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Dawn's First Light


Dawn's First Light
Photo Information
Copyright: Lesley Mattuchio (Lesley) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 13 N: 913] (2988)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-11-27
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, Canon EF100-400 IS
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-12-04 8:19
Viewed: 1260
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
While visiting in Florida last week I had given myself a little project to photograph. My Dad has this favorite tree, a huge Live Oak, that is in a rolling field. He can no longer get out of the house and drive to see "his" tree so I thought I would do a photographic study of the tree and the surrounding field in different light...sunrise,late afternoon, and sunset. While I was photographing this area at sunrise and the first rays of sun peeked over the horizon , the song of a bird behind me across the road caught my attention. It was this Loggerhead Shrike that was calling out as it was being bathed in gold.

This was a first time sighting for me of the Loggerhead Shrike as they are not typical in the northeast of the US and only rare sightings have been had of them in New England.

The Shrikes are predatory songbirds . They sit by themselves on the edge of fields or meadows waiting for their prey of insects or small birds, reptiles and mammals. The Loggerhead in particular, has been seen attacking prey it's own size. They are known for impaling their prey on thorns to eat at a later time. Their hooked bills are an effective weapon to kill their prey.

I think it is a wicked cool bird! Oops...there's my Boston vernacular !
willie, LordPotty, Lourens, marhowie, gerhardt, Callie has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Super shot Lesley. The detail and composition is excellent.
Good job

I think that's international vernacular Lesley. It is indeed wickedly cool.Who'd have thought such a wee cutie could be a ruthless impaler.Great capture,nice light.
Well done.

  • Great 
  • papkin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 78 W: 0 N: 96] (1580)
  • [2004-12-04 12:40]

Fantastic composition beautiful bird

Brilliant shot, Lesley. The early morning light is absolutely superb!!

Great shot Lesley.
Very good composition,details, nice light and colours.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-12-05 0:06]

This is absolutely beautiful. The composition is simple yet stiking and I like the setting very much.

Well done and thanks for posting

Lesley, Soft light, detailed delicate features..perfect frame, perfect pose..perfect shot!

superbe Lumière de fin de journée éclairant ce magnifique ce très bel oiseaux expo parfaite et très bon cadrage ! bien vu !

Fantastic composition with excellent use of light. The clarity is your usual sharpness. A great shot indeed.

Great shot Lesley, excelent composition and good details.
Well done.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609] (7531)
  • [2005-01-06 12:18]

Hi Lesley
This was on your intro page, and said shrike all over - they are beautiful feisty little guys, and some not so little.
Nice note too, I agree, I also like to know more of the mind and the how behind the picture than the nth degree of species info. For this reason, I will often post 2 or more images about the same subject, just so that one is not overwhelmed? by all the statistics. I love nature, as I am sure you do, but here I think it should also be a bit about ourself and the picture.
I really enjoy you pics and see you still battle about a converter. I can say that I have used both 1.4 and 2x's on f2.8 lenses, and it works well. However, do not even try on a slow lens, the success rate is dismal. I, too had a 50-500, and shot at 1000mm f13, but there is loss AND forget about catching action.
Take care
Callie

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