Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

The Glossy Ibis is a beautiful bird; I love the glossy look that makes the color of the feathers look different in different lighting situations--well, at least to my color-blind eyes.  You can find these birds throughout Florida and near the coasts of eastern Gulf states and southern Atlantic states.   As beautiful as these birds are, they can be a challenge to photograph.  In fact, any dark bird can be difficult on your autofocus.  There have been several times when I know I focused properly on the bird, but the photo was still slightly blurry.  Their necks and faces have more texture, so you'll have more luck there (I generally focus on the bird's eye whenever possible).  And there's a trick you can use for stationary birds in this situation--use live view mode, zoom in on your subject and focus manually.   Here are some photos that I took at Viera Wetlands last week.

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis