Magpie Tanager

Gallery: AvianPosted April 4, 2011148 views12 comments

Olympus E-5, 300mm x 2.0TC, tripod
f7.1, 1/320, ISO250

Despite appearances, it really is a tanager. Taken at Copalinga Lodge, Bombuscaro Sector, Podocarpus N.P., Ecuador. By the way, here's an unqualified endorsement of the excellent Copalinga Lodge. Excellent birding on its grounds and half a dozen different habitats within easy access.

80% of full frame. Selective sharpening of bird.

C & C, please. Thanks for looking.

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Michele Williams on April 4, 2011 at 7:42 AM

A cross between a magpie and a tanager ... how wonderful!

Great job capturing detail in both the black and the white feathers. I also really like the comp. The nearly symmetric branch with that little bit of moss off center make a nice setting for this beautiful bird.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 28 Posts, 146 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on April 4, 2011 at 10:11 AM

cool bird, Jim, and well-named. really nice shot all around. good exposure, excellent perch and setting, and really nice comp.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 4, 2011 at 12:19 PM

Definitely an interesting bird, and well named. Nice exposure and setting.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 4, 2011 at 12:41 PM

A tanager in a magpie's body! Really nice pose and head-turn, great branch with a bit of moss, and very complimentary BG.
Love the bright eye!
Bringing out the detail in the blacks, if possible, would improve this even more.
Nice!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 4, 2011 at 3:34 PM

Super shot Jim. The comp is excellent with the curve in the branch and the nice head turn. You've handled balancing the exposure on the whites and blacks well, but I'd love to see the overall image lighter still. With this one, I think I might try an Exposure Adjustment layer bumping it about half a stop and then apply a channel, likely the blue, inverted as the mask to keep it from touching the whites whil opening up the darker areas. Don't forget to blur the mask to bring the orignal sharpness back in.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 4, 2011 at 5:01 PM

Beautiful, Jim. One of your best. I like the shape of the perch and the detail of the bit of lichen. Exposure of a very difficult plumage looks excellent.

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on April 4, 2011 at 7:05 PM

I like this a lot Jim. Exposure looks just right to me and I love the curved perch and mottled green background. Very interesting subject also. Very nice!

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

Comment posted by Doug Gilham on April 4, 2011 at 7:33 PM

Very cool looking bird Jim, and you're techs look good. I like the arched perch and soft BG. Looks like a touch of noise in the black of the wing, possibly from lightening. A beautiful capture still, and of a bird I'd probably never see otherwise, thanks for posting.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 77 Posts, 489 Comments

Comment posted by Dottie Short on April 4, 2011 at 9:22 PM

The exposure is outstanding, and the perch is as interesting as the bird. Beautiful bird and lovely image in all respects.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on April 5, 2011 at 12:09 PM

Very nice Jim. The copm is great as is the curved perch

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

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 5, 2011 at 8:51 PM

What a cool looking bird, Jim. Nice job on the exposure. That curved perch is great and nice pose from the Tanager. Really nice image.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Levin on April 6, 2011 at 6:12 PM

Excellent background, exposure, and perch, and outstanding eye contact. An advantage of being on this site is that I get to see beautiful birds that I never knew existed before! Outstanding image, Jim.

Registered on April 24, 2009, 21 Posts, 184 Comments