Roadrunner

Gallery: AvianPosted March 4, 20082,076 views23 comments

I had the pleasure of meeting this very tame, but wild, roadrunner recently in the Cave Creek area of Arizona. I have some images that show the whole bird but I particularly liked this portrait. Full frame.

MarkIII 500IS+2.0X 1/1000 F13 iso 640, evaluative metering -1/3, Handheld

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 4, 2008 at 9:06 PM

I particularly like it too Nate. Great detail and love those eyelashes. Full frame on a wild roadrunner - wow!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by David Bostedo on March 4, 2008 at 9:17 PM

Terrific portrait Nate. I especially like the detail on the beak. I am sort of drawn toward the beak, due to the darker upper right.

Registered on May 5, 2006, 178 Posts, 2224 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on March 4, 2008 at 9:40 PM

Wow! Cool to get so close.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on March 4, 2008 at 10:28 PM

great detail, very nice

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Richard & Gail Buq on March 4, 2008 at 10:32 PM

I like it Nate. I had the same thing happen to me last weekend with some turkeys. Ended up with portraits of them as well. Although they are not nearly as attractive as a roadrunner.

Richard Buquoi
Georgetown, TX

Registered on December 18, 2005, 151 Posts, 811 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 4, 2008 at 11:19 PM

Wonderful, Nate! For me, I think it's the wear marks on the beak that give this guy character. You'd probably lose that level of detail in a full body image-unless it was printed large.

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

Comment posted by raymond j barlow on March 4, 2008 at 11:19 PM

awesome portrait Nate, amazing detail.

Registered on March 29, 2007, 218 Posts, 964 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on March 4, 2008 at 11:21 PM

excellent portrait Nate ...

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 4, 2008 at 11:33 PM

superb !!!!

I have never been able to get anywhere close to these guys...still trying...

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Blount on March 5, 2008 at 12:11 AM

Yep, this is better than good.

Registered on October 14, 2007, 58 Posts, 535 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Inglis on March 5, 2008 at 6:46 AM

Hi Nate,

Full Frame - WOW! Absolutely superb!

Registered on October 23, 2007, 26 Posts, 2832 Comments

Comment posted by John Chapman on March 5, 2008 at 7:12 AM

Nice portrait Nate.

Registered on June 19, 2004, 100 Posts, 1473 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on March 5, 2008 at 9:40 AM

A real winner Nate. Love the detail on this beauty.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Bradley Esau on March 5, 2008 at 10:55 AM

From what I understand, these guys are particularly hard to get close to. Whatever you did to aquire this Roadrunner at such close range, this is one fabulous shot, Nate! Amazing detail right down to the little eyelash shadows across its eye.

Registered on December 10, 2007, 30 Posts, 558 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on March 5, 2008 at 11:50 AM

Cool, totally cool. We don't have Roadrunners here and until we went to California I only thought they existed in cartoons

May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on March 5, 2008 at 7:35 PM

Stunning image, Nate. I love bird portraits, especially when they're done this well!

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 5, 2008 at 8:05 PM

A nice composition, but a bit on the dark side (especially on the hackles and lower neck).

I've had a few similar close encounters with this species around Phoenix: every so often these birds allow very close approach.

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

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on March 5, 2008 at 8:59 PM

Well done Nate. I have had a couple of close encounters with this species, especially now in breeding season. I just commented on how impressed I was with Sandy handholding 500mm and you post with 500 w/2.0 and handhold to get this clarity. Wow! As a hanholder, I am now really impressed!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on March 5, 2008 at 11:31 PM

Love that bg and incredible detail, and with a 2x tc!!! I might have to get one of those. I've only used the 1.4
Charlie suggested a NPN field trip to Cave Creek sometime, sounds like fun to me.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 6, 2008 at 7:19 AM

Lovely portrait Nate.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on March 6, 2008 at 9:49 AM

The more I look at this gallery the more I'm impressed with the talent in Avian. Beautiful portrait and beautifully done.

John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on March 6, 2008 at 11:09 AM

I like the slightly dark look to this. Unbelievably sharp.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Alan Bryant on March 6, 2008 at 1:03 PM

Very very nice portrait

Registered on March 31, 2006, 473 Posts, 1081 Comments