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Killdeer Party


Killdeer Party
Photo Information
Copyright: Lori Cannon (LCannon) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 379 W: 145 N: 799] (3093)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-06
Categories: Birds
Camera: Kodak Easyshare LS753
Exposure: f/4.9, 1/512 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-03-07 8:58
Viewed: 985
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I went out to plant and weed in my garden, and had to send my daughter back into the house to get my camera. Across the road from our house this killdeer family were running around like crazy making their distinctive call. One would walk right up to the edge of the road until a car would go by and then back up. My photo taking pushed them farther away from the road where they wouldn't be hit.

I know it's technically not great, but for my little point & shoot camera I don't think it did too badly. I pushed up my optical zoom as far as it would go, and then tried the digital zoom too. I don't really like the result, but there was only one other photo of killdeer on TN and I thought this would give the photo more value than my poor photography skills. Sadly this is one of the nearest shots I've ever gotten of birds. I know I'll never be a great bird photographer like some on TN, but for me this was cool!

Cropped, levels, resized, sharpened.

There is a really nice shot of a killdeer with good details here.

From Birdwatching.com:
Baby killdeer come out running. They hatch with their eyes open, and as soon as their downy feathers dry, they start scurrying about, following their parents and searching the ground for something to eat. Newly-hatched killdeer can't fly, and they need their killdeer parents for protection and guidance, but they are a lot closer to independence than most baby birds.

Although killdeer are technically in the family of shorebirds, they are unusual shorebirds in that they often nest and live far from water. They like to nest in gravel, and they will take it where they find it.

The killdeer is a bird that gets along well with man, taking advantage of whatever habitat man provides or preserves, field or unpaved road or rooftop. It also appreciates the water's edge, though, and it can often be found on the shores of ponds and lakes.
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Pesky_Polecat: Yes,LCannon 1 03-07 19:02
To NitzanCK: Thank you,LCannon 1 03-07 18:48
To Fisher: Mike,LCannon 1 03-07 18:43
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Critiques [Translate]

You are right about the quality. I think the USM and neat image, killed it.
However, a little more cropping from the bottom would help the image abit. Well done on the effort and composition.

Mike

Hi Lori.
IMHO, the photo is'nt good.
Bad light, burn spots and over sharp!

You should not use a digital zoom.

Interesting note, but the photo is errr...different. Looks like a water colour, actually I quite like it as a picture, though not as a photograph...if that makes sense.

I didn't know we had these birds here! I remember them well when we lived in Corvallis Oregon. I always loved the fact that the parent birds would try to distact you from their babies by acting like they had a broken wing. And their call is very distinctive. I also found the fact that they nest on the ground interesting too.

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