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Black Grouse
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Black Grouse

by David Kjaer

Gallery: AvianPosted May 3, 20062,577 views21 comments
Just returned from four days in Scotland Photographing Blackcock at their spring lek. Couldn't take any more early mornings, up at 0230 and in the hide by 0400. The weather a little disappointing this year, one morning wet and the best light before the birds leave at around 0730 was f3.5 1/320 @ iso 400.

However I had 13 cocks on the lek and a max of 4 greyhens at any one time. I will post a few more images showing the greyhens. Attached image was taken in the rain - this guy was a little ruffled as he was the 'alpha cock' and a bit the worse for wear.

Canon 1D MkII = 300 f2.8 IS iso 400 1/100 @ f2.8

Comments

21 comments
Comment posted by Juza on May 3, 2006 at 5:53 PM
Just marvelous :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments
Comment posted by Rajan Desai on May 3, 2006 at 5:56 PM
Beautiful... I can see the rain as well...
Rajan
Registered on March 25, 2005, 32 Posts, 395 Comments
Comment posted by chris hajee on May 3, 2006 at 6:19 PM
:eek: beautiful bird David :toast:
Registered on January 18, 2005, 179 Posts, 2384 Comments
Comment posted by Scott C on May 3, 2006 at 6:25 PM
wow :eek:
Registered on April 3, 2006, 48 Posts, 168 Comments
Comment posted by David Chauvin on May 3, 2006 at 6:47 PM
Fantastic! Great detail, color and environment!! :toast: :toast: Super job on the techs!
Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments
Comment posted by Natasha Leong on May 3, 2006 at 8:02 PM
:toast: This is just plain awesome! The whites seem a bit toasty, but the detail in the blacks is incredible and certainly worth it. Would it even be possible to expose this so that the whites wouldn't be toasty???
Registered on May 19, 2005, 19 Posts, 49 Comments
Comment posted by Vic Harris on May 3, 2006 at 8:05 PM
Wonderful photo David. That pose is terrific. :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 2830 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on May 3, 2006 at 8:16 PM
Outstanding shot David! :toast: :toast: I love the colors, pose, rain and everything about this. I'm going to try to shoot some black grouse at a lek in switzerland in a week or so.
Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments
Comment posted by Satie Sharma on May 3, 2006 at 8:20 PM
Brilliant!! :eek: :toast:
Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on May 3, 2006 at 8:44 PM
Fabulous shot, David! One of your very best, I think! :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Garber on May 3, 2006 at 9:31 PM
This is world class!
I like every thing about it.
:toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 17, 2003, 704 Posts, 3535 Comments
Comment posted by Duane Rosenkranz on May 3, 2006 at 10:33 PM
Awesome. Absolutely beautiful. Love the bird, rock, pose, rain, etc.

:toast: :toast:
Duane Rosenkranz
Registered on October 13, 2004, 280 Posts, 2661 Comments
Comment posted by Dave Courtenay on May 4, 2006 at 10:10 AM
Brilliant David The best i have seen -Ever :toast: :toast:
Registered on July 18, 2005, 56 Posts, 462 Comments
Comment posted by Pedro Martín Barto on May 4, 2006 at 10:14 AM
Great all around, David. Keep posting them!
Registered on December 31, 2003, 6 Posts, 194 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on May 4, 2006 at 11:25 AM
Up at 2:30 4 days in a row? That is some serious dedication. It paid off handsomely, great shot. :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Sam Alfano on May 4, 2006 at 2:11 PM
great shot! thank for sharing it.
Registered on April 24, 2006, 8 Posts, 106 Comments
Comment posted by Phillip Tomkinson on May 4, 2006 at 3:59 PM
Hi David that is such a good image what more can I say.

Phillip.

:toast: :toast: :wavey:
Registered on July 14, 2005, 194 Posts, 427 Comments
Comment posted by George Palagian on May 4, 2006 at 8:38 PM
Wow! :toast: :toast:
Registered on March 3, 2006, 113 Posts, 1444 Comments
Comment posted by PhilH on May 5, 2006 at 10:20 AM
Superb Dave... what more can I say apart from how did I miss this earlier.

:toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on December 31, 2004, 51 Posts, 281 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Benner on May 10, 2006 at 7:43 AM
terrific pose - congratulations
Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments
Comment posted by Krijn Trimbos on May 22, 2006 at 12:08 PM
Congrats on the EP David. Somehow I missed this. An incredible shot that really deserves an EP! Great job! :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2005, 260 Posts, 2979 Comments