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Little Green Bee Eater


Little Green Bee Eater
Photo Information
Copyright: Ram Thakur (ramthakur) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4316 W: 231 N: 14052] (56953)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-26
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 APO DG MACRO, 58mm UV
Exposure: f/11, 1/500 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Green Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-03-11 6:13
Viewed: 6847
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Can't stop myself from posting the pictures of this Little Green Bee Eater, so here is yet another. I have cropped it close to show a bigger image.

The Little Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It is resident in a belt across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and The Gambia to Ethiopia, the Nile valley, western Arabia and Asia through India to Vietnam.

This species should not be confused with the Little Bee-eater, Merops pusillus. Migration is limited to seasonal movements depending on rainfall patterns.
Like other bee-eaters, this species is a richly coloured, slender bird. It always has green upper parts, but the head and underpart colours vary widely depending on the subspecies. Thus, southeast Asian birds have rufous crown and face, and green underparts, whereas Arabian breeders have a green crown, blue face and bluish underparts. The wings are green and the beak is black. It reaches a length of 16-18 cm, including the two elongated central tail feathers. These elongated tail feathers are absent in juveniles. Sexes are alike.

This is an abundant and fairly tame bird, familiar throughout its range. It is a bird which breeds in open country with bushes. In Africa and Arabia it is found in arid areas, but is more catholic in its habitats further east. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and ants, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. This species often hunts from low perches, maybe only a metre or less high. It readily makes use of fence wires and electric wires. Before eating its meal, a bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface.

Unlike most bee-eaters, these are often solitary nesters, making a tunnel in a sandy bank. The breeding pairs are often joined by helpers. They sometimes form small colonies, or nest near other bee-eaters. They lay 4 to 8 spherical white eggs. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs. These birds roost communally, lined up on a tree branch. The call is a soft trill.

A study showed that the Little Green Bee-eaters is capable of identifying with the behaviour other animals. It was able to predict whether a predator at a particular location would be capable of spotting the nest entrance and then behave appropriately in disguising its location. The ability to look at a situation from another's point of view was previously believed to be possessed only by primates.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Green_Bee-eater

TFL
joey, JoseMiguel, jcoowanitwong, eqshannon, darwin, Luis52, mariki, nglen, Jamesp, smitha, goldyrs, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2008-03-11 6:19]

Please don't stop posting them!
They're all a real pleasure for the eye to look at :-)
This is another fab shot!
Once again the magnificent plumage of this bird has been shown with perfect saturation and amazing vibrence.
Superb composition.
I like the little bee in its beak.
Great DOF.
Well done Ram!!!

Joe

Hi Ram,
And if I would have the opportunity to shot this gorgeous bird, I would exactly the same!
It's amazing the lot of green tones got all over its plumage.
And you were lucky enough to catch it with an insect on the beak, what else can be ask for?
The stunning red eye's detail are another bonus here.
Congratulations and thanks for share.
My best regards,
JM

Hello Ram,
This is wonderful. Look like this Green Bee Eater has a fly between its bill. Lovely pov and composition. Very well done and tfs.
JC

I know what you mean Ram...when you have such a great and coloured species sitting for you and being patient, you cannot stop. It has happened to me. I have a hard tim3 erasing some knowing that I will probably not use them. This one was well worth the post however. Very nice. TFS! I hope all is well with you in India!
Bob

Hi Ram
Good capture of the Bee-eater with a bee in its beak
Nice detail and color
Great catchlite in eye
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
  • [2008-03-11 8:29]

Hola Ram.
Los colores verde metalico del plumaje de este hermoso especimen lucen de maravilla. La presa atrapada en su pico le da un valor adicional a la foto. Muy hermosa foto Ram.
Saludos
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2008-03-11 11:58]

Hi Ram

You carry on and have yourself a ball while we sit back and enjoy the view. So what's a bee-eater or three between friends.

I suppose a bee in the beak is much better than a bee in the bonnet? Or what am I talking about? Maybe this guy's eye was so big because this was one bee too many or maybe his eyes were bigger than his stomach and he did not know when to stop so he was busy developing a spot of constipation (chuckle). Anyway, it's a lovely specimen and you did well to capture it in all its beauty. The composition is fine with perhaps the only slight nit that the tail was cut short.

Well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

PS. Sorry, but it's a bit difficult for me to do a proper analysis / critique on the moment since my monitor is under "house arrest" at the repair agents and I don't know when I'll get it back. The one on loan is small and not so great, but I have to make do for the time being.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2008-03-11 13:23]

Hi Ram. This is a fine close up of the beautiful looking bird. which you have captured with good detail and colours. with good light in the eye. well doen TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-03-11 13:47]

Hi Ram,,wonderfull colours and perfect focus,excellent artwork,thanks for share,Luciano

Splendida immagine, eccellenti dettagli del piumaggio e ottimi colori. Complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
  • [2008-03-11 15:17]

Hi Ram

Lovely pose and colous here - you have more luck with bee-eaters than me - I focus on them - and off they fly!

James

Hi Ram,
A very vibrabt shot of the Green bee eater. Great color, detail and a very crisp photo.

TFS
Kirti

  • Great 
  • smitha Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 348 W: 73 N: 1165] (4409)
  • [2008-03-11 21:13]

Hello Sir,
Yes, they with their colourful plumage and banded eyes and long curvrd bill are so irresistible.:)
This is a beautiful capture of Bee eater with bee n its beak. excellent sharpness and details.You have got a catchlight too in the eye.
Thanks for the share,
Smitha.

Hello Ram,

Very nice picture of this bee-eater. Good composition. Good POV, DOF and focus. Beautiful light and colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

Ram Sir,
Awesome shot!A bee-eater in action!
Very well done!
Thanks for the share!
Warm regards,
Goldy

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-03-12 10:10]

Sir, very nice shot. Though I also saw the Green bee eater but could not get the shot as clear like yours. The light was not adequate. Great shot. Ganesh

Hello Ram,
I like the way he poses, streched out in a near perfect diagonal!
Good details in the plumage, and itseems like he has secured a little snack too...
A well balanced composition, attractive colour reproduction and the bird stands out well on the background!
Greetings,
Pablo -

:-) OK-

Preciosa Ram y con un tremendo acercamiento.
Abrazo: J. Ignasi

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2008-03-12 18:26]

Hi Ram,
Wonderful shot of this beautiful Bee-eater with awesome colours and details on its plumage. That red eye looks gorgeous and I like the intensity on it. Superb lighting and exposure levels and you have captured a fine pose here with a tiny prey. The blue sky acts as a fine BG and skilfully chosen POV to portray it. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

* As Indians we are very used to those overhead electric wires and more than any other thing it provides us some good photo oppurtunities. Interestingly Bob Shannon was very inquisitive about those wires too. We live in different eras probably.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-03-13 1:07]

Hi Ram.
Wonderful shot of lovely for me bird. Yu have presented it perfectly. Especially I like impression of its "face" and amazing eye with cute light spot. Every feather and colour shade are reproduced precisely. Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

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