There was a bit of a breeze as this Western Kingbird was trying to maintain its balance on the precarious perch which resulted in this body position.
1/3600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light
I thought the pose was interesting because of the wing position and the angle of the bent tail. This is a small crop so there’s enough detail to see the hooked bill and stiff rictal bristles typical of flycatchers.
A little more detail on the shaded underside of the tail would have been nice and I probably could have brought some out in processing but that often introduces noise. I have difficulty seeing noise, so I didn’t…
Ron
This is a stunning bird, and I love that precarious perch and the muted background which sets the Kingbird off beautifully. Thank you.
I like the pose, the BG and the excellent detail. Quite a balancing act to stay on that small perch on a windy day.
Thanks, Dave. You’re right, the bird was soon blown off the perch.
I am a retired special ed. teacher finally able to follow my passion…drawing and painting wildlife. Over the years, I’ve raised and released several wild rescues, mostly birds. I especially enjoy painting birds and really appreciate your amazing photography. Above all, I appreciate your photography ethics re how, when and where to snap these beautiful creatures. Your respect for them is what I admire most
Patty, What you said about “respect for them” means a lot. Thank you.
He’s so beautiful! I also love the background–so ethereal.
Thanks for mentioning the background, Sharon. I like it too.
What a fantastic shot. Boy,is it detailed! I never knew they had a hooked bill. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks, Charlotte. You have to be very close to see that hooked bill – one of the reasons I like this shot.
Very nice Ron, you can see him using his wings for balance. Clear, sharp!
Question: Are you on auto-focus or are you manually focusing?
I am constantly amazed at how sharp your focus is on all your shots!!
Thank you, Dick. I never use manual focus. IMO, birds are just too flitty and fast for manual focus. Believe me, I take my share of soft shots, it’s just that I generally don’t post them.