Dunlin on the Jetty

The infamous Jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse often hosts a flock of resting Dunlin in the winter. They hardly stir when you walk past them on the rocks in search of Harlequins and other subjects. The problem is that they usually have their eyes closed or their heads tucked under their wings, and it's hard to isolate a single bird from the tight flock. On a visit in March I managed to hunker down on the rocks and work the edges of the flock until I was able to get one in isolation and with open eye. I did clone out one oof bird in the bg.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 800, 1/2500s @ f/7.1 manual

Great look at this relaxed little guy. Nice smooth BG and the techs and details look solid. Well done

A good sleeping pose makes a nice photograph too, so next time check it out. Another option is making a noise with your mouth (a few "kissing" noises are often enough to get the eye to open for a few moments). EXposure and details are good, I just wish the subject was higher in the frame. I also find the bill has a weird crook in it near the tip - perhaps a natural occurrence.

Daniel Cadieux said:

A good sleeping pose makes a nice photograph too, so next time check it out. Another option is making a noise with your mouth (a few "kissing" noises are often enough to get the eye to open for a few moments). EXposure and details are good, I just wish the subject was higher in the frame. I also find the bill has a weird crook in it near the tip - perhaps a natural occurrence.

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Thanks Daniel. I do have some sleeping and near-sleeping poses, including:
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/78254-Trust-but-Verify?highlight=dunlin,
and
http://www.birdphotographers.net/fo...19366-Windy-Day-on-the-Jetty?highlight=dunlin

I agree it would have been better with more room below; I cropped to minimize the OOF foreground rock.

The drooped tip on the bill is a feature of the species. They have sensation in the tip, with which they feel around for little creatures when they probe the mudflats, as do some other shorebirds like Curlews. But you probably knew that. One of the things I liked about the image was the fact that it showed that drooping tip so clearly.

Nice image Bill, I love the pose. I struggle to identify shore birds, your image show the bill drooping clearly which I will look for in the future. Thank you for sharing.

Wonderful resting pose, Bill. Like the complimenting tones on the bird and BG. Magnificent light this day provided. Thanks for the characteristics lesson.




Geoffrey

Thanks Bill. Yes, the drooping bill is a field mark of this species (one of my favorite species of shorebird), but this one has a bit of a "bump" on the top of the upper mandible that they usually don't have. I just thought it made for a neat variation. Perhaps its just a bit of a water accumulation.

Nice one legged pose, Bill. The whole body is free of distracting shadows, well taken. Did you use, fill flash?

Karl Egressy said:

Nice one legged pose, Bill. The whole body is free of distracting shadows, well taken. Did you use, fill flash?

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Thanks Karl. No, no flash. Walking on the rocks of the jetty is pretty precarious with the big rig; the flash seemed one distraction too many.