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"Gotcha" III


Photo Information
Copyright: Jim White (jmirah) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 506 W: 5 N: 1135] (4665)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-11-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D90, Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-11-05 3:27
Viewed: 177
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Willet w/Blue Crab
Tringa semipalmata

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Tringa
Species: T. semipalmata

Click Here For More Info On The Willet

The Willet, Tringa semipalmata (formerly in the monotypic genus Catoptrophorus, as Catoptrophorus semipalmatus), is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family. It is a good-sized and stout scolopacid, the largest of the shanks. Its closest relative is the Lesser Yellowlegs, a much smaller bird with a very different appearance apart from the fine, clear and dense pattern of the neck which both species show in breeding plumage.

Adults have gray legs and a long, straight, dark and stout bill. The body is dark gray above and light underneath. The tail is white with a dark band at the end. The distinctive black and white pattern of the wings is a common sight along many North American coastal beaches.

Two subspecies (which may well be different species) have very different breeding habitats and ranges. The Eastern Willet breeds in coastal saltmarshes from Nova Scotia to Mexico and the Caribbean. It winters on the Atlantic coast of South America. The Western Willet breeds in freshwater prairie marshes in western North America. It winters on both coasts, from the mid-Atlantic states south to at least Brazil on the Atlantic, and from Oregon south to Peru on the Pacific.

Willets nest on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations in short grass, often in colonies. These birds forage on mudflats or in shallow water, probing or picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects, crustaceans and marine worms, but also eat some plant material.

The Willet's population declined sharply due to hunting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their population has since increased, but they are still considered at risk, especially in light of continued habitat loss.

Wikipedia
nasokoun, CeltickRanger, meyerd, Argus, nglen, boreocypriensis, Noisette, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To PeterZ: Hi Peterjmirah 1 11-05 13:15
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Jim,
a fantastic capture of the Willet with its prey taken with a great timing, very good sharpness and splendid natural colours, excellent POV and composition
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

hello Jim
the photograph is the moment, excellent scene, very good output in litted up colours!
keep on photographing! TFS
Nasos

hello Jim

your subject being againts daylight (en contre-jour)
it doeas not help you but you managed well your
camera to obtain details, with fine POV and framing,
and excellent timing to shoot life and dead moment on the nature,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2582] (9107)
  • [2009-11-05 5:06]

Hi Jim,
wow...what a moment that you catured. Really exciting to witness this heron taking the crab by its beak. Really a special shot, as I know shooting a heron itself is already a challenging task.
Well done.

Regards,
Foozi

Hi Jim,
Always great to be able to capture a action shot like this.Nice sharp focus and exposure bringindg out the light colours of the willet and the crab.Well done.
erwin...

Hi Jim,
your documentation of Texas shorebirds gets better and better. What is great here is the light on the bird and the dark background. Of course "action" always improves a picture, like here the picking up of a crab. That is a really fine shot, Jim.
Best regards
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2009-11-05 9:43]

Hello Jim,
A nice one in your 'gotcha' series, this tima a fine capture of a Willet with its crab catch. The sharpness is excellent and the lighting helps to emphasise it against a the reedy BG.
A fine shot!
Thanks and all the best,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2916 W: 34 N: 8651] (32250)
  • [2009-11-05 10:48]

Hi Jim. You have taken a fine picture of the Willet with a crab. This is a bird i have not sseen before so thanks fo posting this on TN. You have comntroled the light well we can still see the blue in the feathers. Which you have taken with natural looking colours. well taken TFS.
Nick..

What a great action shot. I'm amazed that small crap attacked that big bird :)

Bold move going for F10 and such a low shutter speed with this motion shot. But it paid off. Sharpness is perfect

Hi Jim,

Excellent capture of a willet while feeding with a carb from wonderful POV with nice details and fine composition.
TFS and greetings from snowy Bolkar Mnts.

Bayram

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2398 W: 94 N: 5543] (17640)
  • [2009-11-05 13:05]
  • [+]

Hello Jim,
Very nice photo of this Willet with prey. Great moment and good timing. The light wasn't very beautiful, but the colours are nice evenso. Good low POV, composition, DOF and sharp details.
Regards,
Peter

Bello documento de un gran realismo Jim, a pesar de que la luz está al límite jeje.
Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi.

Hello Jim
you have captured a great scene ! this Willet with his capture in his beak is very shapy detailed, very good lightind and superb composition
Have a great WE
Jacqueline

Hello Jim,

Life is cruel sometimes and in nature more often than elsewhere..!
The Willet is a happy guy just securing the dinner, the crab however did draw the black ticket this time...
A fine documentary of life, great details in the subjects and the situation is well framed!

Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Jim,

The capture of the bird catching a crab is an asset to the composition. The point of view is allowing me to see the details and colors of the willet in action. The vegetation is framing well the bird. The late afternoon light has a good effect on the colors. have a nice day.

Pierre

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