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Cattle Egret


Cattle Egret
Photo Information
Copyright: Stephen Earle (StephenE) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 19 W: 0 N: 111] (533)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40 D
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/1600 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-26 4:48
Viewed: 535
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A small, white, short-necked heron which is usually found in flocks feeding away from water. Size 54 cm - about the size of a guineafowl, but more slender. Afrikaans: Veereier

Cattle Egrets are completely white, with orange-buff plumes on the head, back and breast in breeding birds. The long, dagger-like bill is usually yellow but during breeding is dark red with a yellow tip. The lores (the bare skin between the base of the bill and the eye) also changes from yellow to red when birds start breeding. The legs and feet are greenish-brown (non-breeding) and orange-red (breeding birds). Cattle Egrets are stockier and shorter-necked than other egrets.

A common and obvious bird of farmlands and any open area. Birds are regularly seen in the company of cattle or large game animals - giving rise to this species' common name of 'Tick Bird.' Cattle Egrets are not feeding on ticks however but are using the animals to flush grasshoppers and other insects from the grass. In urban areas they will follow lawn mowers for the same reason. They also attend veld fires - feeding on the insects and other small animals fleeing the flames.

The diet consists of insects, mostly grasshoppers, and also worms.

Cattle Egrets usually nest in colonies in reedbeds or trees. The nest is a smallish platform of sticks or reeds. Breeding occurs mainly during summer.
Ena, angela926, fiftysomething has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Ena Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 359 W: 61 N: 570] (2341)
  • [2007-11-26 6:06]

Hi Stephen!
Excellent shot. Perfect details and colors!
Best regards
Ena

Hello Stephen,
Like it very much.
Good sharpness Like these detailed whites...
Well done!
TFS
Annick

Hello Stephen
Great shot! beautiful colors and detail.wonderful composition and very sharp.
TFS
Angela

Superb photo with great clarity and excellent composition. The dark background gives the photo a 3D effect.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3071 W: 231 N: 5861] (19714)
  • [2007-11-26 23:55]

Wow, Stephen!
This is beautiful.
Love the way the wings are spread out, and the fantastic POV.
The white feathers are perfectly exposed, and they show off very nicely against the dark BG.
Details are amazingly sharp, especially for an in-flight shot.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 355 W: 51 N: 476] (2056)
  • [2007-11-27 0:39]

Beautiful capture Stephen, sharp and fantastic clear shot with great DOF
Nice pose captured
Regards, Dejan

I'm trying to catch up...
I like the focus and the brilliant colours on this one. I am not sure about how much space you have on the right side. My opinion is that this is one that could have been centered or a vertical crop.
Still, the subject is very good.

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