Red Billed Wood Hoopoe

Gallery: AvianPosted December 15, 2013105 views9 comments

When I took this image this is what this bird was called (quite appropriate) now for some unknown reason it is called the Green Wood Hoopoe.
Taken hand held from a drifting boat on one of the many inlets of Lake Lariba, with the sun setting behind us.
Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe
EOS 1D MkIV
500mm F4
F6.3
ISO 800
1/200
EV + 0.33

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on December 15, 2013 at 5:33 AM

Wonderful rich light Ken, you've really captured the irridescence of the plumage beautifully.
My only niggle is with the red of the beak which looks over saturated and lacking in detail. I always have the same problem with Oxpeckers.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on December 15, 2013 at 7:31 AM

Martin,
I agree with you entirely regarding the beak, it is not very good in the RAW either. I always have this problem with reds in birds, and have no idea why

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on December 15, 2013 at 8:21 AM

Wonderful shot Ken, I have chased this species around many times and never gotten a really good image of one. The lighting is great and difficult to get the whole tail showing like this.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Jefferson Silva on December 15, 2013 at 9:43 AM

Very nice, Ken.
The bird is beautiful, the light is amazing. Very good picture!

Registered on December 18, 2012, 162 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on December 15, 2013 at 12:01 PM

Wonderful species, I have seen them in South-Africa, amazing birds ! You managed to capture it in great light and out in the open ! Excellent ! Hans

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on December 15, 2013 at 12:08 PM

Fantastic light, Ken. It really makes the bird and perch glow.

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

Comment posted by Basri Akcasoy on December 15, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Nice shot, nice composition...

Registered on February 16, 2012, 118 Posts, 767 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on December 16, 2013 at 12:28 AM

Thanks everybody for your comments, much appreciated

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on December 16, 2013 at 10:17 PM

Beautiful shot Ken...love the comp and the light is fantastic. FYI...my Mark IV does this with bright reds as well. I always go into LR and tone down the saturation on red (common issue with Red-winged black birds here)

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