Gleaning Sungrebe

Written By Ray Hennessy
 

Photographer: Sonder Selvig

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1/500 • f/2.8 • ISO 1600 • Nikon Z9 • 400mm • Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S

Photographed here is an elusive and unique bird, the Sungrebe, a species of finfoot native to the tropical Americas. I was fortunate to be standing on a rope bridge over a small river in Costa Rica one evening when I saw this bird swimming upstream from several hundred feet away. The rope bridge allowed me to be over any section of the river enabling me to get as close to a top-down photo as possible. I was quite high above the river meaning the bird was smaller in frame - a look I tend to like. Luckily the bird decided to stop at a partially submerged log to glean for food. I shot off a couple quick bursts and fortunately a couple had a decent head angle. One of my favorite elements of the photo is the dead leaf that had fallen from the canopy and landed nicely along the log. It adds a pop of a color to an otherwise dark and muted scene.

 
Ray Hennessy

Starting in 2007 my fascination with nature photography began.  In the years since, wildlife photography with a focus on birds has gone from a very passionate hobby of mine to become my career. I spend much of my free time in natural areas searching for birds and any other wildlife that comes along. I concentrate on using creative natural lighting and interesting compositions to capture unique images of common and rare wildlife. My favorite style is a more scenic photo that includes some of the habitat wildlife lives in. I also enjoy passing along the knowledge and experience that I have gathered over the years to other photographers who are eager to learn.

www.rayhennessy.com
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