Killdeer Chick

Gallery: AvianPosted April 24, 2011100 views17 comments

Sugar Land TX. April 24, 2011

D3 ISO 500. 300/2.8 with 2x c. f5.6 1/2000 -0.3 ev. Handheld. About 40% FF. The chick is about 3"tall. You can compare it to the grass it is standing in.

I found it after noticing the behavior of the adult which was trying to distract me. There were two of them (and two parents) , but they stayed pretty separated. When the adults made certain sharp calls, they dropped to the ground and almost disappeared into the grass. Also, the adults sometimes sat on them to cover them up. I didn't get a great image of this behavior because the chick always seemed to have the "wrong" end pointed toward me and the grass covered them. I will probably go back and try again for this image.

I noticed today that chick birds don't make eye contact like the adults do.

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 24, 2011 at 11:52 PM

What a little cutie, excellent detail and I like your comp Angela. A catchlight would be nice but like you said if they don't make eye contact that makes it tougher. You could try pulling a little more light out of the eye with a selective levels adjustment. Sweet shot!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on April 25, 2011 at 12:37 AM

Cute as a bug. Sharp as a tack.

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on April 25, 2011 at 2:38 AM

The young ones are so cute! You did a nice job isolating him from the background, not easy to do.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 25, 2011 at 2:43 AM

What a cutie!
The kildeer are still on nests here - I'm looking forward to the chicks.
Nice image - good detail and perspective, natural environment.
Tiny nits - that dark area in front of him and the little white dot right in front.
Really nice!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on April 25, 2011 at 6:44 AM

Very nice Angela. My only nit has already been mentioned and that is the lack of light in the eye. Maybe you can get that when you go back for a second round with these birds.

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on April 25, 2011 at 7:55 AM

The black was on a stick-I can clone that out.

The white dot is a water droplet that fell from his beak after he came to drink in that little pool to his right. I'll leave that in.

I took at least 50 photos and there was no light in the eye in any of them?????? WHY

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on April 25, 2011 at 11:15 AM

Angela,

Some of the shorebird chicks are notoriuously difficult to get with a catchlight in the eye. I've yet to be able to get images of avocet chicks that show light. They all look dark and flat like yours does. I like the setting, the pose of the chick and the details.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on April 25, 2011 at 12:18 PM

Amazing to see how small they start out at and interesting to read about the parents behavior, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Ron Huff on April 25, 2011 at 2:20 PM

Very cute. The little guy looks like all legs. Great detail.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Dottie Short on April 25, 2011 at 11:00 PM

The observed behavior story is almost as good as the image of the baby killdeer. My what big feet we have! The better to balance with my 'deer'. What a sweet image. The large photo shows how sharp it actually is with the mosaic texture of legs clearly showing, and all those fuzzy feathers so nicely separated. The puddle of water is a nice touch too. The sparkle is missing from the eye, but I think you did a wonderful job capturing this image with the parents trying to distract you. Wish I had been there with you. Angela, thanks for the loan of the diopters for my upcoming trip.

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

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 25, 2011 at 11:52 PM

What a little cutie, Angela. Nice detail and the grass really helps display it's small size. That stubby little tail is great.

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 26, 2011 at 2:50 AM

What a gorgeous little subject, and although I suspect you didn't actually lay yourself down in the water, I must say you did an incredible job of making it appear as though you did by way of this superb angle of view Angela, very well done :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on April 26, 2011 at 9:09 AM

Sooo sweet with great detail and low angle. I really like the water on the right as well.

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

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on April 26, 2011 at 11:53 AM

Really cute little guy in a great natural setting, nice details/colors Angela.
I enjoyed the narrative on their behavior, & the difficulties in getting this one.
Well done

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on April 26, 2011 at 12:40 PM

This is one of the better shots I've seen of a Killdeer chick Angela and certainly better than any of mine. Sharpness looks great and I like the setting. Agree that shorbird chicks are very difficult to get light in the eye. It can be done but it doesn't happen very often in my experience.