Snow eat cardinal re post

Gallery: AvianPosted January 8, 2015162 views6 comments

I was not sure what this cardinal was doing when I saw it apparently eating snow, but I watched it turn and bite snow several times. Don't recall seeing this behavior from birds before. Wish it had selected a better perch, but you got to take what you can get sometimes.

Canon PS SX50
1/320 @ F-8 ISO 250
Canon 4.3-215 @ 215mm
HH

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on January 8, 2015 at 10:49 PM

You just popped onto my screen! And what a cute pop, it is!

I'd, personally, take the time to clone out the black pipe and crop before you get to the sliver of wood on the right side. I'd, also, crop the left side to the snow to remove the gap. If you really wanted to "clean this up, I'd clone out the rust and screw just beneath her. The other rust is fine...it goes with her coloration.. But, what a sweet portrait!!!

In fact, I might have moved her and her perch to a white BG and let her steal the show..In a perfect world, I'd have the twig with the berry hanging right in front of her. That would make an outstanding Christmas Card!

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on January 9, 2015 at 8:19 AM

John as you say the perch could be better, very good image showing what these birds get up to for survival.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 9, 2015 at 9:12 AM

Would love to get a shot of a cardinal in some snow - as prevalent as they are around here it's not that easy to get them still. The focus looks a touch soft on the face and the whites appear blown near the center of the image. Cool behavior shot though

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on January 9, 2015 at 9:56 AM

This image seems soft and contains some distractions but I like the snow on the face and the pose.

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 10, 2015 at 4:29 PM

Thanks for all of the comments. I have worked on this image and add the re-post. It was taken through a window. Frankly, this pushes my PS skills.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on January 16, 2015 at 9:55 PM

So glad you took out the pole, But, I do like the first comp better. The vertical metal plant hook does not help in being "dead center". Off set, plus keeping the nice berry branch is much better. Also, you blew out the whites in the second image. Just post, no pun intended, the original shot without the metal post, and you've got a really precious portrait of this little lady

And for not being a PS geek, like me, you did pretty well!

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments