Piping Plover Surprise!!

[Daniel Cadieux]

• Canon EOS R6
• EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III
• ƒ/5.6
• 700mm
• 1/125s
• ISO 3200
• Daniel Caxieux
• Sun, 12 May 2024 6:10 AM
• Daniel Cadieux
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.2 (Windows)

When I heard that the first Piping Plover sighted in my area since 1983 was reported a mere five minutes form my home, I knew where I was headed first thing in the morning! Glad I did as it came very close to me for great images (inside minimum focusing distance at times), then later in the morning when the expected hoards of people showed up it was a no-go to get close as folks were being very protective of the regionally endangered bird. Early bird gets the worm - glad I am naturally an early riser.

A Ring-billed Gull glided by very low, directly above us, which got the plover to adopt this posture for a few moments

Canon R6 + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, 1/125s., f/5.6, ISO 3200, full-frame, minor beach clean up, removed two leg bands via remove tool.

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Very nice Dan, love the FG mush and BkG with an overall cool palette, any closer and I think you may have runout of lens. :w3

Well framed, perhaps a sliver more below, personal pref, did you add the catchlight? The vegetation I feel highlights the habitat the subject lives in nicely.

At 1/125 was this on Electronic Dan, close call as you could have easily pushed the ISO, ever thought of using a Ground pod, very useful.

TFS
Steve

 

[Brian Sump]

Cute little bugger Dan!

I like the earthy brown tone here and the bits to the left and right of the subject are kinda cool.

Plumage looks good and a solid pose. Slight bit of halo around the beak but nothing to be too concerned with. Always love your shorebirds!

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Dan,

Love this image and story behind it :S3: Subject super cute, so sad to hear it is on the list of endangered species.

Superb pose and very well framed, beautifully exposed and processed with great colours... such nice smooth background...

Nice choice of DoF ( and oh-those-steady-hands-of-yours, so jealous...I could never achieve this at 1/125s :bg3

Hope you have a great Sunday, and thank you so much for sharing...enjoyed viewing...a lot!

Warmest regards,

 

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks a stack guys! Steve, I did enhance/enlarge the pinpoint catchlight that was there. Yep, ES for anything that is not anticipated action.

 

[Steve Kaluski]

ES - sorry Dan, this is missing in my vocabulary. :S3:

 

[Daniel Cadieux]

Electronic Shutter

 

[Steve Kaluski]

:cheers: