Early last Sunday morning was a good time for Chukars on Antelope Island. It was too early for the weekend crowds who were mostly still home snoozing away, the light was great and the Chukars cooperative.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light
We found this one within seconds of our arrival on the island. It wasn’t particularly close but the light was great and “he” decided to call to some of his buddies down in the grass and sagebrush. (Some of my camera settings weren’t particularly appropriate in either of these two images)
1/3200, f/9, ISO 640, 100-400 @ 400mm, natural light
Later in the morning we came across this bird that was so close that I had to switch cameras and lenses.
I enjoy the contrasts in these two images:
- Light Contrasts – the first shot was taken in very warm light just as the sun came up while #2 was taken over an hour and a half later so the light was significantly cooler
- Setting/Habitat Contrasts – #1 shows the bird on a typical rock perch while the second bird was foraging among the green grass and very attractive little purple flowers
- Pose Contrasts – calling versus classic side view with slight head turn toward the viewer
- Poop Contrasts – both images include poop. #1 shows a dropping under the bird. It would be very easy to remove but I chose to leave it. In #2 the dark brown clump behind the tail is bison poop.
It’s funny but my first inclination was to clone out the bird dropping in the first image but I liked the bison chip in the second shot because for me it was reminiscent of the historic North American prairies that were teeming with bison. Then I realized that I was being illogical and inconsistent regarding the two kinds of poop.
I guess it’s a matter of preferences. And taste.
Ron
Poop is a matter of taste?
Hmmm……
Sure it is, Bruce. Dung beetles like it so much they won’t eat anything else…
They are stunning little birds – and the second looks to be in fine ‘condition’. And poop is a fact of life. Indeed, I refer to our hopeless attempts at rain as ‘incontinent pigeon rain’ splat, splat and its gone. And sadly there is too much incontinent pigeon rain our way.
“Pigeon rain” made me smile, Elephant’s Child.
Great, I bet there are many out there besides me that would love to see a post on Bison.
Looking forward to it.
As you already know Cowbirds were working the Bison herds before we Europeans brought cattle to the plains. It might be interesting to see if these birds are still working Bison.
Yes, the cowbirds are still “working” bison, Dick. I don’t have many photos of it but I did a post on it fairly recently. Here’s a link:
https://featheredphotography.com/blog/2013/02/27/mucus-drinking-cowbird/
Hi Ron, I agree with Dick about seeing a Bison photographed by you because I surely don’t expect to see any here in Pa. during my lifetime. It’s amazing what we don’t see in our own familiar environments, wouldn’t it be great if we could all change places for a year! I wonder if I dare show the children your “Charlie the Chucker with Poop”? Actually, they will probably go completely ballistic and think it’s the greatest, funniest thing ever. They love the Chuckers so much. I always tell them when you send your “hello’s” and the greeting you put on Charlie’s picture and are very excited by that and send “hello” back especially to Charlie.
Janice, I’ve got bison on my “potential posts” list.
I’m tickled that your kids enjoy the Chukars so much. Your comments about them have reminded me of how much I enjoyed the classroom until I retired. I miss those kids…
It’s all about choices, isn’t it? Lol!
That’s right, it is about choices.
Man I love these shots and your notes. Anything ecological/habitat/behavior along with an image or 2 is fantastic! Many thanks!
BTW Ron, are you going to splurge and show an image or two of Bison?
Dick, your question made me stop and think. I don’t believe I’ve ever made a post devoted to bison and I’ll bet I know why. I spend so much time on Antelope Island where bison are common that I just assumed that most wouldn’t be particularly interested in images of them. Silly me – most folks don’t have regular access to them and probably would like to see some shots of them.
I’ll try to work up a bison post soon.
Thanks for leaving and explaining everything in the photos. So often people “photoshop” out all the “unpleasant” but necessary parts of life.
And glad you explained the brown “lump”.
Diana, I agree that there’s too much cloning done “out there”. I do very little of it but will admit that it’s sometimes difficult to resist.