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Another quickie...


Another quickie...
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1936 W: 244 N: 4106] (11620)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-02-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS USM, Digital ISO 400, Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/200 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Southern Africa II, Birds of South Africa 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-09-09 0:28
Viewed: 10563
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Malachite Kingfisher
Alcedo cristata

This is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate related movements.

This is a small kingfisher, 13 cm in length. The general colour of the upper parts of the adult bird is bright metallic blue. The head has a short crest of black and blue feathers, which gives rise to the scientific name. The face, cheeks and underparts are rufous and there are white patches on the throat and rear neck sides.

The bill is black in young birds and reddish orange in adults; the legs are bright red. You can see that this one is a sub-adult with the beak containing both black and orange Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

This is a common species of reeds and rank vegetation near slow moving water or ponds. The flight of the Malachite Kingfisher is rapid, the short rounded wings whirring until they appear a mere blur. It usually flies low over water.

The bird has regular perches or stands from which it fishes. These are usually low over the water. It sits upright, its tail pointed downwards. It drops suddenly with a splash and usually returns at once with a struggling captive.

Large food items are beaten on a bough or rail; small fish and insects are promptly swallowed. A fish is usually lifted and carried by its middle, but its position is changed, sometimes by tossing it into the air, before it is swallowed head downwards. Fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans are eaten.

The nest is a tunnel in a sandy bank, usually, though not always, over water. Both birds excavate. Most burrows incline upward before the nesting chamber is reached.

There is no nest, but three or four clutches of 3-6 round white eggs are placed on a litter of fish bones and disgorged pellets.

Malachite Kingfisher. (2007, April 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:27, September 9, 2007
LordPotty, coasties, red45, cataclysta, marhowie, darwin, MMM, Runnerduck, TAZ, scottevers7, mogens-j, PDP, Janice, Luc has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To AnimalExplorer: Distance from subject....gerhardt 1 09-09 22:20
To Evelynn: Cheated in the tail...gerhardt 1 09-09 22:17
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello my friend

Its great to see a post from you and I hope you are well. Wow... what a great shot. The extender has worked well for you. The image has all the elements to make it perfect and your model is beautiful. Stunning work. :-)

Spectacular shot Gerhard.
Excellent detail and great DOF in this shot.
Perfect exposure and nice subtle colour.
Thanks for posting again.
(I hope you have an addictive personality ... we love seeing you here :)
Steve

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5136 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-09-09 1:37]

Hello Gerhard,
Great sharp photo with a lot of details. Fantastic natural clear colours, DOF, POV and composition. Superb BG.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9100] (31094)
  • [2007-09-09 1:56]

Hi Gerhard!

Good o see you again :-)

Real beauty. Ascetical composition, explosion of colours on bird's feathers, great POV. We missed you. your photos and Africa here my friend :-)

Tired of snow ;-) ?

Hi Gerhard
Perfect photo of kingfisher. Great composition, perfect homogenous buckground. Gray versus vivid red, orange and blue. Great job
Best wishes
Krzysztof

As usually, it's a delight!
Thank you very much.

Servane

Good Morning Gerhard,
Superb image, tack sharp with rich color and very good detail/DOF...
The POV and composition are excellent.
Perfect exposure and a lovely BG, with that faint hint of color running behind the bird magic :)
Very well done!
Howard

Hi Gerhard,
I'm jealous - what a great luck to see such a bird in nature and make such a fantastic shot - I love it, fantastic
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Stunning image,color and light are superb,detail and highlites in plumage excellent. tfs

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-09-09 5:47]

Hi Gerhard,

Nice to see a post of you again,the capture is well balanced,POV is well chosen and the colors look great of this smallest (out of the 10 in the regio if I am right) kingfisher,well done and tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-09-09 8:03]

Hello Gerhard, that's a beautiful shot of that Kingfisher. Razor sharp focus, perfect exposure and great details in the feathers. Lovely colors that stand out against the nice background. Thanks,

Mario

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2007-09-09 11:38]

Hi Gerhard
Very nice image.Well compose and very sharp .Details and colors are beautiful.Also excellent light.
TFS Michel

Hello Gerhard,
A beautiful shot that displays excellent detail and spot on colors. How close were you to this kingfisher? The ones down in the Columbia River between Oregon & Washington are extremely skittish and hard to aproach. :)

Ooh hello, good to see you posting again. This is lovely; great detail, texture and colour.
Great work, thanks for sharing.

Your lens performed beautifully with the extender. There is wonderful sharpness and the colors are really lovely. It feels like one could just reach out and touch the soft feathers. This little fellow looks like he got cheated in the tail department but more than makes up for it with his impressive bill.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2007-09-09 18:20]

Bonsoir Gerhard,

Superbe portrait de cet oiseau. Bravo pour les belles couleurs éclatante et la netteté.
Félicitation et merci pour le partage.
Joseph

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2007-09-10 5:30]

Hello Gerhard,
a stunning shot of this Kingfisher.
Amazing detils and colours.
Perfect DOF and pale BG which causes the bird's colours to stand out even more.
Very well done,
Joe

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-09-10 5:46]

Hi Gerhard,
Beautiful Kingfisher and you have captured it in all its glory. Amazing colours and sharpness on its plumage and a fabulous pose presented. The BG looks so special and enhances the beauty of the shot. The lighting is superbly handled and I like your POV. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2007-09-11 23:05]

Hello Gerhard,
In general I love this bird, but here he is realy wonderful. Impressive Canon material in good hands ;-)
The "+++++" : composition, nice subject, pose on branch, POV, great sharpness, great DOF, neutral blured BG, colors, exposure, useful complementary note...
The "-" : nothing...
Congratulations my friend and thanks for sharing,
Christian

crisp clear shot with perfect colors composition and DOF.
TFS
JM

Hi Gerhardt,
The isolation created by the big lens and extender has done a superb job seperating this fellow from the backround. A spot on exposure with fill flash has colors and detail looking stunning. Very well composed and presented. Great camera work!
Scott

a marvelous shot Gerhard,
well with me it's going very well. I keep running my photo's on tredkearth and I think I am doing it good there. I try to do it good. With the macro's it is going not so good this seison because the bad summer weather. Nice to speak to you.
have a good day my friend.
gr. jaap

Hello Gerhard

Yes, I am very well indeed and thank you for the words. I am not contributing much for the time being because this site it so slow that I am almost falling a sleep waiting for the sides.

This picture is excellent. Lots of details even in the very small feathers - each straw can be seen very clear. Colours are bright and very natural. Well blurred background setting off the bird in a very nice and clear way. Well thought composition with the bird out of centre.

There has been a lot of King Fisher pictures on this site in the past but I think this one is among the very best. Thanks a lot for sharing this beauty.

Mogens

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2007-09-17 2:27]

He seems to have a smile just for you - I can see the twinkle in his eye... Beautifully captured Gerhard, perfect all over,
Best regards
Janice

  •      
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2007-10-07 10:32]

Hello Gerhard,

I do hope you are well. This is a superb shot. Lovely and close. You must be very pleased with it. Great colours and technical details. Excellent.

Have you changed your email? I got a bouncer today.

Do you realise it's nearly two years ago? Where does the time go?

Paul

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