Shorebirds and ships from Duluth.

[ShawnZ]

All images made with a sonyA300, Sigma50/500mm, iso200-400, f9, various s/s, manual exposure, hand held, crops, adjustments to contrast and color on some,

USM. Comments and critiques welcome.

Least Sandpiper. If you take nothing else from this post, consider this bird.

This is a juvenile, less than six months old, on it's first migration. The bird's parents probably left it alone a few weeks ago. This bird will fly thousands of miles to it's southerly destination, having never made the trip before, and it's less than six months old!

Duluth hosted some "tall ships" recently. The first image is from Knife River, the second is from the Duluth area.

Last image features a lesser yellow legs.

[finnbay]

Love the lighting on your shore birds. Morning shots? I was hoping to see the tall ships this time, but too many other things in the way. The flock of birds really adds a neat compositional touch on that one.

[Dbl]

Really beautiful work Shawn. Sharp, well composed and lovely colors, hard to pick a favorite.

[JayinMN]

Beautiful shots Shawn, and neat info on the least sandpiper. I see a few this weekend at split rock and floodbay.

[eyeguy 54]

great series!

[Hwood]

You sure do a nice job with those shore birds. A new lens is on my wish list, would you buy your 50-500 again if you had to or something else?

[Canon Guy]

Really nice series! Sweet lighting on the birds.

[ShawnZ]

Thanks much for the comments and views folks.

Ken, the shorebird images were made in the evening hours. The ship outside of Knife River had just shot one it's canons and the entire colony of herring gulls and double crested cormorants that nest on the island right off shore irrupted. Thousands of gulls swirling around the island with sorties of cormorants flying over past the ship to check things out. I believe every bird in the frame on that one is a cormorant.

Hwood, I would buy another 50/500, it is a nice lens, and while it probably won't ever last as long as a prime would (truth be told, I'm pretty hard on it), I would never want to be without the cropping as you shoot options that a zoom provides

[Hwood]

Good to know. Although my lens fund is growing rather slow and will be sometime yet before I am ready, I have been looking. Your lens is one of interest and the 100-400L. I have used the L and although heavy I liked it except for the dust that gets in them and I read into the body. Not sure if you have these problems. Also wonder how fast is yours to focus with such a long stretch from 50 through 500.

150-500 is one I have thought about as well. I have used a 300 prime and for my needs (hobby) I feel the same way about the zoom.