Yellow Billed Kite

Gallery: AvianPosted December 17, 2014146 views9 comments

We had a termite hatch which attracted many feasting birds, unfortunately
I got no shots of the actual catch. Strange lens selection caused by need to move the kit around fast.
Taken in Kwando reserve Botswana
EOS 1DX
70-200mm F2.8 MkII with 1.4 EX at 255 mm
F7.1
ISO 800
1/6400

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on December 17, 2014 at 10:00 AM

Nice capture here. Great look at the head and I really like that wingspan. A little tight, but this might be full frame. I am seeing what I think is noise in the sky. Surprising considering the camera and the relatively low ISO.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on December 17, 2014 at 10:22 AM

Like the light on the kite & its parted beak pose, especially nice BG and comp Ken..
Nice spark in the eye, great details

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Kellermeyer on December 17, 2014 at 10:52 AM

This bird almost pops of the screen. Very nice.

Registered on March 19, 2013, 52 Posts, 161 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on December 17, 2014 at 8:02 PM

Really like the turning pose and open beak Ken. I am also seeing some noise....and with that setup and ISO, I can only think it is coming form a large crop perhaps? Either way, I might run a round of NR on the BG. No other nits and again nice work.

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

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on December 18, 2014 at 5:46 AM

Thanks everybody, looking again I can see that this has pretty bad for noise, the crop is about 40% of original. I went back to the RAW and found that to be remarkably noisy as well

Seems that even running NR does not really improve it.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on December 18, 2014 at 7:11 AM

Awesome flight capture Ken

Great angle of flight, the open beak is a nice bonus, and I really like the background too.

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

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on December 18, 2014 at 1:30 PM

Except for a bit of noise in the background, what's not to like? Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on December 21, 2014 at 7:14 PM

The clouds add so much drama to this, excellent work!

Ray

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

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on December 21, 2014 at 9:17 PM

Ken,
Wonderful shot. I love the background and vivid sky color. I wonder how this would look if not so tightly cropped. I would love to see more context.

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