Black Skimmer

Gallery: AvianPosted June 30, 2013115 views11 comments

June 30, 2013 Bolsa Chica Wetlands Wildlife Reserve, Huntington Beach, California

Today was a great day to shoot skimmers. The sky was clear and it was low tide.

Nikon D4 Nikkor 600mm 1.4TC 850mm 1/1250 f/8 white balance auto ISO 400 Tripod with Wimberley Gimbal 9 focus points

Comments welcome

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on June 30, 2013 at 11:17 PM

wow, excellent! great profile pose, and even a great eye and tongue, and bit of a reflection.
only small nit - could use more room behind , so iit is less of a square comp.
terrific detail too -

sandy

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

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on June 30, 2013 at 11:34 PM

Great detail in this action shot.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on July 1, 2013 at 7:21 AM

Excellent capture Patrick, great action, detail and pose.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 1, 2013 at 11:22 AM

Excellent, Patrick. I love the posture of the head in this one.

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

Comment posted by Dave Walz on July 1, 2013 at 3:16 PM

Very unique pose. You have to love the profile and beak position. The entire image is very sharp.

Registered on September 26, 2011, 22 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on July 1, 2013 at 4:03 PM

Great shot! I agree with Sandy. It would be easy enough to stretch the back out a short way to create the canvas.

I have always seen these skim with the lower mandible. I wonder if it caught a bump or just lost a fish?

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by John Sherman on July 1, 2013 at 5:11 PM

I dig the tongue. I agree with Phillip that it's an interesting pose having the upper mandible in the water not the lower.

Registered on March 10, 2013, 31 Posts, 142 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Kirchen on July 2, 2013 at 6:49 PM

Excellent timing. Very sharp details all throughout.

Registered on March 6, 2011, 95 Posts, 847 Comments

Comment posted by John Neukirch on July 2, 2013 at 7:37 PM

An exceptional BIF capture and all the techs look top notch. Was there more of its reflection in the original frame? At any rate a gorgeous image.

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

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on July 3, 2013 at 2:25 AM

In response to various comments made, this image left most of the trail behind the Skimmer and shows the entire shadow below it.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on July 3, 2013 at 11:59 PM

I do like the re-post better as it shows the wake and looks more balanced to me.
wonderful work!
Sandy

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