Take-off: W-T Kite

Gallery: AvianPosted April 16, 2012353 views14 comments

White-Tailed Kite

I've been very envious of the great white-tailed kite images coming from our great S Cal NPN'ers.
Thanks to a "help" call to our local Bird List, I now know of a very accessible pair of kites mating and nest-building only 15 minutes from me.
This is the first of many shots I'll post, and I'll go back often.

D300s
500mm + TC 1.4x
Subject dist: 22m
1/800 sec, f/7.1
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 640
White balance: Auto
Losing light fast at 6 pm; couldn't get much more SS

Full frame + added canvas

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on April 16, 2012 at 2:17 AM

Awesome image, Sandy! I love how he (or she?) is staring right at you. Really nice wingspread, and I kind of like the blur on the edges of the wings because it shows off the motion. Really cool how they are so close to where you live! I can't wait to see more!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 16, 2012 at 2:20 AM

Forgot to add that this is the male. How do I know? He was on the top!

Female imaged too and coming soon.
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on April 16, 2012 at 7:08 AM

I like the nice position you caught this bird in Sandy. The simple comp is nice. I can see where you did some cloning work on various parts of the BG, so I might go in and do a bit more healing work to make those areas blend better if this were mine. Can't wait to see more shots of this species. This is the next kite species I would love to work extensively with, but they occur in very small numbers in extreme S. Florida only.

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

Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on April 16, 2012 at 8:34 AM

Wow! Amazing! I would love to see these guys up close! Nice action shot!

Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on April 16, 2012 at 9:32 AM

Great image Sandy. I like the diagonal formed by the perch and the Kites wings across the frame. Great eye on the Kite. Glad you found a great location with a pair. Looking forward for more images.

I heard that the Kites we were shooting down here lost their nest and eggs in last weeks storm that came through. They may try again. I hope.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 16, 2012 at 10:45 AM

Way cool, Sandy. If that's full frame +, they must be very accessible. Excellent action.

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

Comment posted by Verdon on April 16, 2012 at 2:56 PM

Sandy, you nicely managed the whites, great soft light and the moment is amazing, the large version is beautiful, sweet composition!

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on April 16, 2012 at 3:38 PM

Sandy,
That's great news. You were certainly bale to get very close to this kite. Great outstretched wing position, terrific look at that beautiful red eye and the tack sharp talons, and excellent exposure. Like Harry said the pair some of us were shooting had their nest destroyed when that last rainstorm moved through here last weekend. All the eggs and the nest were completely destroyed. Don't know how anything survived that storm. Really looking forward to seeing more of this kite couple. You sure don't see many of this species posted so you've found a goldmine Sandy. Congrats.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on April 16, 2012 at 6:53 PM

That's a beautiful looking kite Sandy you should have great fun photographing this bird. Nicely exposed there is plenty of detail in the whites. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on April 16, 2012 at 9:30 PM

Great action shot. I really like the very sharp focus on the eye of the bird and the detail in the breast. The branch hardly looks like it will be strong enough to hold it.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on April 17, 2012 at 12:49 AM

Congrats Sandy on finding such a great photo opportunity with this pair of Kites. If this is just the tip of the iceberg, it should be a great shoot for you. Sweet action photo here, with nice detail!!! Looking forward to seeing more.

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on April 17, 2012 at 7:35 AM

Love the wings up and the eye looking right at you! Nice Sandy!

Ray

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 17, 2012 at 10:29 AM

Nice action capture Sandy! I like the wing motion and the red eye really pops. I can see what looks like some cloning artifacts on the right side of the kite.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on April 17, 2012 at 11:43 PM

Wonderful shot. He looks lyrical.

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