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Shags at Shag Perch


Shags at Shag Perch
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-11
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 30d, Canon 70-300mm DO IS USM
Exposure: f/8, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Where They Really Live, Birds of New Zealand, New Zealand Native Fauna and Flora (2) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-01 0:12
Viewed: 5975
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Bird Perch / Shag City
This popular bird perch is home to many black shags / cormorants at Sulphur Bay, Rotorua.

Sulphur Bay
Sulphur Bay, a 145 hectare wildlife refuge, sits in the south eastern corner of the volcanically formed Lake Rotorua. Sulphur Point, is the small headland protruding into the bay and has a Wildlife Sanctuary Protection status - the highest status of wildlife protection.

There are 63 bird species in the area - 45 are native and 24 are water dependant. Warmth, refuge and proximity of food are the most likely reasons birds gather in such large numbers. Birds found include: black and red-billed gulls, pied stilts, spur-winged plovers, NZ dabchick, shags, swallows, pukeko, black swans, mallard, herons, shags / cormorants, and the threatened banded dotterel.

A stream flowing into the bay features geothermal activity at its mouth; the origin of the warmth and murky sulphurous waters.

At the Sulphur Bay Wildlife area on Lake Rotorua, shore and water birds are exposed to natural H2S at concentrations of 125 to 3900 ppbV from continuous shore and lake sources. Nevertheless, 62 bird species, 45 native, have been recorded there.

Some, the Red Billed Gull and Little Black Shag, have initiated colonization within the past half-century. It is suggested that exposure to H2S at the levels reported here may be less of a biohazard than previously supposed.

Lake Rotorua
The name Rotorua derives from the Maori language: Roto means lake and rua means two Literally translated Rotorua means ‘second lake’. It was named by Maori chief Ihenga, as it was the second major lake he discovered while exploring the area.

Lake Rotorua is circular: 10 kms in diameter, 915 feet above sea level with an average depth of about 15ft. The lake is a shallow basin that slumped after volcanic activity emptied its magma chamber beneath. Formed some 100,000 years ago, it is the largest of 19, situated to the north-east of the city.


Wishing you all a Happy New Year.
All the best for 2008 for you and all of your families!

Janice
red45, eqshannon, scottevers7, marhowie, mlines has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

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  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9100] (31094)
  • [2008-01-01 3:10]

Welcome in 2008 my Friend!

Very nice picture of our favourite birds! They look like observers in crow's nest :-) [by the way - crow's nest on mast of ship is in Polish called stork's nest :-)]. Anyway, good poses, maybe too many twigs around, but overall I like it!

All the best to you, too!

Perhaps this species has slipped my eyes before but I do not recognize it. Always a pleasure seeing "summer" images from where our sun now comes slowly back to us in the North! Nice pose. This is where they really live Janice. Nicely done.
Bob
Happy New Year

Hi Janice,
Looks good. Great to have such a wonderful place to go to shoot wildlife. You handled the exposure well with nice colors and detail in both the black and white plumage. Have a great 2008.
Scott

Hi Janice,
Well let's see if have it right..
You shagged two shags at Shag Perch in Shag City.
That's a lot of shaggin' going on ;}}
And of course then you've "shagged" my vote, nice image mf!
Have a Great Weekend,
Howard

Hi Janice, Good to see some large birds such as these perched high in the tree. Good clarity and many details can be seen on their faces. TFS. Murray.

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