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King of the Bird Café


King of the Bird Café
Photo Information
Copyright: Callie de Wet (Callie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1101 W: 95 N: 2610] (7555)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-07-23
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, Sigma 120-300 F2.8
Exposure: f/8, 1/125 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Barbets of SA [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-07-24 4:18
Viewed: 7495
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
There are many birds that visit my bird feeder or bird café as I call it. I always put out some fruit, & even bread & sometimes fat. The undisputed King of the board is this bird, called Crested Barbet – Trachyphonus vailantii – 23-24 cm. He eats anything you put out, but loves papino – a paw-paw & pears. He and his missus will chase away any bird that “intrudes” at his meal. I want to post a couple pictures of him, & will elaborate more on the actual bird later. I have had a pair breeding for 8 years on my property. Tere is now a second pair, most probably the children of the first pair. The old couple died two years ago. They used t raise up to four broods of chicks a year, either one or two chicks at a time. With such plentiful food nearby, what else was there to do? A crest in English is called a Kuif in Afrikaans. This is then a Kuifkophoutkapper – a crested headed woodsman, directly translated. However, the English Woodpeckers are called Speg in Afrikaans, and the Barbets are called houtkappers. So, the species’ names are totally swapped. The reason for this info is we call our resident Kuifie, meaning little Crest. They are individuals, and the male is slightly darker than the female. They have a formidable bill, which they yield with authority, and even the larger birds give way to the King. It a very comical bird, and he will jerk his body around, fluff his feathers, look left & right, and clean his bill on the perch. This picture shows him in one of his comical stances. This is a typical pose, all agitated, with the crest raised. The colouring of this bird makes for difficult photography, especially when fluffing the feathers.
LisaDE, mogens-j, Robbrown, elihesam, AdrianW, carper, nwoehnl, gerhardt, Porteplume, Luc, gazo, elroyie, rlortie, coasties, Dave has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Dave: Back on TN?Callie 2 12-06 19:29
Shooting DataCallie 1 07-24 04:19
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • LisaDE Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 13 W: 0 N: 25] (245)
  • [2004-07-24 5:34]
  • [2]

Beautiful colours Callie, you've captured the details well here, the tree looks a little nasty as well lol

Well Callie, I would really like to have one of these comming to my bird feeder. What a beautiful bird with lovely colours and what a powerfull beak.

Excellent shot - colours, dof and composition are spot on and lots of details in the feathers.

Very interesting note too.

Glad to see you here,Dear Callie!
***
it's my firs critique in TN,let me I send my compliment cordialy to Dear Adam,for all things.
***
But,your shot,amazing colors,full of colors,which in great way contrasted,also a great DOF controlled by you skilfully.
The branches in left is a fine elements in this great frame & cropping that you did.
really wonderful bird,thanks for sharing,Callie!
An excellent composition you creat.
Well done!
Yours Truly
Mohammad

The Nikon works really well Callie, this looks like a difficult one to get right with the jet black and bright white such opposits, looks good to me though and such a nice crest.
the note explaining its name is perfect just what we should have here on TN

Good shot! You've captured a wonderful subject here, and the branch provides a nice frame, it's a shame it's at a slightly intrusive angle though... Technically your exposure is excellent as usual, the mix of blacks and whites is always tricky and you've done well here - although I feel the image lacks a little contrast, maybe play with Levels a bit? I love the warm tones of the image, particularly the vivid orange of the tree bark. I might consider cropping a little off the top and left though since the Crested Barbet currently feels a little lost within the frame to me. Anyway, excellent capture :-D

P.S. I've illustrated my thoughts in a Workshop, which I hope you'll like!

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1973 W: 119 N: 2582] (8439)
  • [2004-07-25 5:20]
  • [2]

Wat een kleuren pallet Callie.
Leuk je hier ook te zien. Prachtige vogel, and what a shot. erg mooi, hele mooie compositie. Goed werk man

A very beautiful bird, Callie - all the details of his colorful plumage and head are rendered very well. The posing is nicely caught as well as his positioning amidst the branches forming kind of an "inverse L-shape". Great shot.

This is another stunner. You are really getting me interested in shooting more birds. I grew up with these "Kuifkoppe" in my Hometown. They had a nest in a tree in our yard.

Looking at your photo I now realise that I never really "saw" them. Thanx.

Great image.
Beautiful colors and very good sharpness.

Very strange bird, very well taken, the DOF is well chosen

Ah! The birds of Callie as I already knew them. Well framed, good depth, I just miss the sound...
Werkelijk heel mooi!

  • Great 
  • edji Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 83 W: 8 N: 22] (426)
  • [2004-09-07 12:36]

Nice photo. Great framing and lighting.

  • Great 
  • gazo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 72 W: 0 N: 13] (91)
  • [2004-11-01 20:58]

I'm glad to discover so wonderfull birds aroud the world. This one is beautifull.
Thank you. Very good shot **

Very special colours, very good picture.
The branch on the right side is catching the eye too much.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 301 N: 4287] (14767)
  • [2005-07-06 10:34]

Hello Callie!
Personal assessment of the photo: very good.
Strong visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete and very interesting.
Thank you very much for sharing MF.

  • Great 
  • halki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 242 W: 9 N: 105] (471)
  • [2005-07-30 1:44]

Hi Callie!
Excellent capture!Details,colours are wonderful..
Thanks for posting...

  •      
  • coasties Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3749 W: 483 N: 8155] (28054)
  • [2005-08-08 6:49]

Hi Callie

What a wonderful looking bird. He should be in a Mardi Gras with that costume! Perfect POV with tack sharp details, good light and excellent OOF BG. Nice one. Thanks.

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 503 W: 43 N: 657] (2178)
  • [2005-12-06 6:54]
  • [+]

An absoluting interesting note to go with this very handsome bird Callie!
I'm never ceased to be amazed by the plumage our feathered friends may have.
Excellent and beautiful picture!

I'm fairly new here on TN. I went back to the hippo picture and read all the many notes to you from the denizens who have been around longer. I was very moved by the warmness expressed toward you. Eventhough I did not know you before, I too am very glad you are back!
Such excellent work you have!
Thanks,
Dave

  • Great 
  • Etka Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 95 W: 0 N: 59] (514)
  • [2006-06-23 16:22]

Piekny ptak. Wspaniale detale, kolory. Gratuluje !

  • Great 
  • Popye Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 11 W: 0 N: 27] (158)
  • [2008-07-08 10:32]

Hi Callie,
Goed gedoen, ek hou baie van die uit fokus agtergrond, met genoeg skerpte op die houtkapper.Nogal n raserige tipe houtkapper hierdie.
Goeie werk!
Jan

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