Red Winged Blackbird

I like IT -- frame + background= bird

Good of you to take the time to review this offering.  This is as close as I could get that day & it still required a crop of almost 100%.  Still, for me, a keeper.  Best, LM.

A very nice result with a beautiful background, Len!

Hi Len,

  Wonderful image with beautiful colors, composition & details.  Take care, Patsy

Thanks for your visit & observations.  Best, LM.

Colours compliments of Mother Nature & Nikon, composition aided by Photoshop.  :-)  Many thanks for your always welcome visits.  Best, LM.

Very well done!  Anytime you can get this close, even cropped, with a 200mm it's a good day.  The detail in the blacks and the DOF are excellent.... Mike

The 200mm is barely adequate for bird photography but one has to work with what one can afford.  Even stopped down a bit the inherent shallow DOF helps to isolate the subject.  The secret, using the 200mm, is in getting close.  Hard to do in the field with skittish birds.  The soft, overcast lighting was likely responsible for getting detail in those black feathers.  Thanks for your always welcome visits & uplifting comment.  Best, LM.

The difficulty if the color well overwhelmed and beautiful, neutral, bokeh in the background!

Thanks for your not so recent visit, I spotted your comment just a minute ago!

Cheers

PDE

I agree, the background came out OK.  Now, if I could only get closer to the birds.  Best, Len

I have to agree with Mike the detail in the dark feathers are excellent and even more remarkable considering the brighter background.  I'm hard pressed to find anything to suggest to improve this, the angle of the bird and perch fall into a perfectly diagonal position in the frame and the soft colours an dof are again perfect! 

The 200 mm lens has served you well, I have a 500 mm and a 200 mm, but the trouble with accumulating lenses I find, is that I don't want to leave any one behind "just in case" and now I need a wheel barrow to carry it all : - ) 

Nice work Len! 

Best Regards 

Alf 

I only have two (kit) lenses and so don't have the problem of what to leave behind.  Since I don't have deep enough pockets for a nice 500mm I'll just have to work on getting closer.  Some camouflage gear might be the answer. Or perhaps one of those big chicken costumes.  That should fool them.  :-)  I think I've posted the wrong version here.  This one seems to have a red bias to  it.  Thanks everyone for not noticing; or at least not bringing it to the world's attention.  Gee, I think I just did that.  Best, Len.

Superb! Love the background also with that hint of green in the top section.

The green area was more accident than design but thanks for pointing it out.  Sometimes luck is good!  Always a pleasure to get a visit from you.  Best, Len.