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The Gangs All Here


The Gangs All Here
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3749 W: 483 N: 8155] (28054)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-21
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon 70-200mm F/2.8L IS + EF 1.4X II Ex, Digital RAW 200, Hoya UV 77mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-24 4:21
Viewed: 4353
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Spotted Shag or Parekareka (Phalacrocorax punctatus, also occasionally called the Spotted Cormorant) is an attractive species of the family Phalacrocoracidae found only in New Zealand. Originally classified as Phalacrocorax punctatus, is sufficiently different in appearance from typical members of the genus Phalacrocorax that it has in the past been placed in a separate genus, Stictocarbo, along with one other species, the similar Pitt Island Shag.

Compared with typical cormorants, the Spotted Shag is a light-coloured bird. Its back is brown. Its belly is pale blue-grey (often appearing white), and the white continues up the sides of the neck and face, but the throat and the top of the head are dark blue-green. In the mating season, it has an obvious double crest. There is little sexual dimorphism.

Spotted Shags feed at sea, often in substantial flocks, taking its prey from mid-water rather than the bottom. It is likely that pilchard and anchovy are important prey species.

Spotted Shags nest in colonies of 10-700 pairs, these colonies are generally found on the ledges of coastal cliffs or on rocky islets. In the South Island, they are particularly readily observed around Banks Peninsula; there is a large nesting colony immediately south of the city of Christchurch. In Wellington Harbour there is a large colony on a a rocky outcrop known as "Shag Rock" just off the south-west end of Matiu/Somes Island.

The Spotted Shag was featured on a 60-cent New Zealand postage stamp first issued in 1988, in a series devoted to native birds.

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 15:20 p.m.
Date: 21st May 2007
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Extender: Canon EF 1.4X II
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/125
F-Stop: F/13
Focal Length: 140mm
ISO: 200
Support: Hand Held
Original file type: Digital Raw
NickiD22, Kathleen, mogens-j, Matt-Bird, parthasarathi, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Great shot. I love the feeling you have created.

Hi Pam.
This is excellent getting them all lined up together.
Wonderful image of them all. Great colour and detail and I like the panorama format you have done.
Wonderful

Kathleen
New Zealand

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 368 W: 0 N: 172] (2441)
  • [2007-07-24 5:03]

Wonderful shot! Interesting composition, great details.

Hello Pamela

Very nice presentation of this flock of cormorants. They look very much like the our Phalacrocorax carbo except from the lighter colours. The fact that the birds in the left and right side of the picture are looking different direction works very good. Nice all over sharpness with good dof.

Nice and informative note to follow.

TFS
Mogens

Hi Pam,
Looks like a great family gathering..:o) Nice shot, I like the crop, great color saturation too. You got a great shot of these guys! TFS
Donna:o)

A nice gang indeed. looks similar to indian small cormorant or Shag.Also a good note.

Hi Pam,
I like the hrizontal composition you chose for this gang! They look like posing for you...Marta

Hello Pam,
A good photo of a group of shags. It looks like they are trying to ignore the center one while it cleans it wing pit. the long profile view works really well here anicely composed photo.
regards
Matt.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2007-08-24 3:29]

Excellente photo Pam.Bravo pour les détails et la composition.
Merci.
Joseph

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