In the Field

Mourning in the Rain. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. June 18, 2005.

Mourning Doves frequently hang out around our house. In our neck of the woods these birds are considered a game species and it is legal to hunt them. Interestingly, these birds are extremely wary, shy and difficult to approach. I'm not sure if their status as a game species and their shy behaviour are related, but I suppose its possible.

I photographed this lone bird during a downpour. For some reason it hesitated to take shelter in a tree and allowed reasonably close approach. Not a dramatic image but I thought the bird had a certain forlorn "poor me" look to it...

Behind the Camera

Mourning in the Rain. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. June 18, 2005.

Digital Capture; Compressed RAW (NEF) format; ISO 100.

Nikon D2X with Nikon 200-400 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens @ 400 mm (600 mm equivalent with digital conversion factor) supported on Gitzo 1348 carbon fibre tripod with Wimberley head. VR turned to "On" and in "Normal" mode.

1/100s @ f4; -0.67 stop compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.

At the Computer

Mourning in the Rain. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. June 18, 2005.

Details to follow.

Conservation

Mourning in the Rain. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. June 18, 2005.

Information to follow.