A Couch's Kingbird today

Didereaux · Apr 16, 2016

Couch's are not common this far up so kinda glad I got this one. Heavy overcast so high ISO, but I got the sucker!

Except fro the cropping, and a little sharpening that is pretty much SOOC. Had a +2 on the EC to bring up exposure and WB that dark sky. Worked nicely. That also drops the noise quite a bit.

tirediron · Apr 16, 2016

Perfect pose!

LarryLomona · Apr 16, 2016

Good one

dannylightning · Apr 16, 2016

nice find. great photo..

spiralout462 · Apr 16, 2016

Nice shot! I blow out a lot of cloudy skies. I had plenty of practice the last couple of months.

Watchful · Apr 16, 2016

Interesting, it seems to not belong somehow though. I like the bird and it's positioning.

baturn · Apr 17, 2016

Great catch! Don't think I've ever even heard of this one before.

Didereaux · Apr 17, 2016

baturn said:
Great catch! Don't think I've ever even heard of this one before.

They and their almost identical cousins the Tropical Kingbird are extremely rare above the very southern tip of Texas. Central America/Mexico are their home territories. Really the only sure way of telling those two apart is by their calls. I am pretty certain that this one is a Couch's because a couple of longtime birdbrains, er students of ornithological life, claim to have heard it.