Plus yet another Willet mystery but this one involves shadows rather than behavior. I try to avoid posting the same species on consecutive days but I can only post what I shoot and lately that’s largely been Willets on Antelope Island.
1/2000, f/9, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Only minutes after sunrise yesterday morning I found a pair of them perched on one of the Tintic Quartzite boulders the island is known for. I’m quite confident they were a mated pair because it’s breeding season and they were so close to each other for so long with no evident tension. In this species sexes are similar and even though females are slightly larger, in these poses I can’t tell for sure which is which so I won’t hazard a guess.
I believe this was the first time I’ve been able to get a mated pair of Willets in the same photos so took a lot of shots of them over 8 minutes. But they were far from animated and they never gave me any pose variety so eventually I left them to look for other birds. One of my first bird photography mentors was Tom Webster on Nature Photographers Network and his mantra was “Never leave birds to look for birds” so I felt a little guilty about leaving but I did it anyway…
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 214mm
When I came back 23 minutes later they were still there and it didn’t look like they’d even twitched while I was gone because they were still on the same places on the boulder and in almost exactly the same poses. Maybe they were stuffed birds, I dunno…
I grabbed my “baby lens” to take a few shots at a much shorter focal length to give readers a different perspective on the setting.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I maneuvered slightly closer and at a different angle this time so I had difficulty fitting both birds into the frame so I concentrated on the Willet on the right. They still weren’t doing much of anything interesting so I took a chance and removed my teleconverter for possible flight shots. This time I made the right decision.
It’s funny how a Plain Jane bird like a Willet can transform itself into Cinderella simply by…
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
lifting its wings. I’ve always adored those flashy black and white wings when they take flight.
Ok, here’s the mystery. What in the world is going on with that shadow of the bird on the rock??? The sun was low in the sky, behind me and to my left. The shadow of the bird’s tail seems to be roughly where it should be but how in the hell did the shadow of its feet get in front of the Willet? A good indicator of the actual position of the sun is the shadow on the left wing cast by the right wing. For me it just doesn’t compute! Think about it for a minute – am I missing something?
After pondering for longer than I care to admit I came up with a possible solution. The other Willet, which had been just out of frame to the left, took off in the same direction as this bird did and only a split second earlier. Perhaps the shadow we see is of the other bird?
But… if it is, why aren’t there shadows of this bird’s feet on the rock? After all, the toes of the right foot almost seem to be dragging on the rock so there should be shadows there.
It’s too damned early in the morning for me to conclusively figure it out. I need more coffee first.
Ron
Hi Ron,
Willets in flight or taking off and landing are some of my favorite shots. Your take off shot is a great example. For what it’s worth, I think the entire shadow is from one bird — the one taking off. The tail shadow seems to be correct, and if you look at the position of the legs, I can certainly see how they would cast that exact shadow and the shadow of the legs is in the correct position given the location of the tail. I think perhaps the illusion can be explained by the curvature of the rock and the fore-shortening due to a telephoto lens.
I just returned from a morning of shooting on Antelope Island. There were lots of Willets again today, calling, taking off, landing, and posing. I also found a pair feeding together, although they were never so close as to be in the same frame. Great fun.
Thanks for your take on this, John. Yes, the island Willets are lots of fun right now.
Way too early (with or without caffeine) for me to even contemplate that puzzle.
Love the flashy wing display, and the background.
Thanks, EC.
I’ve been finding more and more that with nature it is less important to ask “why?” or “how?” and more important to just enjoy what is. I’m gonna say that this is one of those times. 🙂
These are wonderful shots. I especially like the second shot with the water and mountains in the background. Simply gorgeous! And those beautiful wings! I’d be happy with a Willet three-peat if these are the types of images I’d get to see tomorrow.
Marty, I guess I’ll always be a “why or how” kinda guy! 🙂
There’ll probably be more Willets in the future – right now at least they’re being quite cooperative but it usually doesn’t last long.
“Marty, I guess I’ll always be a “why or how” kinda guy!” — I’m usually the same way, and I’m also finding the contrast to be refreshing, if difficult. Deep down, we’re “sciencey” people. 😉
Great photos…puzzle or not! That wing pattern is outstanding. Isn’t it amazing what happens when they spread their wings. This is a shore bird I have not seen.. Missed yesterday’s post due to traveling so glad for the repeat! 🙂
The transformation when they raise their wings is simply spectacular, Kathy. Thank you.
I can’t figure out how you got that shadow but I sure do like it in the photo!! Great shot. Bravo!
Thank you, Joanne.
Nice series…striking feather pattern on last…looks like the right shadow to me to go to the bird in the photo….especially considering the morning angle of the sun…the spread wings are so beautiful! Hope you survived ling enough to get your coffee… 🙂
Ha, I probably had too much coffee this morning, Patty. Tried to take a nap but couldn’t sleep.
Love the flight shot (shadow mystery notwithstanding)! I still remember when/where I saw my first Willet – at the Assateague National Seashore Park (same day I heard a Catbird sounding like a cat), and I loved the fact that the open wings made the bird identifiable. For a few seconds the shadow mystery didn’t seem like a mystery to me, but that state of mind was very short-lived. Given the size of the shadow, it doesn’t make sense to me that it would be the other bird. But then again… I hope you figure it out.
That flight shot is one of my personal favorites of Willets, Susan. Thanks.
Wonderful photos, Ron! I’ve been pondering the shadow mystery and it looks to me like the the willet is over the rock, in front of where it was standing. I think it may actually be over the rock on a part of the rock that is not in the photo frame, and there is some distance between the bird’s feet and the rock. If I use an imaginary right triangle and I align it based on the position of the sun and the other two shadows (there is a little one on the bird’s right foot), this seems possible to me. The shadow does seem strangely forward though. Maybe the other bird happened to have a similar leg and body position but higher up and further forward. But I think there is some photo illusion going on… I think the bird is further forward and higher up then it initially seems.
In interesting perspective, Myriam. Thank you.
I’m thinking a shadow of another bird. The angle of the legs and body do not seem to match up🤔 Your right, more coffee needed ❗️Beautiful shot.
Thanks
I agree, Diana – though I’m not sure about it.
If I imagine myself between the sun and the bird the shadow seems to make more sense. Beautiful takeoff photo. Great timing, as usual.
Thank you, Lyle.
I like the one with the sun on the rock and the lake and mountains in the background. Nice photos as always. And of course we know that you did not leave bait on that rock 🙂
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Thanks, Everett. Absolutely not, no bait! 🙂
Have you considered the uneven rock causes the shadow to to dip thus making the feet show different than the body on a flatter portion of the rock surface?
Yes, I have, LK. And I think that’s a likely component of my confusion, as is the depth distortion caused by my telephoto lens. But I still can’t make it work for me…
If the shadow of the bird not in the photo is the one seen on the rock, the shadow of the feet of the bird one can see is likely on the ground next to the rock?
Nancy, it seems to me that with the sun angle I had and the feet so close to the rock that the shadows of the feet should be on the rock…?
I know, there HAS to be a logical explanation but I’m just not seeing it.
“IF” it is the shadow of that bird the light was certainly not coming from the direction you indicated! A puzzle for sure tho your theory seems to be sound. 😉 Beautiful shot at any rate!
““IF” it is the shadow of that bird the light was certainly not coming from the direction you indicated! ”
Judy, a good indicator of the light direction is the shadow on the left wing cast by the right wing.
I see that now – has to be the other bird! What a coincidence! 🙂
“has to be the other bird”
I lean that way too.
Did it perhaps take off at an angle or turn directly after takeoff? Does seem odd the more I look at it. And I frankly love it when birds sit still like that, that usually means they are patient enough for me to record video, which in some cases can make even “non-interesting” birds appear interesting when done nicely. Great stuff, once again, I do like the landscape shot up there!
Xavier, I believe both birds took off in a straight shot at the angle you see this bird flying. But of course I was mostly looking at this bird through my viewfinder so I can’t be completely sure about the other one.
I bought a video cam a few years ago but in the end I almost never use it. I decided that in nearly every case I’d rather have the stills than the video.
I find that most DSLRs (Presumably the Canon 7d Mark ii) can record such high quality videos that there’s no need to have a second camera designated for video. I usually take some stills, and if the bird hasn’t left (And is in a good background or setting), record video for however long I can.
Also strange to note the angle then, I think John up there was right about the curvature of the rock causing the illusion. Regardless, this has made for a nice discussion!