Ron. nice comp and exposure as well.

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

Comment posted by Greg Schneider on March 22, 2011 at 11:53 PM

Wonderful work Ron - as with all your snail kite photos.

Registered on February 9, 2008, 84 Posts, 138 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 23, 2011 at 12:30 AM

I like it too. One of your best, Ron.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by John Blumenkamp on March 23, 2011 at 12:51 AM

Hi Ron... really nice capture with great head turn and catchlight. Great job.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 23, 2011 at 2:24 AM

Way Cool

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 23, 2011 at 2:37 AM

I like the banking pose and eye contact. A bit of fine grained noise evident in the plumage in the larger image - maybe try a round of NR over bird if it doesn't take awy too much detail. BTW good angle to hide the band too

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

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 23, 2011 at 6:44 AM

Another beauty Ron - great eye contact and dof across the wings

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on March 23, 2011 at 8:23 AM

Great pose, eye contact and DOF on this- Very well done, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 23, 2011 at 9:19 AM

You truly are the master of handheld flight photos. Another great one and the eye is awesome. Wouldn't wanna mess with him.Hey Ron, I hope you have insurance on that equipment taking it out on the boat? I learned a tough lesson with my smart phone walking across a lagoon a month ago..

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

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on March 23, 2011 at 11:28 AM

You're killing me with these great snail kite shots! Love that eye.

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

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on March 23, 2011 at 2:55 PM

You've outdone yourself with that head and eye position. Very nice in all respects, Ron. Like the wings as well.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on March 23, 2011 at 3:43 PM

Another beautiful image, Ron! No nits. The kite pops very nicely against the pale blue sky and the wingspread pose is tops.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 23, 2011 at 5:07 PM

The red eye with that intense look and the nice curved beak really make this shot for me, interesting to see the difference between the male and female as I have never seen one of these, nice job Ron, way to go.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 25, 2011 at 5:55 PM

Not sure how I missed this one - great pose, perfect eye and detail.

Sandy

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