Flamingo

Canon EOS 1Ds / EF 500 f4 USM IS + EF x1,4 II / Gitzo 1325 + Kirk + Sidekick
1/640seg @ f10 ISO100
Shot early this morning (6/4/2004)

This one of the tens of thousands (around 10.000 to 15.000 pairs depending on the year) of flamingos (phoenicopteru ruber) that nest in a lagoon in Souther Spain, just one and a half hour drive from my home.
On some days you can photograph groups of hundreds of flamingos taking turn to drink and take a fresh water bath as the come in close to the hide. Others, you can get images like this with the glass water and great reflections. Most days you just wait in the small, cold, damp hide surrounded by bad smelling water and under constant attack from bugs… does it sound familiar?
note: the original server will only allow 450px but I'm working on a way to post larger