A splash of color for a less than colorful bird and background.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I don’t see Loggerhead Shrikes very often anymore but for the last few months I’ve been able to reliably find a single shrike perched on some bushes near the shore of the Great Salt Lake. But two days ago, for the first time, there were two of them within a short distance of each other so I don’t know if this is the original shrike or the newcomer.
In this photo I like the splash of color provided by the wild rose hips in the otherwise mostly colorless photo but for a variety of complicated reasons I had a devil of a time cropping the image to a composition I like. This version includes as many of the colorful rose hips as I could manage to keep in the frame and still get a composition I find acceptable.
This version allows for a little more bird and far fewer hips.
Personally, I prefer the first version but your mileage may vary.
Ron
Note: In case you’re curious the background in this photo is the mudflats of the Great Salt Lake.
Addendum: In the comments below Kris and Arwen said/implied that they might prefer a square crop. So here’s a perfectly square crop of the image. Normally I’m not fond of square compositions but I like this one better than I thought I would.
I love shrikes. I am in Florida and we seem to have a bumper crop of them this year. Anyway, these are beautiful pix of the bird, they sure do look serene when they aren’t impaling other critters LOL.
I really like the square crop. Beautiful picture!
It’s a beautiful composition however you frame it. Unusual of you to post one not dismembering something😄
Lyle, apparently they do have their peaceful moments.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Janice.
While I like the square crop, it is the first which has my vote today.
Love the way that the pop of colour (in any of the versions you showed us) accentuates the subtle beauty of the bird.
Thank you, EC.
Beautiful grey tones topped off by the bright reds. I like square too.
Shrikes and kestrels are fewer and fewer.
“Shrikes and kestrels are fewer and fewer.”
Sadly I agree, April. Although I did see a good number of kestrels on my way to the bushes where I photographed the shrike. More than I’ve seen in that area in a very long time.
Great photo! I think the square crop is best too!
Looks like the square composition is the overwhelming favorite, so far at least. And I can’t say that I disagree. Thanks, Joanne.
Count me in the ‘square’ group!
OK, another square.
Very artistic beautiful shot Ron. Love everyone’s comments this a.m. 🙂 What a fun group of people you have gathered together.
“What a fun group of people you have gathered together.”
Kathleen, that’s a big part of the reason we all stick around here…
Lovely colors. I like the square crop the best.
Thanks, Kathryn.
I really do like the square format–good on you for your willingness to try it !
Whaddya mean? “Flexible” is my middle name. Not…
Excellent photo. Love the combination of the soft grays with the bright hips and then the catch-eye in the black strip. Agree with Arwin on the cropping.
By the way, are you becoming more comfortable little by little with the repaired lens?
“By the way, are you becoming more comfortable little by little with the repaired lens?”
In general I am, Everett. I still get some soft shots occasionally but that happens even with a lens that’s functioning perfectly. So far so good but it will take a little more time in the field before I’m confident the problem is completely solved.
I think shot #1 is absolutely ELEGANT–I personally am fond of square formats
depending on what’s “in” them, and the rose hips lend a dynamic diagonal,
as well as a colorful textural, foil to the velvety bird– altogether beautiful !
Thanks, Kris. See the addendum I added in response to your comment and Arwen’s.
How accommodating of the shrike! 😉 Beautiful shot with all the subtle greys and they the bright berries…… 🙂
Wind howled yesterday and last night with twigs hitting the house – at least it was just twigs! Will check further in daylight. Going to start “moving dirt” today it sounds like. 🙁
Thanks, Judy.
I’ve been seeing your FB posts about your wild weather the last few days, including Glacier County. They brought back many unpleasant memories, especially of the wind, but I still miss living in MT – big time!
I do love that first shot. For me, I would prefer a bit less of the sky above. They are very striking little killers, aren’t they?
“I would prefer a bit less of the sky above”
So would I, Arwen.
That’s one of the composition issues I struggled with. But cropping some of that sky would make the composition more square and I really don’t like most square compositions. So I compromised…
It’s cool, daddio. I’m hip to the no squares. 😉
I agree with the comment about making a lovely card. The first photo is stunning!
Thank you, Nancy.
This photo would make a lovely holiday card, Ron.
Thank you, Sue. If I only sent out cards…
Great shot!
Thanks, Dick.
I agree with SS. It would make a lovely holiday card. Great background. And yes, my eye goes to the second shot. I’ve never seen a shrike and probably never will but the colours, reconfigured, remind me of a chickadee (minus the long tail) and they often feature on holiday cards. How accommodating for them to revisit the same pretty bushes so regularly.
“How accommodating for them to revisit the same pretty bushes so regularly”
I think so too, Granny Pat. As I approach those bushes I always look for ‘him’ and I’m seldom disappointed.
Just last weekend I found a Loggerhead Shrike in the same tree where I’ve seen one three years in a row — practically on the same branch. If it’s not the same bird, it must be a very appealing branch. Unfortunately, the branch doesn’t add as much to a photo as yours does.
Shoreacres, I’ve been surprised how reliably I’ve been able to find ‘my’ shrike in the same small clump of bushes for so many months. And it’s the only shrike I see anywhere near this spot. At least it was until I saw the second one two days ago.