Pheasant Tracks

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 29, 2013457 views15 comments

Ring-necked Pheasants are farm-raised for game birds a few miles away from my home. In October 2011, a freak heavy snow and ice storm collapsed the farm's bird pens, and tens of thousands (up to 50,000 by some estimates) of birds were released into the wild. The Red Fox population exploded the next year, as did the Wild Turkey population, presumably because the relatively easily-caught pheasants reduced predation pressure on the turkeys.

Ring-necked Pheasant Cock
Phasianus colchicus
December 2011
NW New Jersey
Canon 7D
300mm + 1.4TC
1/320 s.
f 6.3
ISO 800

C&C appreciated as always!

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on January 29, 2013 at 5:14 PM

What a really cool photo Rebecka! I love the composition, DOF, sharpness of the bird and the sky color reflecting off the rail. My only suggestion would be to crop off the white on the top of the image.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on January 29, 2013 at 5:32 PM

great composition and excellent use of location, both of you.......... well done

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

Comment posted by Jerry Marella on January 29, 2013 at 5:45 PM

Have to agree with Carol, Rebecka. Lots of warm tones and an interesting photo. A crop at the top would bring everything together.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments

Comment posted by Rebecka on January 29, 2013 at 5:56 PM

REPOST with crop off top. Does this work better?

Registered on February 5, 2009, 170 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by William Gillis on January 29, 2013 at 6:41 PM

Well done Rebecka, On the repost perhaps a bit more of a crop at the top would work better but that is just me. Either way it is a very nice image.

William Gillis

Registered on November 28, 2011, 17 Posts, 204 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Marella on January 29, 2013 at 7:25 PM

That does it. My attention stays with the bird while enjoying the bg color and not leaving the frame. Well done!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on January 29, 2013 at 7:38 PM

I think the crop on the repost is just perfect!

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by John Neukirch on January 29, 2013 at 9:16 PM

Exquisite image of the bird! I find the top pink/white portion of the BG distrating.

Registered on July 9, 2012, 207 Posts, 1476 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on January 29, 2013 at 10:49 PM

The new crop is much better. I like the distant glow. To me, coming from the land of prairie and pheasants, this view really gets my attention :).

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Todd Liotine on January 30, 2013 at 3:55 PM

Very cool photo!

Registered on July 1, 2008, 131 Posts, 671 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Palmieri on January 30, 2013 at 8:53 PM

Really cool perspective. I like the colors. The re-post is an improvement. I wish there was a little more light on the pheasants face but works well as presented.

Registered on September 1, 2011, 35 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on January 30, 2013 at 10:37 PM

What an interesting juxtaposition of unlikely elements. Cool shot of a pretty bird.

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

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 31, 2013 at 3:20 PM

Killer image, Rebecka. Its standing on one foot, while the other looks ready to take that first step. That adds a little tension to an already great image. Nice work.

Wayne

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Beth Huebner on January 31, 2013 at 11:37 PM

The repost is better. It's a great picture. I love the colors. At first glance I subliminally saw the outline of a train in the background, prompted, I'm sure, by the railroad track.

Registered on January 28, 2013, 19 Posts, 56 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on February 4, 2013 at 10:14 PM

I prefer the crop. A lovely and somewhat unusual M&N image.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments