Long-billed Curlew – A Running Start

I like this shot (taken earlier this month) despite the fact that I needed a tad more room on the right for composition.

 

long billed curlew 2377 ron dudley

 1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light

I’ve learned something in photographing these guys.  They like to get a running start when they take off and if there’s a wind they’ll point into it before they do so.  So, if I can keep a good light angle I try to maneuver myself into position so that the bird will be taking off either to my right or my left (rather than away or toward me).  And just seeing them turn to point into the wind is a fairly reliable indicator that take-off is imminent so I can get ready for it.   (And no, it’s not taking off because I disturbed it – it just felt like doing so).

Just another little trick of a bird photographer and it worked this time.

Ron

20 Comments

  1. So wonderful..one of my favorite bird..I love the the curving beak

  2. Like this capture very much-almost begs for a humourous caption.

  3. Stunning. And it seems that you would get very little warning as they look very fast birds. Every hint helps…

  4. And every feather in the map is in sharp focus … well done!

  5. Amazing how every feather is visible. Wonderful action shot! I’m not too much into “action movies” but action shots of birds are A-okay!

  6. Absolutely gorgeous photo!

  7. This is a great tip! I’d never considered that a bird might reliably orient itself so that it is taking off into the wind. Airports always change the direction of traffic on the runways so the planes will take off into the wind–I imagine they must have learned it from the birds. Thanks again for a most valuable tip! (p.s. I think you have a lovely and balanced composition just as is and don’t need any additional canvas on the right–the viewer’s eye is led into and around the image in a fluid way. The amount and color of the negative space has enough weight and calm texture to balance the color and complexity of the bird…a beautiful image that requires no apology–I’d give my eye teeth to have taken such a beautiful picture.)

    • Sharon, many birds orient themselves into the wind – for take off and even when they’re simply perched to make them more streamlined and less likely to be knocked off balance on the perch. But in my experience larger birds tend to do it most often. And with the running start that curlews need/prefer, launching into the wind helps a lot – something the bird photographer can take advantage of.

  8. Sun at your back + wind to your side = wonderful take-off shots. Nice one!

  9. …beautiful Ron…I also like the term “feather map”!

  10. Excellent job Ron, I love the light on the feathers and how they are positioned before take off.

  11. This is one of the best feather “maps” I’ve seen. Even some folk who keep chickens have little understanding of how feathers work. Thank you.

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