Preening Kite

Gallery: AvianPosted March 17, 2012119 views8 comments

This male is preening like mad because his female has flown up to the top of a pine tree where they have been mating. A Close friend told me about this pair so I joined him for a shoot and was not disappointed. Saw a lot of great behaviors and captured some mating images. This is my favorite because of his working on the tail feathers.

7D with 500 on tripod
1/1250 at f / 6.3
ISO 200
Manual exposure
Spot metering

Comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 17, 2012 at 7:43 PM

What a great pose! You caught this perfectly, with his beak just at the tip of the feather.
Looks like tough light - the bright areas and shadowed areas could both be dampened a bit.
The breast and head have lost some detail, as if noise reduction was applied here. That usually doesn't work - kind of "melts" the details together giving a plasticized look.

I'm very envious of your time with the kites!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Peter Cross on March 17, 2012 at 7:47 PM

Nice photo, Skip. This is one instance where a clear blue sky is great. A good behavior shot which would add to a series on these birds. Tough lighting conditions to work in and having both whites and blacks to contend with. I think you did darn well with them. The blacks on the wing still have detail and almost all the whites. Probably a good as can be done in this situation. Nice perch and well composed.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on March 17, 2012 at 8:39 PM

Very unique pose for this Kite, Harry. Excellent job on the exposure.

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

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on March 17, 2012 at 9:27 PM

What a great pose Harry, I'd like to see more detail in the whites, but I'd also be ecstatic to have this image in my portfolio.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on March 17, 2012 at 9:43 PM

Wonderful post, clear, sharp, great catchlight. You seem to have caught real intensity in his behavior by the way his eye looks.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 18, 2012 at 8:57 AM

I like the pose and the blue sky BG Harry. Love the bending tail feather. Nice job on the exposure given the light you had. In the larger version I did get the feel of NR on the feathers, but I have not seen this species up close and thus do not know what their general feather texture is.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 18, 2012 at 11:25 PM

Interesting behavior shot of a bird I have never seen, that red eye really stands out againist the white feathers, sounds like a fun afternoon.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 21, 2012 at 8:46 PM

Great preening pose and bg. Light is a little harsh but a great cpture.

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