# Chuck-will's-widow



## rip18 (Jul 2, 2014)

I'll try to be better at stopping in and commenting, but it's already past my bed-time tonight.  I will share a bird shot from a few weeks ago though...

Here's a chuck-will's widow from early May. This beauty cranked up calling as the sun was going down. I later realized that it was calling from a fence post nearby and went to see if I could get a better look. It allowed me to approach within "photographable" distance, so I went to the truck and dug my gear out and began to try to get a shot.

I got a few shots, but it was facing the "wrong" way and a little too far away. I also realized as it flew around that it had a few favorite perches. So, I set up on the favorite perch closest to a security light (but it was still DARK - this was taken at 9:28 PM). After a short wait, I saw it leave the post it was on and come fluttering in to the post that I was set up on. 

I was auto-focused on the post, and then attempted to fine-tune (using auto-focus) on the bird's head (I used an LED headlamp to give me enough light to auto-focus on the post). Unfortunately, with the lack of light & movement of the bird, I completely lost focus.

I was able to refocus on the post, then adjust manually, and get a shot or three... It was re-adjusting position on the post (as it did on other posts when I was NOT taking pictures) and flapping his wings when I just happened to depress the shutter for this one.

Even with the flash as far away from the lens as I could get it and still be on the bracket, there was horrendous red-eye reflection. I think that if I'd had somebody to hold the flash a few feet away from me, I might could have gotten this image without having to digitally remove the red-eye.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/250th second, ISO 1600, tripod, flash as main light on flash bracket, full frame (no cropping), digital red-eye reduction.


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## Crickett (Jul 3, 2014)

Awesome!  I don't think I have never seen one of those birds before.


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## cb3725 (Jul 3, 2014)

Beautiful! I've never see one of these either.


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## Hoss (Jul 3, 2014)

Great capture, Rip.  Sounds like you earned this one.


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## Keebs (Jul 3, 2014)

tooo kewl, I have them at my place but have never seen one, now at least I'll know what to look for!!


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## Nicodemus (Jul 3, 2014)

Keebs said:


> tooo kewl, I have them at my place but have never seen one, now at least I'll know what to look for!!





I bet you`ve heard em too. Most folks think they hear whips when they really hear chucks.  


Great shot, Rip!


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## wvdawg (Jul 3, 2014)

New one for me too!  Nice shot Rip - good job setting it up!
DJ


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## Smokey (Jul 3, 2014)

Awesome as always regardless of the shooting conditions. That's why you're my picture taking guru hero!!


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## quinn (Jul 3, 2014)

Cool bird for sure! Looks like a cross between a owl and a hawk!


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## cre8foru (Jul 3, 2014)

Great shot and very challenging to get too. Ive never seen one and if I did I probably thought it was a whip-poor-will.


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## carver (Jul 4, 2014)

Fine shot


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## ronfritz (Jul 5, 2014)

Nice job Rip. Sounds like you worked hard for that one!


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## rip18 (Jul 6, 2014)

Thanks, yáll!  

It was sure a treat to get to photograph this animal, and even more of a treat when I plugged the card into the card reader & saw what I'd gotten!


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## DSGB (Jul 9, 2014)

Hear them a lot before sunrise while listening for gobblers in the spring, but have never seen one.


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## SlipperyHill Mo (Jul 9, 2014)

Seen them fly in front of my truck on dirt roads in the evening.


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 9, 2014)

Cool shot! Not something you see very often. I was walking in the woods one day and came across one on the nest a few years ago-it started doing the dragging-the-wing-to-lead-me-away thing. The "nest" was just two eggs on the ground, no depression, no pile of nesting material, or anything. And the eggs were almost perfectly round.


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