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Red-crested Pochard


Red-crested Pochard
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-02-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital JPEG
Exposure: f/11, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Pretty - Perfect - Picture, Anna's Favourites 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2011-03-12 8:17
Viewed: 3152
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Not my first photo of a Red-crested Pochard, netta rufina, but I like this photo very much. I hope I’m not the only one.

Justification
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion. The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large now. For this reason the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Trend justification
The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing, stable, or have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006).

Ecology
Behaviour The species is fully migratory or locally dispersive (e.g. in Europe) and breeds from mid-April to early-June in single pairs or loose groups. Males and non-breeders moult and become flightless for four weeks between June and August (females moulting one month later) prior to which they may make extensive moult migrations which take them considerable distances from the breeding waters. Once this post-breeding moult is complete the species departs for its winter quarters, arriving there from October onwards.

The species is highly gregarious for most of the year and although it is more commonly found in small groups it often forms large concentrations of several hundred individuals in moulting and wintering areas. It feeds diurnally, being most active during the early morning and evening.

Habitat
The species inhabits inland deep fresh or brackish reed-fringed lakes, rivers, or saline and alkaline lagoons in open country, also occurring (less often) on estuaries, river deltas and other sheltered coastal habitats on passage or during the winter.

Diet
The diet of this species consists predominantly of the roots, seeds and vegetative parts of aquatic plants, hornworts, pondweeds, milfoil and especially stonewort, although it will occasionally also take aquatic invertebrates (e.g. molluscs), amphibians and small fish.

Breeding site
The nest is constructed of roots, twigs and leaves near water on the ground in dense vegetation or on floating mats of vegetation amidst reedbeds. Although the species usually breeds well-dispersed, neighbouring pairs may sometimes nest as close as 30 m apart.

Threats
The two main threats to this species are habitat degradation (e.g. through land-use changes) and hunting (e.g. the species is hunted in France, Portugal and Spain without any official hunting bag monitoring). The species also suffers poisoning from lead shot ingestion (Spain) and is occasionally drowned in freshwater fishing nets with mesh sizes greater than 5 cm (China). Deterioration in the water quality of wetlands can reduce the abundance of stonewort Nitellopsis obtusa (which is an important part of the species's diet), and it is susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus.

Utilisation
The species is hunted recreationally and for commercial purposes in Iran.

Source: Birdlife.org
KOMSIS, Miss_Piggy, paolo49, maaciejka, CeltickRanger, PaulLees, ana974, vanda, siggi, anel, lovebirds, Noisette, Argus has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Argus: Breeding Red-headed PochardPeterZ 1 03-17 13:52
To Belgerdy: KrooneendPeterZ 1 03-12 11:25
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Critiques [Translate]

Fine capture with warm saturated colors, incredible clarity and detail Peter! Wonderful simple background and foreground! Bravo!
Regards,
George Veltchev

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 415 W: 11 N: 843] (3947)
  • [2011-03-12 8:45]

Merhaba Peter!
Bu harika ördeğin çok başarılı bir karesi. Renkler ve netlik müthiş güzel.
Bu güzel türün av hayvanı ya da ticari meta olarak görülmesi çok üzücü.
Tebrikler.
Selamlar...

Hüseyin

hallo Peter
Weg geweest zeg je ,maar terug komen met een super mooie foto
goed van scherpte en super scherp met natuurlijk de kleuren die zijn zo mooi
een plaatje ,groetjes lou

Hallo Peter,
you are not the only one, i like it very much too; fantastic portrait of the Red-crested Pochard, superb sharpness with impressive details on the plumage and eye, wonderfull bright colours, an excellent visual impact
TFS
Have a good weekend
Maurizio

GREAT photo Peter! The composition is excellent, the colours are fantastic and the sharpness is impressive.
Regards,
Christodoulos

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2011-03-12 9:40]

Hi Peter,
An excellent capture of this Red-crested Pochard!
Superb focus and sharpness. Beutiful colours and light.
Have a nice weekend,
Seyfi

I love it, excellent subject, very nice colors, and good details, lovely light too,

congratulations Peter !

ciao, tino

Hallo Peter
Outstanding photograpy! Absolutely perfect in all aspects! This is one of those wow, wow and another wow photos. The colours of the Pochard as well as the water are superb, the lighting excellent and the point of view just right! The sunlight in the scenery is magic. A wonderful image worth plenty of praises. Thanks for sharing. Best regards.
Anna

Hello Peter, a lovely duck and the great photographer who has shot. A wonderful image full of light, color and detail. Excellent also the general sharpness of the picture. Bravo. Hello Paul

Ciao Peter,
a very beautiful image of the Red-crested Pochard, superb sharpness and marvellous colours,very nice composition...Have a nice weekend,Valerian.

Ciao Peter. Great portrait here with brilliant colours and impressive focus. Intrigant reflections too.

Roberto

Hi Peter,
what colours of eye of this bird!!
What a composition and point of view. No words, perfect photo. So I have to tell you thanks for sharing for this.
Maciek

Dit zijn altijd mooie eendjes, je komt nog al eens in Avifauna?
In het wild zie je ze het beste in de meijendel, bij wassenaar

gr
JEroen

a bird for a colorful performance and you make it Peter, wonderful!
regards Nasos

Ciao Peter, wonderful Red-crested Pochard with fantastic warm colors, fascinating reflections, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Hello Peter

Excellent and very beautiful close-up photo of
the Red-crested Pochard with a superb low POV,
wonderful luminosity, excellent contrast,
great focus sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Hi Peter
WOW, This Pochard is fantastic!
Impressive details and special colours in this good composition.
The water effect is superb.
Thanks for sharing
Best Regards,
Manuel

Ha Peter,

Wat een Plaatje, Fantastisch scherp met uitstekende details en prima kleuren
Perfect (be)licht

TFS Thijs

Hi Peter,

Absolutely Fabulous sharp and colourful image you have shared with us,
great all-round presentation and perfect sharpness and colours,
Regards, and TFS.

Pauly.

PS Good informative note.

  • Great 
  • ana974 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 477 W: 48 N: 968] (4857)
  • [2011-03-12 15:04]

Hello Peter!
Wow! Wow ! What a great shot my friend! Absolutely amazing!Many congrats and TFS !
Nice w-end,
aNa

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2011-03-12 15:45]

..and i know how you like this pic so much..ehehe..this is a beautiful specie and a very impressive pic,perfect under all therms of valutation!What a eye,colors,reflections and sharpness!!!!Thanks for share,have a nice Sunday,Luciano

Hello Peter,
Wonderful sharpness and detail with simple but lovely surroundings. An absolute gem of an image. Well done.
Neels

Peter - a fine capture of the Pochard. sharpness and POV is excellent. The colors are splendid with perfect lighting enabled you to get a perfect shot. TFS

Hi Peter,
fantastic portrait with fabulous colours. Great look!
Pierre

  • Great 
  • vanda Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 338 W: 25 N: 754] (3673)
  • [2011-03-13 10:42]

Hi Peter!
I like this photo me too :)) Really it's fantastic! You captured the bird with impressive sharpness and fabulous light. Stunning and incredible colours !!Very well done: congratulations.
ciao! Vanda

  • Great 
  • thijs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 82 W: 1 N: 104] (529)
  • [2011-03-13 12:15]

Dag Peter,

Fraai vogeltje heb je hier te pakken! Prachtige kleuren en scherpte
Had je nog een lager standpunt in kunnen nemen? Zou misschien wel mooi zijn:)

Succes verder!

Thijs

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2011-03-13 14:15]

Hello Peter.
This is beautiful. The colors are very rich, and the details are very sharp. Great POV and DOV too. Well done and TFS.Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2011-03-14 3:20]

Hello Peter,
Yes, you can be proud of his shot. What a beautiful duck, this Red-crested Pochard. The picture looks so luminous and vivid, the ambiant light even accentuated the colors. Bravo!
Have a nice wek
Kind regards
Anne

Hello Peter
I like this photo too, t's a so beautiful bird and superbly captured, superb light and colors and wonderful sharp details
Have a good night
Jacqueline

Hi Peter,
Wow what a gorgeous duck. I love that big red eye, head and beak. Wonderfully focused and the great light brought out some wonderful details.
Denis.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2011-03-17 13:41]
  • [+]

Hello Peter,
Taken in excellent lighting this male Red.headed Pochard was captured with top sharpness and superb saturated colours froma a fine POV to give very good eye contact.
You must have been quite close to get such a great shot with a 300mm lens.
Does this species now breed in Holland?
In Sweden it is only seen in parks, unless it is a vagrant.
Thanks and kind regards,
Ivan

Hi Peter,this drake is sure one handsome looking fellow and his red eye is a wonder, out-standing! You have very sharp details and brilliant colour saturation bring out the best in the image.He reminds me of our redhead ducks here in Alberta only with red instead of orange eyes,both ducks are lovely.Thanks for giving us this fine fellow for the viewing.

Bob

  • Great 
  • PeakXV Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 121 W: 0 N: 544] (3135)
  • [2011-04-20 17:46]

Hi Peter,

A pleasure to have found your gallery of fantastic bird photos. This portrait is exceptional. I love the colours & reflection in contrast with the subdued, slightly rippled pond. Sharp, sharp focus for this bobbing pochard. Congrats to you on this fine moment in nature.

Regards,
Derek

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