Roadrunner

Gallery: AvianPosted December 25, 2017176 views10 comments

I've been hoping to get a decent shot of one of these for quite a few years and I finally had a good chance at Bosque this year. I'd seen three of them on the farm loop my first full day but they were all too far away for decent results and the light was lousy. The second day I was just going down the main east-west road when I saw one ahead on the edge of the road. I didn't have the right angle, so I got out of the car and waited, hoping it would come back out. Another couple parked right where it had disappeared and they were shooting don the embankment, probably at it. However it did come back up after they left and crossed to the north side of the road working my way. I moved to the south side to give it room and it was generous enough to give me some nice poses. My only regret is that I didn't think to sit down on the road to get a lower angle. Here's one of the shots I liked.

7Dii, Sigma 150-600 C @ 374 mm, hand held, f/8, 1/5000, iso 800, manual exposure, Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped to a 4x5 from a horizontal original (full height). Taken December 13th at 11:49 am.

Your comments and critiques are always appreciated.

Thanks,

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on December 25, 2017 at 6:50 PM

I envy you this! Just a really good photo of this iconic bird. I especially like the iridescent tail feathers! devil

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

Comment posted by Jim Gavin on December 25, 2017 at 7:05 PM

Phil says it all. Wonderful.

Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on December 25, 2017 at 10:07 PM

Nice color in the tail. A typical setting for the species. Well done.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on December 26, 2017 at 11:09 AM

Nicely taken! I have only seen 1 of these, and it was too far off for a decent photo. Did not realize they have such color in their tails. The bird seems to be interested in you! A lower angle may not have shown as much of the habitat as this does. TFS.

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

Comment posted by David Schoen on December 26, 2017 at 12:39 PM

Good job of making this birds stand out difficult habitat. The lighting in the detail are really nice. I like the pose and the composition.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on December 26, 2017 at 3:13 PM

Nice pose and good detail. I like how it stands out from the background. Nice color in the tail feathers.

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on December 26, 2017 at 8:09 PM

Your patience paid of, lovely shot of this amazing bird. I have seen only one, in 1996 in Joshua Tree - however I didn't had any decent equipment to shoot with back then.. So I hope for a chance like you had some day, big congrats on this one, Dennis ! Cheers , Hans

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

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on December 29, 2017 at 6:37 PM

Nicely done, Dennis. I've seen them there a number of times but never out in the open like this.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Strickland on December 30, 2017 at 9:59 AM

A beautiful photo, i also like the tail feathers, I like how you captured the alertness in this bird, nicely done

Registered on January 16, 2005, 96 Posts, 72 Comments

Comment posted by Sharron Sims on December 31, 2017 at 3:13 PM

I think this is one of the best roadrunner images I've ever seen. The tail feathers are gorgeous and the setting is perfect. Your patience really paid off. I live in New Mexico but I've never been able to get close enough to one to get a good shot.

Registered on April 28, 2014, 54 Posts, 166 Comments