Painted Bunting

Gallery: AvianPosted June 25, 2011145 views8 comments

My wife and I got up before sunrise to go to Pinckeney Island National Wildlife Preserve near Hilton Head SC to shoot herons, Ibis, ducks, etc in great morning light. It turned out to be the only cloudy day that week and I fought the lack of light all morning. I don't think I got a single keeper because I couldn't get a fast enough shutter speed without pushing the ISO way up.

We were walking back to the car when she spotted this bird out in the tall grass. It was far enough away that we couldn't tell what it was until I looked through the viewfinder. What a great surprise for us. Being from East Tennessee we have never seen this bird. It was busy eating seeds off the grass stalks and I was able to get within about 60 feet before it had enough and took off.

This is a significant crop even when shooting with a 400mm on a cropped sensor. ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/200 sec. It was dark enough that the lens would not auto focus so I had to go manual. Not as sharp as I was hoping for but I'm excited none the less.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on June 25, 2011 at 4:52 PM

Nicely done. Some may find the hanging plants to be distracting, but I think they help to illustrate where you spotted this bird. Good color. Pretty bird, good color and detail. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on June 25, 2011 at 7:01 PM

I get excited when I see painted too Richard. Glad you were able to get close enough for a shot. I like the habitat.

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

Comment posted by Alan Murphy on June 25, 2011 at 8:14 PM

A very nice habitat shot.

Registered on December 3, 2003, 192 Posts, 739 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on June 25, 2011 at 10:58 PM

Well the painted bunting looks beautiful and well focused, especially for manual. We done.

I might crop the image along the sides at the inner edge of the brown stick on the left where it crosses the lower edge currently and at the green vertical plant on the right.

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 26, 2011 at 1:23 AM

Fine work getting even this close, Richard. I like the grass seeds drooping through the photo; it's food, after all. A fine shot of a great bird.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on June 26, 2011 at 6:29 AM

Wonderful shot, the colors of the bird and the background are excellent.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 26, 2011 at 1:15 PM

Gorgeous, Richard. Beautiful bird and a superb composition. I love the lines in this one.

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

Comment posted by May Haga on June 26, 2011 at 1:57 PM

Great find. It is these kind of occasions that keep us coming back. Very nicely done.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments