Ok, back to the avocets.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/american-avocet-4759-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-avocet-4759-ron-dudley\\"")
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n American Avocets were a star attraction of my morning. This pond provided some areas of clear, clean water which in the absence of wind\u00a0produced some nice reflections. This avocet was feeding and I caught it with a\u00a0tiny invertebrate\u00a0in its bill.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Avocets use some distinctive and named\u00a0feeding techniques; 3 of them are visual and 6 are tactile.\u00a0This one is a tactile feeding method called Single Scything.\u00a0While\u00a0Single Scything is being used the bill is held slightly open at the shallow water’s surface and\u00a0swept from side to side as the bird walks forward\u00a0which throws up\u00a0a unique and interesting\u00a0sideways water splash.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/6400, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I don’t precisely\u00a0fathom\u00a0how Lateral Scything actually aids in prey capture but apparently it works because several of the avocets were using it successfully. Anyone who has ever used a scythe to cut tall grass or grain (or seen it done)\u00a0would\u00a0understand how this feeding technique acquired its name.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n They’re very precise while using this\u00a0technique, always taking a single step between each swipe of the bill and the swipe always moves in the direction of the leading foot (as you’ll see if you review the previous images).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n The other attraction of my session with these avocets was the nice reflections provided by some of the relatively clear and smooth water. I think reflections can be visually interesting, although it can be a challenge to photograph them well because of composition and rotation issues (avoiding cutting off parts of the bird or reflection and getting the reflection exactly vertical to the bird).<\/p>\n If you’re not a fan of vertical compositions…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n here’s a horizontal composition of the same bird two frames after the previous one. I like the daintiness of that lifted foot about to enter the water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I caught one avocet at takeoff. The setting may not be pretty but I like the dynamic pose and I’m exceptionally fond of the slight head turn providing near-perfect eye contact.<\/p>\n One thing struck me yesterday morning, something I’m always reminded of this time of year.\u00a0It was\u00a0only 9:12 AM when this photo was taken but notice from the bird’s shadow how high the sun is in the sky already. With the sun that high it becomes increasingly difficult\u00a0to get any light in the\u00a0eye (catch lights) and light becomes harsh as it casts deep and\u00a0featureless shadows. In winter with the sun\u00a0much lower in the sky I could probably\u00a0be shooting until about 11 AM before light becomes this harsh and catch lights so difficult to obtain.<\/p>\n Just one more thing all of us bird photographers should be thinking about when planning our\u00a0photo excursions.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Featuring reflections, a unique and interesting feeding technique and a takeoff.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/american-avocet-4804-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-avocet-4804-ron-dudley\\"")
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