POST YOUR BIRDS IN FLIGHT !!!

Ray.Petri wrote in post #18930211
Seagull (Well cropped)

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Hosted photo: posted by Ray.Petri in
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Wow Ray...all four of these are really nice shots, but my favorite is #1!

paul katinas wrote in post #18930241
Brown Pelican
Happy trails.

Hosted photo: posted by paul katinas in
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Congratulations Paul; you have a wonderful post processing technique that gives this shot (I've also noticed it in other shots of yours) a very special look and appeal. The sharpness and contrast, plus whatever else you do, really makes this shot pop!!

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930285
Not a clue what this guy/gal is. Potter's Marsh in the city of Anchorage

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2hio​suC Reflections Potters Marsh by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

Wow...what a cool looking shot, Robert. Both the bird and it's reflection together really made this a winner.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930285
Not a clue what this guy/gal is. Potter's Marsh in the city of Anchorage

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2hio​suC Reflections Potters Marsh by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

That's a winner! Love the reflection. A beautiful capture.

(Your bird's one of the yellowlegs - a Greater Yellowlegs, I think.)

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18930132
Really, really nice, Shalu. You've gotten so many nice shots of the kingfishers!!

Darrell e C wrote in post #18930173
My word you sure have a bird photo talent many wish to possess. well done...........

Darrell e C wrote in post #18930176
one of a kind.............xelle​nt

avondale87 wrote in post #18930261
Two beauties.
Exceptional captures.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930280
Caught the speeder!

Thank you very much, Mike, Darrell, Richard and Robert!

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930285
Not a clue what this guy/gal is. Potter's Marsh in the city of Anchorage

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2hio​suC Reflections Potters Marsh by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

I believe it is a Greater Yellowlegs, very nice capture, Robert!

Northern Shoveler

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Jack Dawe wrote in post #18930334
That's a winner! Love the reflection. A beautiful capture.

(Your bird's one of the yellowlegs - a Greater Yellowlegs, I think.)

Jack, I've always had trouble telling the greater from the lesser yellowlegs. If they are both present, I go by size (the greater being a bigger bird). The bill on Robert's shot seems to show the bill kind of long, so I too think it might be a greater. The only other thing that I go by is the bars on the flank feathers, but this too is very often hard to discern.

What makes you think this bird is likely to be a great yellowlegs?

shalu wrote in post #18930337
Thank you very much, Mike, Darrell, Richard and Robert!

I believe it is a Greater Yellowlegs, very nice capture, Robert!

Northern Shoveler

Hosted photo: posted by shalu in
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forum: Birds

Awesome shot of this male spoony just starting to color up, Shalu. It's simply perfect.

Out of curiosity, why do you think that Robert's yellowlegs shot is a greater rather than a lesser. I tend to agree with you, but I just wanted to know what you based your decision on?

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18930340
Awesome shot of this male spoony just starting to color up, Shalu. It's simply perfect.

Out of curiosity, why do you think that Robert's yellowlegs shot is a greater rather than a lesser. I tend to agree with you, but I just wanted to know what you based your decision on?

Thank you very much, Mike!

For the yellowlegs, I go by this criteria I found on the internet: "The greater yellowlegs' bill is roughly 1.5 times the length of its head, while the lesser yellowlegs' bill is barely longer than its head length"

shalu wrote in post #18930349
Thank you very much, Mike!

For the yellowlegs, I go by this criteria I found on the internet: "The greater yellowlegs' bill is roughly 1.5 times the length of its head, while the lesser yellowlegs' bill is barely longer than its head length"

Thanks for your reply, Shalu. I tend to also go by the bill length on this shot.

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18930339
Jack, I've always had trouble telling the greater from the lesser yellowlegs. If they are both present, I go by size (the greater being a bigger bird). The bill on Robert's shot seems to show the bill kind of long, so I too think it might be a greater. The only other thing that I go by is the bars on the flank feathers, but this too is very often hard to discern.

What makes you think this bird is likely to be a great yellowlegs?

Well, I have trouble too, partly because we only ever see them over here as vagrants. We get a few Lesser Yellowlegs every year, but Greater is exceedingly rare. We have two closely related species - the Redshank and the Greenshank (some old books call the American birds Yellowshanks - I rather like that). Lesser Yellowlegs looks somewhat similar in build to our Redshank, but is more dainty, with a thinner, straight, almost needle-like bill (in comparison). Our Greenshank is a more sturdy bird than Redshank and its bill is slightly upturned. Greater Yellowlegs has just a hint of both these features. The bill on Robert's bird has just a hint of the upturn and, more importantly, is deeper at the base than I'd expect for Lesser Yellowlegs. So I go on build and shape first of all - but it's all very subtle and I am often unsure. On Robert's bird the streaking on the head and neck seems quite marked, which tends me towards Greater. On the other hand, the legs do look long, which might favour the more lanky Lesser, but that might just be due to the effort of lift-off.

Thank you for your informative and interesting reply, Jack. I'm thinking, with all the subtle differences, I'll be doing a lot of guessing.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930281
Great details here.

Thanks MedicineMan - I nearly didn't bother to post these in face of the excellent competition.

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18930324
Wow Ray...all four of these are really nice shots, but my favorite is #1!

Thanks Mike. Yes I go for #1.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18930282
Great one Paul.

Thank you Robert.
Happy trails.

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18930324
Wow Ray...all four of these are really nice shots, but my favorite is #1!

Congratulations Paul; you have a wonderful post processing technique that gives this shot (I've also noticed it in other shots of yours) a very special look and appeal. The sharpness and contrast, plus whatever else you do, really makes this shot pop!!

Wow...what a cool looking shot, Robert. Both the bird and it's reflection together really made this a winner.

Many, many thanks Mike.That's very kind of you to say.
Happy trails.

shalu wrote in post #18930337
Thank you very much, Mike, Darrell, Richard and Robert!

I believe it is a Greater Yellowlegs, very nice capture, Robert!

Northern Shoveler

Hosted photo: posted by shalu in
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forum: Birds

Nice Sha, that's a real beauty.
Happy trails.

avondale87 wrote in post #18930261
Beautiful photo. Love these birds in their natural environs.
Weather effects can make for beautiful scenes. This is one.
Well done

Thanks so much, Richard. The gannets are definitely one of my favorite species to photograph.

shalu wrote in post #18930337
Thank you very much, Mike, Darrell, Richard and Robert!

I believe it is a Greater Yellowlegs, very nice capture, Robert!

Northern Shoveler

Hosted photo: posted by shalu in
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forum: Birds

Wow, this is a beauty, shalu!