Birds... captured this week

[jprzybyla]

Dottie and I went to two wildlife refuges this past week. Here are a few of the images captured that I thought you might enjoy seeing. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Purple Gallinule



Reddish Egret

#1



#2



Snowy Egret



Gull with back lighting



Sanderlings... little wave chasers



Willet



Caspian Tern and Ring-billed Gulls

[terrib]

Hi Joe, I especially like the Reddish Egrets. The pose in the first one is really great. I always like it when I can see the feather structure of the wings and his look of concentration is wonderful.

I'm also in love with the last one. Having the one species surrounded by the other is a fun image to me and the smoothness of the water gives such a peaceful feel. I may also be drawn to it because I just made a similar image - although with only 3 birds and not nearly as sharp as yours.

[Marie Hass]

As always, Joe, wonderful. Agree with Terri on the first image of the Reddish Egret. My favorite, if I was pressed to pick one. It is difficult to establish a balance between details in the bird and the water, but you have accomplished it.

Marie

[Stinky]

Awesome as always! The amount of species in your area is incredible. Keep them coming.

[deetheturk]

Superb Joe as always,well captured!

David

[Bobobird]

Joe, for me all but the gull are great.

[NorthernFocus]

All awesome stuff, Joe, as usual. I really like the way the snowy is isolated with the ring of ripples around it. Really a great composition. Nice job.

[Mike Buckley]

I couldn't possibly pick a favorite. Love the detail in all of them!

The snowy egret is noticeably crooked, something I would not mention if it wasn't immediately noticeable to me. The circle of ripples in the water (it makes the photo for me) is lower on the right side than on the left. Also notice that the reflection doesn't line up with the source.

[Downrigger]

Much appreciated as always. An inspiration for my own forays, but it's 12 degrees here this morning with 6-8" new fallen - so it's a bit of a wait to wait to get into such a wonderful group of subjects. Agree with Mike re: slight tilt on Egret as evidenced by non-level long axis of ripple-ring.

[chauncey]

Great job. I like the fact that you got the reflections in the frame.
However...your warm weather makes me green with envy.

[jprzybyla]

Hi Joe, I especially like the Reddish Egrets. The pose in the first one is really great. I always like it when I can see the feather structure of the wings and his look of concentration is wonderful.

I'm also in love with the last one. Having the one species surrounded by the other is a fun image to me and the smoothness of the water gives such a peaceful feel. I may also be drawn to it because I just made a similar image - although with only 3 birds and not nearly as sharp as yours.

Hello Terri, thank you for viewing and commenting. I love the last image also. I originally captured the image to use later to identify the birds. They were much farther away than I prefer with a lot of atmosphere between me and them. I shot it out of the car window. When looking at it on the computer I saw a lot I liked, so I worked it up. I began with this...



Cropped it to this but hated the vegetation and mud flats showing...



So I cloned them out and ended up with this...

[jprzybyla]

As always, Joe, wonderful. Agree with Terri on the first image of the Reddish Egret. My favorite, if I was pressed to pick one. It is difficult to establish a balance between details in the bird and the water, but you have accomplished it.

Marie

Thank you Marie, very much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

Awesome as always! The amount of species in your area is incredible. Keep them coming.

Hello Steve, thank you for viewing and commenting. It could be said that Florida is a bird photographers paradise in the winter months, the resident birds are here along with the migrants.

[jprzybyla]

Superb Joe as always,well captured!

David

Thanks David, very much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

Joe, for me all but the gull are great.

Thank you Bobo, you comments are always appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

All awesome stuff, Joe, as usual. I really like the way the snowy is isolated with the ring of ripples around it. Really a great composition. Nice job.

Thanks Dan, I appreciate you taking time to view and comment.

[jprzybyla]

Hi Mike and Mark... yup, the ripple is a little off center. I plead artist's discretion. If I center the ripple then the almost horizontal ripples about mid foreground would be skewed. So I averaged them being horizontal and the reflection lining up with the birds tail because the bill reflection was not distinct. As always composition is a balancing act to come up with all elements being pleasing to look at.

[Mike Buckley]

As always composition is a balancing act to come up with all elements being pleasing to look at.

It would be so much nicer if photography subjects were always so accommodating that no compromises would ever be necessary.

[jprzybyla]

It would be so much nicer if photography subjects were always so accommodating that no compromises would ever be necessary.

You are so right...change one thing screw up another.

[Wavelength]

I am spell bound; stunning images!!!!!!!