Lookin For love

Gallery: AvianPosted March 16, 2012189 views16 comments

Two days in a row of great shooting. I was speechless when i saw this beauty i could hardly get my gear together without falling in the water again LOL. I saw this bird at the very same spot the day before but he was sleeping with his bill in his feathers. It was still dark when I first spotted him so i assumed it was an oyster catcher and didn't even stop to get out of my car. The next day i returned and there he was same exact spot same exact position. I seriously thought it was dead or something since he never moved so I got out and approached him and almost fell when i saw him come to life and OMG what a killer beauty. I quick ran back to the car and got my gear, waited patiently for the sun to come up yet shooting just in case. The there it was that amazing first light and I fired away. He stayed and preened for a little bit then into the water he went sun in my face. By the time I got my waders halfway up I looked over and there he goes flying away. I am so glad to have gotten to see him and better yet, got the shot. I was told he is a red breasted merganser male in full breeding plumage. Handsome Devil. I cleaned up the beach a little and the little poop he kindly shared with me.

Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/200
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 800

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 17, 2012 at 1:19 AM

What a great bird Cheryl

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 17, 2012 at 1:44 AM

Hi Cheryl, the red of the legs & bill look too saturated and clogging the detail, I would look at reducing both the Red & Yellow in Saturation and or Selective colour, make a new exposure layer for your darks and ditto your whites, or do a Linear burn for the whites. In that way you will be able to control the detail and bring out more definition within the plumage.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on March 17, 2012 at 9:57 AM

Cheryl~ Great capture and great story. The thrill of the hunt

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on March 17, 2012 at 10:11 AM

Excellent angle and light! Lucky to find it at the exact same spot two days in a row.

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

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on March 17, 2012 at 10:24 AM

Great capture Cheryl! The light is excellent and you handled the exposure well. Sounds like a very neat experience and I'm sure this guy will have no trouble with the ladies.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on March 17, 2012 at 11:31 AM

Great job capturing this guy out of the water in full breeding plumage, Cheryl. I have tried for years to get a good shot of one in breeding with no success.
Sweet light. Nice pose with a nice head turn. Great job.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 17, 2012 at 12:38 PM

Thanks everybody . It was cool.

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

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on March 17, 2012 at 1:48 PM

Beautiful shot. Great story.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 17, 2012 at 1:56 PM

A handsome devil, indeed, and a great story.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 17, 2012 at 5:59 PM

Awesome looking merganser in the sweetest light. Nice details and pose, love that head crest. Excellent work with this great berd Cheryl

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on March 18, 2012 at 8:33 AM

Wonderful image - nothing to add other than

, cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 18, 2012 at 10:11 AM

A really great shot in great light Cheryl. Love the habitat too. The reds and oranges may be a bit bright, but not bad. The whites are white with good detail on my calibrated monitor. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on March 18, 2012 at 4:38 PM

Wonderful image in beautiful light! Great story too.

Ray

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 19, 2012 at 11:36 AM

Cheryl, this one is a beauty! No nits from me.