Motif: Personal Favorite – Clapper Rail


Posted by Heather Forcier on Sun Nov 23, 2003 5:57 pm

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Clapper Rail
Merritt Island, Florida


This image is one of my personal favorites. Greg and I were traveling the roads of Merritt Island by car, he was able to stop and shoot from the driver’s side, everything on the passenger’s side was mine. He had just had some great opportunities with a shrike, and I was a bit envious, but not long afterwards he stopped the car. There was a bird in the grass on my side of the road, and he said however I had to contort myself to get that shot, get it! From a very awkward position, I rested my lens over the passenger side mirror, and had to partially rise up out of the seat to see the bird in the viewfinder. The lens kept sliding off the curved mirror.

I was pretty lucky to get any shots of the bird, and every time I see this image I think of what an adventure bird photography is.

Digital capture with Canon 1D
Canon 500mm f/4 with 1.4x teleconverter
Manually exposed at 1/1250, f/8
ISO 250

Image comments/critiques appreciated!
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by Jim Urbach on Sun Nov 23, 2003 6:07 pm
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Heather,

Very well composed. It's remakable to find one so out in the open. Nice capture.

Jim
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by Bill Whala on Sun Nov 23, 2003 6:15 pm
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Wonderful photo. No wonder it's a favorite. Great story to boot. :)
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by Andrew Mc on Sun Nov 23, 2003 6:19 pm
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Nice story Heather, and a great bird to boot.
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by Jim Zipp on Sun Nov 23, 2003 6:20 pm
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I remember this one Heather. Nice shot and good job catching this bird in the open like this.
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by AlexC on Sun Nov 23, 2003 6:50 pm
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Nice pose, great exposure and a wonderful BG to boot!!!
Slide or not you got him good!!! 8)
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by Sandy Mossberg on Sun Nov 23, 2003 7:48 pm
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Fabulous shot, Heather. I remember it well. It is one of your best.
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by Cliff Beittel on Sun Nov 23, 2003 8:16 pm
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Lovely shot, perfectly composed.
 

by Fero on Sun Nov 23, 2003 8:36 pm
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Amazing Heather, I can see why this is one of your favorites. Is the grass so short, or the bird so big?
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by Alan Murphy on Sun Nov 23, 2003 9:48 pm
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Heather, this is a killer image. Love the pose and the BG. An OOFF BG and rail in the same shot...Unbelievable.
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by Laura Stiefel on Sun Nov 23, 2003 10:19 pm
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Hi Heather. This is completely amazing! I can certainly see what it's a favorite!!! :)
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by Bruce Sherman on Sun Nov 23, 2003 10:22 pm
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Heather,
I think I have seen this one before. Terrific in all respects. Love the over the shoulder look.
 

by Jill on Sun Nov 23, 2003 11:27 pm
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Heather, I also remember this image! A good choice to be your favorite, and I adore your story!! The rail is simply super!!! Good light in Bosque!!
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by Heather Forcier on Sun Nov 23, 2003 11:51 pm
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  • Posted by Fero
    Is the grass so short, or the bird so big?
The grass was pretty short. The bird ended up slowly descending down the embankment into much higher vegetation to get to the water - I was really lucky to catch it in an area where it wasn't too obscured.
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by Juan E. Bahamon on Mon Nov 24, 2003 12:41 am
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Heather:

Luck helps the prepared!! Amazing capture. Sincere congratulations.
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by Bruce DiVaccaro on Mon Nov 24, 2003 6:24 am
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Heather,

Excellent shot. You took advantage of a great opportunity finding this guy in the open. I really like the pose with the over the shoulder look.
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by fredcor on Mon Nov 24, 2003 11:14 am
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:) :) Never seen a rail leave alone a Clapper Rail. Wonderful image and I love that turnaround look.
:!:
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by Heather Forcier on Mon Nov 24, 2003 5:43 pm
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This is the only time I have ever seen a rail - hadn't ever seen one before, haven't seen one since. They are beautiful, though.
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by LHays on Mon Nov 24, 2003 7:37 pm
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Heather
Glad you got the shot....and a great one indeed. You only need to see them once when you get a shot like this. I know exactly how hard that shot was. I've tried that before. About the only thing that I got shooting like that was a nice scratch on my mirror.
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