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A rare bird for Gert.


A rare bird for Gert.
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1976 W: 259 N: 4103] (11585)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-02-27
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM, Digital ISO 100, Hoya UV-Guard (77mm)
Exposure: f/8, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): 40-49 Points (Chapter 2), Birds of Southern Africa, Dedications to Gert [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-03-18 3:42
Viewed: 1827
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
African Stonechat
Saxicola torquata

Scientific name means: “collared stone-dweller”

Also known as: En: Stonechat, Morning Wheatear or Field flycatcher, Da:.Sortstrubet Bynkefugl, Du: Roodborsttapuit, Fi: Mustapäätasku, Fr: Traquet patre, Ge: Schwarzkehlchen, It: Saltimpalo, No: Svartstrupe, Sp: Tarabilla común, Sw: Svarthakad buskskvätta.

Male Stonechats, especially in spring are unmistakable, with their tricolour plumage: black heads, orange breasts and big white blobs on the sides of the neck. The same pattern can just about be seen on females and juveniles but they are brown not black on the head and upperparts and the orange and white areas are much less pronounced. Some such birds may resemble Whinchats, but Stonechats have fatter bodies, shorter wings and longer tails and, above all, they have no eye stripe to break up their generally dark heads.

A common resident bird, although local in east and central England, favouring heath and moor land. In winter birds disperse, often to coastal areas. Siberian Stonechats (of the race S.t.maura) are annual vagrants, mainly in the autumn on the east coast. They are widespread in western and southern Europe where they are likely to be found on almost any heath land, especially by the coast.

I read that they are quire rare in Sweden (Gert’s neck of the woods), During October 2004 only four birds were spotted. They were spotted in Abbekås (Scania), Ottenby (Öland), Delsjö (Västergötland) and Rörö (Bohuslän).

More on Swedish rare birds can be found here.

I hope you enjoy this bird. I am off to the Cheetahs again this weekend and am going to try my hand at aerial photography. Wish me luck… I have not been in a helicopter in ages. :o
mogens-j, red45, dew77, cafecrem, AndyB, ellis49, milloup, sAner, Fisher, Alan_Kolnik, TAZ, Runnerduck, marhowie, Signal-Womb, sandpiper2, Luc, PDP, Lesley, paulbright has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

A real sweetie Gerhard. Very nice dof with plenty of details in the plumage - even in the dark parts on the head caused by very clever handling of the light. The blurred background is perfect for a capture like this and the geen works well with the colous on the bird. The out of centre composition is perfect. All over a very pleasant capture to look at.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-03-18 3:58]

Wow! Photos from helicopter Gerhard? I envy you and wish you luck of course! Beautiful little bird, excelent quality and pose. Very spiky plant BTW ;-)

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-03-18 4:10]

Excellent shot Gerhard!Pose,blurred bg,composition,details...everything perfect.TFS
I wish you good luck and having fun in the air;)

Hi Gerhard!
Wondeful, proud bird! I love this pose and colours and ... burs behind its feed ;-)

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2005-03-18 4:49]

A pretty little bird in a lovely pose.
Very nice detail and oof background,excellent composition.
A great capture,very well done indeed!

Great picture Gerhard.
Thanks for this beauty, my friend. I never seen it, it's very rare. Perfect exposure, pose and composition, great colours and details. It's a winner. And a excellent note like alwaus.
Great work.

Beautiful capture of a beautiful critter, good light, excellent details and nicely oof bg. The dry plant it's sitting on looks like some of the obnoxious clinging burrs I spend hours plucking carefully out of Milloup's coat - if they are, I hate them! ;-))

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-03-18 6:26]

Excellent! Fantastic composition and great colors. The details are razorsharp. POV & DOF are great. This is extremely nice to look at. Well done and TFS!

What a beauty and you captured it well. Excelent composition and details.

Mike

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2005-03-18 7:54]

what a lovley shot,perfect composition and good details.11/10.
Have a nice clicking time ,looking forward to the pics.
Cheers
Radz

Excellent capture and composition,

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-03-18 12:56]

Encore un bel oiseau ! Quelle chance d'avoir une telle variété d'animaux dans votre beau pays !
Well done !

  • Great 
  • puciu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 519 W: 0 N: 16] (2603)
  • [2005-03-18 14:19]

Wspania³e zdjêcie, ¶wietna kompozycja,
dobra ostro¶æ.

A cute little bird, excellent comp and background. Great Detail.
TFS

Gerhard, Excellent pose & I like this dried thistle roost it's on. Great OOF BG and details in the black cap feathers. Great work!

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12252)
  • [2005-03-18 15:09]

Encore une superbe composition, tout est parfait, les couleurs, la netteté, la pose, et la prise de vue.
UNE EXCELLENTE PRÉSENTATION!!!

  • Great 
  • Toni Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 403 W: 2 N: 316] (2034)
  • [2005-03-18 17:40]

Fantastique image et superbe cadrage, j'adore cette photo les couleurs de l'oiseau contrastent a merveille avec le fond vert.
GREAT GREAT SHOT.
Amicalement Toni

Excellent composition Gerhard, and what a fantastic little bird that is. Beautiful picture and informative note. Good work.

Great shot Gerhard, very good detatails on its plumage and great colours.
Well done.
TFS

Great composition and OOF backgtound. Love the contrast between. bird, thorny bush and green backgtound. Good details on the bird and exposed just right.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1873 W: 304 N: 4300] (14729)
  • [2005-03-22 10:17]

Personal assessment of the photo: excellent.
Great visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete.
Thanks for this post, Gerhard, and for the dedication to Gert.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-03-22 11:43]

Gerhard, cute and nice. Excellent pose, dof, composition, pov and sharpness.

Just another perfect shot, which is not a surprise.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2005-03-23 15:43]

Great shot Gerhard, Ger must have been very happy to have this dedication. Excellent details and focus, lovely colours and a very nice composition. well done.

He is so beautiful! I love the thistle like plant he's standing on, and the ruffly quality of his chest feathers. Well done!

  • Great 
  • Lesley Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 13 N: 913] (2988)
  • [2005-04-15 19:43]

The lighting and exposure are great on this pretty bird. perch is super and the pose it endearing. Well done.

all your photos are brilliant and the notes very informative. great job!

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