It has been a week since my last post. I make my apologies to those of you who check the blog more frequently. As I mentioned in my last post, I have been in Florida shooting for more than a week. While birds have been scattered I have been able to come-up with some shots that I really like. I had two exceptional mornings at Estero Lagoon where I photographed feeding Spoonbills, Tri-colored Herons, Ibises, Snowy and American Egrets. I will post images from Estero once I’m home and have more time to write.
Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major – Wakodahathee Wetlands; Delray Beach Florida: Earlier this week I was at the Wakodahatchee Weltlands in Delray Beach. Usually this location is inundated with birds, but not this trip. There were a few nesting egrets, cormorants and anhingas, but they are not in what I consider a good shooting location. One species that was abundant is the Boat-tailed Grackle. Breeding season is on for the grackle and this bird was singing his heart out to attract a mate.
What I found most fascinating about the image was the background. I have mentioned in previous post that it is the backgrounds that often make or break the image. I found this complimentary background to be perfect. I chose to do a head shot because the bird was perched on a distracting handrail. The image was shot as the sun was only a half hour from setting. The background was yellow-green foliage. The setting sun intensified by the foliage and struck the grackle at an angle that illuminate the iridescent of its plumage.
Though the number of birds on this trip have been sparse, I have been happy with some of the results.
Nikon D300, Nikor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200
