(Eastern) Willet

I think! It certainly looks like a Willet to me but I've been known to be wrong!

We found this guy pretty early at our first stop (a tidal pool) at Sandy Hook, NJ yesterday. He did quite a bit of posing for me.

C&C always welcome. Thanks for looking.

Man, you're getting some fabulous action shots. I love willets, one of the cutest shorebirds and man are they noisy! All shots are good, but I esp. like the third for catching the action, love the way the water looks too.

Great series Ed, love the action shot, but all captures are great.

ngannet wrote in post #3162488
Man, you're getting some fabulous action shots. I love willets, one of the cutest shorebirds and man are they noisy! All shots are good, but I esp. like the third for catching the action, love the way the water looks too.

Thanks Bob. With just 18 views to date, I think Willet lovers are in a minority. Actually several things are happening, I think. First, each day out is another day of experience for me and I am still on that steep part of the learning curve.

But second, I am finding many benefits to using the tripod besides just the added stability cutting down on camera shake issues with the 400 5.6. The tripod adds more of a sense of permanence. Once I settle in and open up the tripod, I am staying for a while (unless of course the bird doesn't!).

So I am watching the bird longer while leads to more behavioral observation which leads to identifying patterns which leads to many of the action shots.

Also all the harsh light "criticisms" have led me to really consider the light source before even setting up the tripod. It can't always be perfect but I am really trying to figure it out before opening up the tripod. And I am focusing more on reflections (when water is involved) which I think add a lot to a image.

And finally, I am trying real hard to concentrate on the eye both when making the image and when processing. I am finding that I am hitting more and more (but far from all) with that sparkle in the birds eye which adds so much to the image.

bromm wrote in post #3162698
Great series Ed, love the action shot, but all captures are great.

Thanks Trevor. I appreciate the comment. If you read the above you will see that some things are coming together. That's not to say that there won't be times when things fall back apart (a bit of regression) but, little by little, I think the images are getting better.


So any other Willet lovers out there?

Well Bob, it doesn't look like there are many other Willet fans out there!

OK....we don't have enough Willets around here to be become a fan of, however I'm a fan of your work Ed. The action and reflection in the third shot is excellent.

You've come a long way in a short time. Good images!

Excellent shots indeed.

Excellent shots ,I also particularly like the third. Well Done!! We have lots of Willets around here. Thanks for sharing.

Nice 'hat trick' Ed. I love the last action shot.

Thanks Scott, Allen, Sindri, Reigh and Stephen. I truly appreciate all your comments and feedback. I am so gald to have created a series of images that all you folks really like.

sugarzebra wrote in post #3170825
OK....we don't have enough Willets around here to be become a fan of, however I'm a fan of your work Ed. The action and reflection in the third shot is excellent.

It's nice to have a fan but I can assure you not everything I do comes out as well as the Oriole and the Willet. Sometimes the catchlight just doesn't come. And I still blow out the whites. And shooting against a sunny blue sky gives me fits. But hey, I try!

morehtml wrote in post #3170992
You've come a long way in a short time. Good images!

Thanks Allen. Feedback like that is very rewarding. I have learned a lot here on POTN. That's why I am always emphasizing my desire for C&C. Certainly the praise feels good but the constructive criticism is helping me think about things, try things and, hopefully, get better.

Thanks you all.

You have come a long way and these images show it. I've just spent the last week at my window, relearning my camera, settings and now the flash/beamer and it is making a difference.

And it's good to see someone else getting hooked on the tripod. Greatest invention ever.

Really nice captures, esp. the third.

canonloader wrote in post #3173389
You have come a long way and these images show it. I've just spent the last week at my window, relearning my camera, settings and now the flash/beamer and it is making a difference.

And it's good to see someone else getting hooked on the tripod. Greatest invention ever.

Mitch, all the feedback here has helped a lot. As has the tripod. I am finding it is as integral as the camera and the lens. The quality of my images has improved quite a bit since using the tripod regularly.

I have also learned to be patient and look for the best angle, best light, etc. that I can find. Maybe I'm too patient. I went out this evening for about an hour and didn't take a single shot.

I've got to make a concerted effort to work a bit more with flash and Beamer.

rrdjserv@earthlink.net wrote in post #3173519
Really nice captures, esp. the third.

Thanks. Glad you like the images. It's fun to share but even moreso when you know your images are being enjoyed by others. Thanks again.