Whistling Whistler

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."

- Doug Larson

I am a lucky boy. A very lucky boy. I'm about halfway through my journey on this earth (although I would hope I get another decade or so on top...), and for said birthday, my lovely wife bought me a 45-200 lens for my camera (with my Lumix's 2x FOV crop it becomes 90-400 in 35mm terms). Not only that; I got it early - today. 8)

Of course I rushed outside immediately to try it - most especially because it was wet and drizzling, and that seems to bring out some of the birds. I went a little way into the bush at the back of our place, and this little Golden Whistler (either female or immature) flitted up into the branches of a tree above me. After I took this shot it flew away, and I came back inside, as my camera battery was dying, and I didn't want the disappointment of finding "the perfect" shot and failing to get it because the camera went phut.

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with this, as it turned out. I've cropped it to 3:2 with the slightest enlargement so as to move the bird a teensy bit left in the frame; I raised the luminance curve on the bird, and sharpened it a touch (all adjustments in Filterstorm on my iPad).

It's definitely better viewed large.