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Flying Puffin


Flying Puffin
Photo Information
Copyright: Michel Detay (M_Detay) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 21 W: 0 N: 160] (832)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D2X, Nikkor ED 400mm 1/2.8 D
Exposure: f/3.3, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Birds In Flight Part Two, Angelina's Favorites - Part I [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-09-27 7:53
Viewed: 8080
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 62
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
We can see many picture of puffin standing on a cliff. This is to say that we forget that they fly. To catch them flying with a 400mm is another story (i.e. 600mm using a digital camera)!
Please enjoy!

The Atlantic Puffin
Range: Nests E.Maine to to Newfoundland and Iceland to Ireland, UK and nw. coast of France. Winters in open waters of breeding range.
Size: 11 1/2 - 13 1/2" long; wingspan 21-24"; weight 490.5 gr. (1 lb. 1 1/3 oz.).
Feeding habits: Dives from air or surface, swims rapidly underwater using wings like other alcids, catches small fishes, mollusks, and crustaceans, which it swallows underwater, but when feeding young, can carry up to 30 small fishes at one time, crosswise in bill owing to round tongue and slight serrations on interior of upper mandible which help it hold fishes.
Other names: Common puffin, bottle-nose, coulterneb, Labrador auk, large-billed puffin, pope, sea parrot, tammy norie.
Nesting habits: Nests in burrows, usually 1 egg, incubates 42 days (average).

The Atlantic Puffin is a rather small sea bird that spends most of its time at sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. They are Auks or members of the Alcidae Family of birds (alcids). The only time it usually comes ashore is to breed and raise a chick.

These are the only puffins that occur in the Atlantic. There are two species of puffins that occur in the Pacific - Horned Puffins and Tufted Puffins. They are so appealing probably because of the multi-colored bills that they display during the breeding season and have given them nicknames like "sea parrot" and "clowns of the sea". Puffins have always been liked by people but, for a long time, for reasons other than bird watching. When the early pioneers came to the North Atlantic coast in the 1600's, they began killing seabirds for food. As more settlers came to New England, puffins (and many other birds) were killed for their feathers. These feathers were used often as decorations in ladies' hats! Puffins have long been hunted in some parts of their range and are a common food item in Iceland and the Faeroe Islands today.
greenpinkorange, thor68, valy67, uleko, matteo86, sranjan, mlines has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Michel
Amazing shot. The composition, colours and depth of field very well.
Perfect job.
Congratulations
Ania

Hi Detay absolutely stunning picture with great compo and colours
only nit is the eye just oof
great anyway
tfs
tom

Aren't they just the cutest little things! h aha
I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Puffins in flight. WONDERFUL!!!!!

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2007-09-27 8:08]

Hi Detay,
Yes, there are a great number of excellent shots of puffins, but never flying. This a great capture with a perfect sharpness, pose, pov and composition.
The only pending thing is seeing one filling its beak with fishes :-)
TFS, José M.

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-09-27 8:11]

Hi Detay,

A great composition,well composed with good colors,the sharpness could have been better,but I know it can be difficult,I like the 2nd one who is following in the oof BG,well done and tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • Victor (75)
  • [2007-09-27 8:19]

Hey, Detay.

What a superb catch!

Congrats.

Cheers.

V.

Hi Detay,
This is wonderful. My first time to see this bird fly.
Very well done and tfs.
JC

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 169 W: 48 N: 548] (2877)
  • [2007-09-27 8:48]

Hi Detay,
Great action shot! I forgot this birds could fly!!
Sharp details and great composition
Very well done
Lise

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-09-27 9:35]

Hello Detay,
Wonderful photo of this Puffins. Great timing and composition. Colours are beautiful and DOF is fantastic.
TFS, Peter

Hello Detay,
Wow, what an amazing creature.
You've captured very nice moment with nice pose.
Nice details and superb POV and DOF, well composed.
TFS and regards,
kevin

  • Great 
  • LBO Silver Star Critiquer [C: 18 W: 0 N: 3] (143)
  • [2007-09-27 10:46]

Nice shot. I know how is difficult to catch these so fast birds.
Jean

Beauty flight shot of these 2 puffins, good job.

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 795 W: 138 N: 1319] (5674)
  • [2007-09-27 12:48]

oh man, this is so good it almost brings tears in my eyes! :-)
fantastic (double)inflight-shot of my favorite bird.
it is so amazing to see them frozen in midair.
superb job & best wishes, thor.

Wouaw Michel, simply splendid, great composition and the shot is very well timed, perfect focus on the first bird, lovely colors and sharpness,
well done and thanks for sharing,
friendly,
Pat

Wow! Great shot and double the greatness with two of them in a perfect composition.

Well done on the sharpness and color of this one.

Steph

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 867 W: 24 N: 1008] (5507)
  • [2007-09-28 2:02]

Bonjour Michel, interesting shot of these Puffins in flight. It can be difficult to do!! Composition and colors are perfect. Congratulations, Didier.

Great shot! Puffins are so cute and to catch them in flight is unusual. One of my favorite birds.

Indeed puffins are rarely shot in flight. Well done. Nice composition too.
TFS
JM

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2007-09-28 11:31]

Hola amigo,
magnífico trabajo.
perfecto momento y detalles hermosos...
saludos Detay
pt

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-09-29 11:24]

Hello Michel, I really like your flying Puffins ! Good sharpness, well exposed and composed. Very good shot. Thanks,

Mario

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-09-29 17:44]

Hello Michel

A wonderful in flight capture of these puffins.The puffin is a wonderful and photogenic bird.The colours are wonderful and your POV is excellent.The OOF BG is wonderfully done.The focus is sharp with lovely plumage detail.TFS

Rob

Hello Michel !
Wow, this is a great picture ! Both birds have almost the same pose, it is wonderful ! And they look funny, as it looks like they are hanging in the air ! :-) Excellent details, splendid composition and POV, nice natural colors, wonderful blurred BG to make the birds stand out. Very well done !
Valerie.

Hi Michel,
This is too cute, I have to admit they don't look like the most graceful birds...:o) Their tummies look to big , not too streamlined! But I guess they do fly and you've proved it! Great shot of the action ! Love it..TFS
Donna:o)

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2007-11-12 1:06]

Hello Michel,
I seem to have missed many of your excellent bird captures. This one is fantastic, it musts be hard enough to get one of them in flight, but you got two. Great focus on the top one and sharp details. The colours are beautiful and I like the soft background too.
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 438 W: 11 N: 534] (2540)
  • [2008-11-17 6:46]

that's outstanding shot!

amazing in-flight action shot!

tfs

u r graet man The composition, colours and depth of field very well.

nice capture, TFS Ori

Hi Michel, very nice picture. Puffins are high speed fly. Excellent shot , two puffin in one picture. well done.
Stefan. BR

wow!

wonderful shot and action scene for a amazing specie !!

Compliments

Matteo

Beautiful capture of the Puffins...they are beautiful birds. I seen some from a distance while I was in Ireland...Great shot...

Gabriela

Hello Michel,
Its beautiful inflight shot of puffins. I have done a WS with some alterations. Trust you may appreciate the changes made by me. TFS
Regards-Dr Subhash Ranjan,MD

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 556 W: 26 N: 668] (3116)
  • [2012-09-10 15:29]

Hi Michel, A delightful capture of these birds. The sharp depth of field makes this stand out. I have not seen puffins in real life, but always like the way they look. TFS. Murray

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