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Defending his Territory


Defending his Territory
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-06-11
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 50D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/4096 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-10-13 5:49
Viewed: 2824
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Blue-headed Yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava flava).
Swedish name: Gulärla, meaning ‘yellow wagtail’

Recently Ulla posted a fine macro of the Musk Beetle taken by a large pond that we visited for its dragonflies.
While we were both busy taking shots of it we heard the calls of this male Yellow Wagtail coming from the top of a hawthorn bush. He was not singing: instead he was making warning calls for us to leave the area as he must have had his nest nearby. As there was no sign of the female she was most likely brooding on the nest,

The Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) occurs in practically the whole of Europe and most of Asia, and it is found in 11 different races that are found in different parts of its distribution. These races are differentiated by the colouring of the head, the yellow body and buff coloured back being constant.

They frequent wetlands where they breed and they overwinter in tropical Africa and Asia.

They arrive in Sweden in March and leave in August/September to overwinter along the coasts of W. Europe, the Mediterranean and N. Africa.

As I had left my camera settings suitable for taking a macro in the shade the shutterspeed was unnessarily high.
With a better presence of mind I could have reduced the aperture several stops in order to achieve better overall sharpness and reduce the OOF part of the Hawthorn in the FG.
This was taken at a distance of about 10 meters (33 ft) with my long lens hand-held. After moderate cropping and size reduction the image was sharpened.
matatur, sranjan, horias, KOMSIS, marianas, maurydv, luciola, nasokoun, jcoowanitwong, goldyrs, zulfu, marius-secan, cirano, ferranjlloret, roges, nglen, parasbhalla, rousettus, CeltickRanger, boreocypriensis, Noisette, eqshannon, jmirah has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Ciao Ivan, fascinating composition with lovely bird in nice pose, great sharpness and good details, beautiful natural colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

A good capture and a perfect example to a territorial behavior Ivan, the presence of that blurry flower group in the FG is a nuisance but you can't always avoid such things in nature!
Cheers,
Mehmet

Dear Ivan,
First of all thanks for appreciating the sunset at Goa.
This photograph is great to me in the sense that atleast in India, I have not seen this bird till now some how and watching your gallery is always an education. An excellent POV, details & color of Blue-headed Yellow wagtail. Thanks for sharing.
Regards-Subhash

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2009-10-13 6:27]

Hello Ivan,
Impressive beautiful subspecies. The light is very beautiful and the colours are clear. Great sharpness and details. Very good timing, composition and POV.
TFS and regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 58 N: 2084] (11033)
  • [2009-10-13 7:04]

Ivan
Lovely bird. Very sharp details, great colors, wonderful shot!
Horia

Ciao Ivan. Magnificent singing diagonal pose in good sharp and contrast. Low light but excellent colours result.

Roberto

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2009-10-13 7:29]

Hi Ivan,
Nice timing, nice composition ...
Excellent focus, great color and detail.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

Lovely bird today!
Great colors and details.
Mariana

Hello Ivan,
a splendid picture of the Blue-headed Yellow wagtail taken from an excellent POV in a great posture of territorial warbling, very good sharpness and very beautiful natural colours.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Ivan,
Amazing image, great POV, fantastic bird outside, beautiful clean background, natural colors.
Regards
Lucja

hello Ivan
the scenes with warbling or as now makes calls,are every splendid as yours, very beautiful composition and output!
TFS and again thanks for...
Nasos

Hi Ivan,
The beautiful bird is well seen. With hand-held and long lens, this is truly a wonderful photo. TFS,
JC

I wonder how they get their names, Ivan!This looks grey headed, not blue for sure!I've seen quite a few of these, here, in the Himalayas and they're all grey-headed, too!
A superb shot, my friend!The narrative is also awesome!
Bravo!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer [C: 685 W: 0 N: 2] (43)
  • [2009-10-13 9:22]

Hello Ivan, nice presentation of this yellow wagtail in singng with fine details and beautiful colours.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

  •      
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 806 W: 0 N: 4092] (22535)
  • [2009-10-13 9:33]

Very good photo of this Yellow wagtail!

Hello Ivan,
Very good sharpness and details.
A nice composition with interesting background.
Marius.

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 997 W: 0 N: 944] (13609)
  • [2009-10-13 9:52]

Slav Îvan,
Very good picture of this lovely bird in nice pose with perfect sharpness and taken from a great POV.Nice colors and well composed.Very nice presentation.TFS.
Best regards,
Dûrzan

Hi Ivan,
superb capture with the excellent Canon 300, congratulations.
Ferran

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2009-10-13 11:07]

Hi Ivan,

Vilken splendid makro! Intressant och vackert spel.
Utmärkt färger och detaljer, grattis.
En vacker kväll,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2009-10-13 12:13]

Hi Ivan. You were able to take a fine picture of this Wagtail in the top of the bush. A fine pose with its mouth wide open . Taken with good detai land natural feather colours. We can see the blue / grey head from this POV. well taken TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2009-10-13 13:58]

Hi Ivan,i like a lot this point of view from the low and this composition,a very interesting moment and beautiful colors also whitout the light of sun,My best compliments,have a nice day,LUCIANO.

Hi Ivan,

Lovely closeup capture of the cute bird with superb details!
I like the great contrast between the colors of the bird and the tree. The blurry sky enhances the beauty of the shot.
The sharpness and POV are perfect.
Great composition!

best regards,
Paras

merhaba Ivan dostum
nowadays, I have not enough time and I can visit your post newly. this is great capture for lovely Gulärla among flowered tree branches. focus, composition and colors great. notes always great and informative.
You are right its subspecific forms, we have also different subspecies, commonly feldegg with black cape. I also added it in last year.
thanks for sharing, best regards MF
Ahmet

hello Ivan

an excellent photo of the Blue-headed Yellow wagtail on defense,
shot with fine POV and framing, fine focus excellent
sharpness and details, here the male of our Red-Winged Blackbird
can also attack humans to defend his territory, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2009-10-14 6:04]

Hi Ivan,
Wonderful shot of this cute looking Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail perched up there. I wish I could hear it sing. Perfect light, sharpness and DOF. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi and Good Night Dostum Ivan,

A fine capture of this cute yellow wagtail on the tip of tree while singing and defending his territory by this way. You managed settings perfectly to get such excellent DOF, clarity and delightful composition.
TFS and have a nice night MF!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hello Ivan
a wonderful capture of this Yellow Wagtail on the top of this hawthorn bush,
i like his pose with beak open for making warning calls
fine details an the bird where stand out very well agains the light grey BG
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • Mello Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 140 W: 34 N: 480] (2419)
  • [2009-10-14 16:11]

Ivan,
You are defending your territory here, like this beauty bird, sharing this very well done pic. Nice POV. Congratulations.
Francisco

That combination of settings made it for you Ivan. Not entirely sure how we project emotives of all kinds on aviaries and others...but some, as you , know...Pretty nice catch all things considered....and it looks like your weather has been more stable...but perhaps it is just this image..
Bob

Hi Ivan
Lovely capture of the colorful songbird...Great POV...TFS
Jim

Gran naturalidad en un trabajo nada fácil de conseguir. Buen enfoque y encuadre. Nada que decir de la especie ya que desconozco la mayoría de las aves.
Un cuidado trabajo, propio de tu manera de trabajar.
Saludos: J. Ignasi.

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