A juvenile Mourning Dove perches on a branch in my back yard. A number of species, including robins, wrens, sparrows, and warblers, either nest in the trees along the fence between my property and my neighbour, Adam's, or visit during spring and fall migration. I enjoy their company. If only I could persuade them to stop waking me up at 4:40 a.m. with their mournful call, described (quite accurately) in my bird guide as "oowoo-woo-woo-woo".

Luck was with me for this shot - although the day was sunny, the dove was entirely shaded. Dappled light across its feathers would have resulted in a contrasty look, not as pleasing to the eye. It's fine for the out of focus background, but I don't want shadows falling across my main subject.

Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2017 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

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Make:	NIKON CORPORATION
Model:	NIKON D810
Exposure:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO Speed:	800
Focal Length:	700 mm
Lens:	500.0 mm f/4.0