Photos: Earth >> Asia >> India >> South >> Kerala >> KODANAD

Register

  << Previous Next >>

A Flame throat for my friend JOE


A Flame throat for my friend JOE
Photo Information
Copyright: Smitha Komath (smitha) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 348 W: 73 N: 1165] (4409)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-31
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, 300mm AFSF4 Nikkor +TC14 E
Exposure: f/8, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Joe's Favourites 2, For Joey, Bulbul, Dedications at Trek Nature part Four [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-05-15 6:42
Viewed: 5758
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 78
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Dear all,
Best things that have happened to me after joining TN are my improvement as a nature photographer, increase in knowledge about the nature and God’s wonderful and diverse creations. Last but certainly not the least, I have made friends with a lot of wonderful persons who have touched me with their pictures, notes and encouraging constructive criticisms.
I would like to dedicate a picture for each and every member in this friendly community for their contributions and in my future posts you may come across a good number of them.:)
This picture is dedicated to Joe kellard, a fellow TN member I have come to respect, befriend, and be impressed by his skills as a photographer and better still as a good and compassionate human being.. Thank you Joe for being a good friend and also for your valued contribution towards TN .

This is a picture of Flame throated Bulbul, Pycnonutus gularis, formerly known as Ruby throated Bulbul.
It is a sub species of Black-crested Bulbul, Pycnonotus melanicterus, a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds, a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia.

There are three subspecies to the Black headed Bulbul.
1.The race found in Sri Lanka Pycnonotus melanicterus flaviventris has black head but no head cres.
2. The race found in North east, Pycnonotus melanicterus has Black head and a crest but no red throat.
3. The race found in Western ghats , Pycnonotus gularis has black head and a Red throat.

The Flame throated Bulbul is Olive yellow above and bright yellow below with black head , conspicuous white eye and ruby throat. Sexes are alike.It affects the edges of ever green forest along rivers.They are arboreal and are seen in pairs during breeding season, otherwise in groups. These birds are very shy and sensitive of human presence.

Food: They eat berries and insects.

Call: Contact call a chrring note. It also makes half a dozen tinkling notes similar to Redvented Bulbul’s call.

Nesting: nesting season is January to August.

Nest: a small cup of yellow dead leaves bound with cobweb placed low in bush.
Eggs: 2 faint pinkish white.

Reference:
Dr. Salim Ali’s The Book of Indian Birds,
Wikipedia
Dr.P.O. NAMEER Ph.D.

I took this shot in January at Bhoothathankettu , a scenic damsite and a place with diverse flora and fauna. There was a small brook which was almost dried up and many birds came to quench their thirst and take a bath . his bird had just taken a dip in the water. The light was very poor and I had to use flash.
The exif data:
Camera : D200
Lens: Nikkor 300mm + 1.4 TC
Image quality: Raw converted to JPEG
Focus mode : AF- S
Aperture : F/8
Shutter speed : 1/250
Exposure Mode: manual
ISO: 400
Flash Sync mode : Front curtain
Flash mode: optional TTL-BL

Thanks for stopping by.
Regards,
Smitha.
eqshannon, mariki, jaycee, japiey, maurydv, MMM, Dis. Ac., fartash, marhowie, vanderschelden, gracious, loot, Adanac, haraprasan, Miss_Piggy, gannu, boreocypriensis, Alex99, Jamesp, goldyrs, rcrick, ramthakur, jeanpaul, uleko, Argus, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To goutham_ramesh: Bhoothathankettusmitha 1 05-15 18:10
To joey: Thankssmitha 1 05-15 06:52
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2008-05-15 6:50]
  • [+]

Thankyou VERY much for this Smitha!!! :-))))
I couldn't be more pleased and happy to be dedicated this brilliant photo :-D
What a cute little bird!
Those colours are stunning!
I love that wide eye too :-)
Very sharp and crisp.

I love it!!! :-D

Thanks very much for this and also for being such a great friend... you have helped me a huge amount!

Cheers!

Joe :-)

Excels in many ways. A bird which I have not seen posed quite as this and dedicated to a young prodigy ion photography. We must all remain close to Joey...We shall be the San Hedron learning from him soon!:-)
Bob

Hello Smitha,

Superb picture of this colourful bird. Very nice composition. Very good sharpness. Splendid colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2008-05-15 8:51]

Hi Smitha,

A flame it is,very colorfull bird,well captured in a nice pose,a nice dediction,well done and tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-05-15 9:59]

Hi Smitha,

Lovely dedication to our friend Joe. A beautiful bird - there must be many different Bulbuls and I have not seen this one. The colors are gorgeous. Wonderful details from head to tail. The eye is amazing and just pops out of the black face. You caught him in a great pose.

Jane

Hi Smitha,

A smile for your title here, and a dear dedication for a good friend.
Beautifull, colourfull.
As said by you in notes, in me, when I reach over here in TN, it is an increase in knowledge about the nature and God’s wonderful and diverse creations.
Thank you dear sister,

jp

Hi Smitha,
This is a very nice dedication to young man, whose skills are amazing. This picture has a stamp of a master :-).
BTW where is Bhoothathankettu
TFS
Goutham

Smitha, Lovely composition. Never seen this colorful bird. It has mesmerizing eyes.
- Murali Santhanam

beautiful pic, TFS Ori

Splendida immagine, eccellenti POV e composizione, ottima nitidezza e spettacolare il dettaglio dell'occhio, magnifici i colori e BG. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2008-05-15 11:27]

Hello Smitha
Nice presentation.Good POV and sharp image,Details is excellent and colors are lovely.I like that catch light in the eye.
TFS Michel

Hello Smitha,
Nice dedication and a beautiful coloured bird.
Great BG and POV.

Gert

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-05-15 11:46]

Hello Smitha,
Excellent flashlight photo in wonderful colours. The eye is fabulous. And what a lovely pose. Great sharpness, details, DOF, BG and composition.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Smitha
Excellent shot of this Flame throated Bulbul,
Perfect details,colors and BG.Welldone my friend.Nice dedication.

Regards
Fartash

Hi Smitha

Great shot of this bulbul that I haven't seen before. I like the wet look and slightly tilted head.
Good sharpness and composition, an attractive species.

Chris

  • Great 
  • darwin Gold Star Critiquer [C: 259 W: 0 N: 403] (1401)
  • [2008-05-15 16:39]

Hi Smitha
Great capture with wonderful color and great catchlite in eye
Details are excellent with nice light
tfs jon

A colourful Bulbul you captured here, Smitha.
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hello Smitha,
A perfect and well captured image also a nice dedication to our friend, JOE!
best pose of the bird in good sharpness, nice colour and details all round!
a very pleasing presentation to all of us!
many thanks
Tony

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2008-05-15 20:33]
  • [2]

Hi Smitha

Hey, somebody went and stuck a big white bead with a pitch black centre where this bird is supposed to have an eye. Could someone please remove it so the poor thing can see and look at the camera while Smitha Komath, the distinguished and celebrated photographer from Kerala, is trying to capture a photo of this lovely bird? Oooooh, wait a minute. It's not a bead, it is the bird that went all 'BIG EYED' when he saw the famous nature photographer and straight away it knew that it is destined for stardom on the great TrekNature site (chuckle). Btw, thanks for introducing me to this specie, another bulbul which I did not know.

What a cute little passerine and a wonderful dedication to Joe. He is an exceptional young man, a special friend to all of us, a valuable contributor to this site, and apart from his well known photographic abilities he has many other wonderful talents and qualities.

Well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2008-05-15 21:15]

Hello Smitha,
Beautiful image of a bird I have not seen before. Great focus and exposure resulting in a very pleasing composition. Thank you Smitha.
Rick

Hi Smitha,
A nice capture of this beautiful flame throat. Excellent composition and sharp details. A lovely dedication for Joe. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hallo Smitha
A lovely and well deserved dedication to Joe. What a beautiful and interesting looking bird. A lovely and colourful photograph. This Flame throated Bulbul certainly has pretty eyes. The white circle's around the black of the eyes creates a special magnetism to this pretty bird. I like the way the bird's head is tilted very slightly, as if it is listening to something. Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards
Anna

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-05-16 6:44]

Hello Smitha,
WOW this is brilliant and now you see why we miss you. Great shot and superb one. Nice composition. Ganesh

Hi Smitha, my dear friend, a cute bird which I heve not seen before. You captured it in very well. I love his eyes and colours. Excellent shot in all respects. TFS.
Cheers,

Bayram

Another fine shot of you Smitha
marvelous pov good composition and a fine sharpnes a pleasure for the eyes very good photojob here, i like it a lot, thanks for sharing.
gr. jaap

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-05-16 10:24]

Hi Smitha.
It is good luck to find and picture with great skillfulness so nice subject. Captured bird, pattern created by attractive twigs, amazing smooth and colourful BG are superb separately and all together. Exposure and reflection of so rich colour palette are spot on. Sharpness of the main objects and blurriness of the BG are fine. Composition is blameless. Bravo. Perfect work.
Alexei.

Hello Smitha,
What a cool combination of colors here, and that white iris gives the bird a very striking look.
Great detail, DOF, POV, color, and exposure, a lovely BG :)
Howard

Hi Smitha, splendid bird with fantastic colors, fine details and wonderful sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

I've certainly heard about these bulvuls, Smitha.But that they'd be so beautiful, I was not aware of.
Very well done!
Goldy

Dear Smitha,

Slowly catching up with some of the amazing images I've missed the last week or so, this is wonderful, what an amazing looking bird, such beautiful detail and colours in the plumage, excellent use of the fill flash, superb detail, beautifully framed and presented, lovely work.

All the best Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2008-05-17 21:17]

Hi Smitha,
Wonderful shot of this gorgeous looking bird with amazing colours and sharp details on its plumage. Great use of flash lighting and I like its pose and the intensity on its eyes. excellent DOF, POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
  • [2008-05-19 23:39]

Hi Smitha

Lovely shot and worthy dedication - well framed plus great colour and excellent detail. Well observed and captured.


James

This is a very interesting species of Bulbuls which, I presume, is native to your part of India unless I am way off the mark in my assumption.
It has a white-ringed eye and a lovely orange patch of colour on the throat.
The Red-vented Bulbul I see here in north quite frequently has a dark eye on a black head and it is very difficult to clearly demarcate it in a picture.
You have done a great job of this image with fill flash. The picture has turned out beautiful without any loss of colour or details.
Joe's progress curve in digital nature photography has been examplary and he deserves your dedication of this image to him.
Regards.
Ram

Hi Smitha,
A wonderful picture you have shared, thanks.Also a good and useful note toooo!As I was a resident of Kudremukh a known mining site in westernghats,beeing a true nature lover and photographer I have seen Black headed bulbuls many time, and in my recent trip to kudremukh I got an oppartunity see this beautiful bird, but I failed to photograph neatly due to it's shyness and lack of approaching way, your photograph delighted me to have a close look!

Bonjour Smitha
Très joli cette prise de vue avec ce bel oiseau qui st tout drole avec sa tête noire qui contraste avec son corps, les détails et les contrastes sont réussis très jolis couleurs

Bravo et merci...JP

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-05-24 4:24]

Hello Smitha,
What a lovely present for Joe! He certainly deserves it! Your capture is truly wonderful, the sharpness, the light, the colours, the background and the composition are all perfect. Your photographic skills are really impressive!
(Many thanks for adding my Swan to your favourites.)
TFS and all the best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-05-24 7:29]

Hello Smitha,
This Flame-throated Bulbul looks quite astonished by being photographed. The use of flash has not only brought him out in the subdued light but made his eye shine.
The pose, composition, sharpness and green bokeh all contribute to making this a fine image and a worthy tribute to our TN friend Joe.
Thanks for sharing this beauty,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-06-09 7:53]

Hello Smitha

Stellar colours.The shot has wonerful rich tones.
Spot on focus and sharp details.
Lovely eye contact and detail.
The plumage is super.
TFS

Rob

hello Smitha

fynny looking bird this Flame throated Bulbul
funny because of its eye, you captured it with
a fine POV, appropriate vertical framing,
superb focus on the bird and the foreground
with excellent sharpness and details
and a beautiful all blurred background,

TFS

Asbed

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF