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Fiscal Shrike


Fiscal Shrike
Photo Information
Copyright: Japie Venter (japie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-07-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Sigma 170-500mm APO, Skylight
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Birds of Southern Africa [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-07-27 8:57
Viewed: 8598
Points: 39
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This picture of a Shrike perched on a fencepost at my house was posted on TE some time ago.

I have tried to rework it according to the critiques I received.

Here are some short notes on this bird.

Name: Common Fiscal (Fiscal Shrike)

A familiar black and white bird which perches prominently in more open areas. Size 21-23cm - slightly smaller than a Laughing Dove, but with a longish tail. Afrikaans: Fiskaallaksman

The Common Fiscal is a black and white Shrike. The bill is short, straight and stout with a sharp hook at the end of the upper mandible . The bill is black and the legs and feet are black.

The upperparts are mostly jet-black, with a conspicuous white wing-stripe. The black extends to below the eye and there may be an eye-stripe, in western birds. The underparts are white, and the Common Fiscal has a fairly long, white-edged tail.

The Common Fiscal is a very common bird of open grassland, with scattered bushes or trees. It is found in any open veldt where there are perches. It is generally scarce in woodland or dense bushveld. It is usually seen singly, perched on a prominent perch, such as a telephone pole, tree or fence post.

It subsists mainly on insects, also takes small birds, rodents, reptiles and amphibians. Has a habit of impaling prey on sharp thorn or barbed wire, returning to feed on it later.

The call is usually a phrase of harsh grating and piping notes, which is repeated again and again, but it may sing in a more varied way, often including mimicry of other bird calls in its own song.

It nests all year round, but mainly from August to December, and the nest is a bulky, thick walled bowl of grass, twigs., leafy herbs, lined with soft plant material. It is placed in the fork of a tree or bush, often a thorny acacia.
Eagle78, carper, Robbrown, jhm, AndyB, Esox, PDP, elihesam, mogens-j, letr, pione, Fisher, nofer, Luc has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Callie: Workshopjapie 2 07-27 15:09
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Critiques [Translate]

So cute Japie ;) Lovely especimen..his standing creates a wonderful portrait with his back turned to us and the eyes turned around. Excelent capture :)

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1973 W: 119 N: 2582] (8439)
  • [2004-07-27 10:50]

Very nice one again Japie,
Good composition, good capture, great colours, and a good note. Well Japie this is exelent. Goed werk

Japie
This picture is definitely an improvement of the one posted on TE. I like it much more and the highlight in the eye brings this shrike to live. I have tried a WS – after nearly 1 year on TE, I found out how to get it on my PC! I cropped the bottom and added to the left, to give just a bit more space to breathe in. This is a subjective thing, but the negative space we leave around our images has a big impact on the actual image. I played some with hue and saturation, then Reduced to 72 dpi, upped it to 600 high X balance wide, saved for web at below 100k. Hope you like Madam in her new scene.

I didnt see the 1st posting of this very nicley captured bird, every thing but the tail is spot on right down to his face wiskers. thank you for re-posting.

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 893 W: 0 N: 507] (1853)
  • [2004-07-27 14:02]

Splendid colours of these bird, excellent model for makes a photo. Perfectly composition.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2004-07-27 17:06]

A lovely looking bird that has been captured 'posing' perfectly for this shot.
Great composition and colours,excellent note too.

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 239 W: 20 N: 344] (972)
  • [2004-07-27 17:08]

Nice shot.
Good composition and amazing sharpness.
Very well done.

Very nice shot of this bird, Japie and good PoV! Bravo!

Nice one Japie. Great pose and lovely definition in the plumage. I thought Callie's workshop was very good, that little extra space makes the subject appear no so boxed in. Well spotted!

oupsss!!! longue note, bel oiseau qu'est celui-ci entrain de poser pour TN, les couleurs sont superbement bien rendues...tout bon...bravo..amicalement BI

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-07-27 19:18]

Good protrait of such a handsome bird, exceelnt detail and sharp focus. Notes are very good too.

It seems that she take a pose just for you:)

Glad to see you dear Japie in green world of TN,And glad to see this great shot from you.

But,her pose here is very simbolic in bird shots gategories,Details are great & you captured in a fine way.very well contrasted,too,with real colors.
A pity about rusty iron that she stand on it,I wish that it could be a branches,But I think this is real situation for every birds & we see usual,and you captured very well as I siad.
Also,She is very lovely!anyway...I like it alot,Japie!
And thanks for a very good note:)
Respectfully

Very nice capture of this little bird Japie. Spot on dof and colours. This was a difficult one with the sun and the white feathers but you managed well though there is a little burn out in the wing and the chick. Well done.

Good composition and great sharpness.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • letr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 87 W: 50 N: 47] (130)
  • [2004-08-15 18:16]

Excellent colors and details here Japie superb job !!

  • Great 
  • pione Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 94 W: 0 N: 113] (542)
  • [2004-10-31 8:16]

Che bell'uccellino cicciotto! Un esemplare simpaticissimo e un'espressione da furbo!

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2004-11-17 23:27]

What a beautiful bird. And the rusty pole tones in well with his feathers. You captured him well. Thank you...

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2004-12-11 18:43]

Excelent capture japie. Beautiful bird that is similar to our Northern Shrike with almost the same feeding habits.
Well done

Mike

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2150 W: 319 N: 4263] (16942)
  • [2005-01-11 21:43]

Japie, I really face some problemas when I have to shoot birds agains a blue sky.

You did great here. Excellent POV and great bird.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 301 N: 4287] (14767)
  • [2005-03-29 19:54]

Nice Shrike, Japie.
Great composition and PoV.
Well seen and well done.
Thanks fo sharing.

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