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°° GIANT KINGFISHER °°


°° GIANT KINGFISHER °°
Photo Information
Copyright: Andrea Piazza (elefantino) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1128 W: 116 N: 2182] (14381)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon F100, Nikkor 300mm AF-S f/4, Fuji Velvia 50
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Birds of South Africa 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-06-27 3:30
Viewed: 2466
Points: 39
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Giant Kingfisher
(Megaceryle maxima)

This picture has been taken from a boat during a boat safari in the Shire River inside the Liwonde National Park (Malawi). This is one of the best park in africa for birdlife with almost 500 species recorded.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Conservation status: Least concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Cerylidae
Genus: Megaceryle
Species: M. maxima

It is the largest kingfisher in Africa, where it is a resident breeding bird over most of the continent south of the Sahara Desert other than the arid southwest.

Breeding is from August to January, 3-5 eggs being laid in a riverbank tunnel.

Giant Kingfisher is 42-46 cm long, with a large crest and finely spotted white on black upperparts. The male has a chestnut breast band and otherwise white underparts with dark flank barring, and the female has a white-spotted black breast band and chestnut belly.

The call is a loud wak wak wak

This large species feeds on crabs, fish, and frogs, caught in the typical kingfisher way by a dive from a perch. The number of these birds appears to have declined, possibly as a result of pesticides.

VELVIA 50 FILM SCANSION
pablominto, jeanpaul, tinman, soccer, SkyF, Anton, CTP, mario-roberto, anavazao, zeca, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To markula: Good luck!elefantino 1 07-25 01:19
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Andrea,
A fine composition and a well framed shot!
The birdy is awesome, giving you a great pose...
Super colours including the sky, pleasant sharpness giving fine details...
Greetings,
Pablo -

Gran bella foto, bel contrasto di colori e bella composizione, bravo!

Ciao.
Franco

Bonsoir Andrea!

Félicitations pour cette belle capture. Le sujet est superbe et les couleurs sont parfaitement exposée.Superbe ce beau ciel comme back ground.
Merci pour l'envoie et au revoir ...JP

Hi Andrea, excelente composición, y un ave muy curiosa. Un saludo.

Quite a reasonable shot though I think its too central in the frame. I think it would have looked better if you had cropped the shot and moved the kingfisher to the right of the image.
I have done a workshop to show you what I mean.

Hello Adrean, excllent details, Bg, POV, DOF Perfect colors, TFS Kyle

Lovely post and not easy to get these guys. I have been trying a while!! TFS

Andrea,

Wonderful capture of this Kingfisher. The pic is sharp and well composed. The Blue Sky in BG makes for a wonderful contrast and adds to the detail of the subject. TFS,

Sheriff

Precioso martin. Con un gran fondo.
Un saludo

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-06-27 8:45]

Hello Andrea,
this bird looks wonderful against the blue sky. Great POV and lovely pose. Colors and details are wonderful. Nice job on the composition also.
TFS..Sky

hi andrea
tres belle capture avec de belles couleurs et c'est egalement un bel oiseau.merci pour le partage.
laurent

  • Great 
  • CTP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 647 W: 6 N: 1106] (3191)
  • [2006-06-27 14:53]

Ciao Andrea,
Excellent Kingfisher capture.
I like your pov,dof,focus,sharpness,blue bg,details,note and framing.Well Done.TFS
Chris

mi piace l'animale e mi piace lo scatto.

ciao Mario

Hi Andrea!
That is a good composition and nice shot.

Hi,
Another beautiful shot!
Good colours, details, composition and light!
Thanks ana:)

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 962 W: 0 N: 89] (7801)
  • [2006-06-27 18:47]

Hi Andrea
Great shot. Beautiful composed. Good colours, sharpnes, BG, details and POV.
Well done Andrea

osse

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 373 W: 14 N: 538] (2881)
  • [2006-06-28 3:43]

Hello Andrea!
Nice POV and beautiful strong contrasts showing great colours!
Regards,
Zeca

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3591 W: 143 N: 5691] (18607)
  • [2006-06-28 12:57]

Hello Andrea.
I am very pleased to see your wonderful gallery. Giant Kingfisher is super. Amazing colours, clearness and sharpness of this shot. This is a great success. Perfect done, TFS and best regards,
Alexei.

Hello Andrea, really nice opportunity to see such great wildlife. A trip I hope to make a little later on.

Very well captured and framed. Well done.

Demetrio

Very nice shot, Andrea. The kingfisher seems like a very exotic bird to me. I have never seen one in nature. This weekend I'm planning to go to a wildlife preserve where another photographer showed me a place where a kingfisher used to come frequently. I hope it still does and I hope to at least see if not to take a shot of one. Regards,
Mark

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2006-09-25 5:58]

Very nice shot,nice compo&good details.

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