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Greet the day


Greet the day
Photo Information
Copyright: Robin Du Bois (robindb) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 123 W: 0 N: 363] (1370)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Cannon EOS 350D, Sigma 170-500mm APO
Exposure: f/16, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-02-11 4:22
Viewed: 887
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This Yellow Throated Longclaw gave us a beautiful song early in the morning as if it was greeting the new day.
This image was taken in the Addo National Park with the camera on the bean bag in the car window. The vegetation in this park is very dense so one has to look out carefully for photographic oportunities but they are there. The park is well known for the elephant population but other photo's are there for the taking.

Since posting my original id of this bird was proved incorrect. It is actually a bokmakierie.

Bokmakierie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bokmakierie (Telophorus zeylonus) is a bushshrike. This family of passerine birds is closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and was once included in that group. This species is endemic to southern Africa, mainly in South Africa and Namibia, with an isolated population in the mountains of eastern Zimbabwe and western Mozambique.
It is a species of open habitats, including karoo scrub, fynbos and parks and gardens in urban areas. The bulky cup nest is constructed in a hedge, scrub or tree fork. The 2-6, usually three, red-brown or lilac-blotched greenish-blue eggs are incubated by both sexes for about 16 days to hatching, with another 18 days to fledging.
The adult Bokmakierie is a 22-23 cm long bird with olive-green upperparts and a conspicuous bright yellow tip to the black tail. The head is grey with a yellow supercilium, and the strong bill has a hooked upper mandible. The underparts are bright yellow with a broad black collar between the throat and breast, which continues up the neck sides through the eye to the bill. The legs and feet are blue-grey. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are a dull grey-green below, and lack the black gorget.
There are four subspecies, differing mainly in colour shade and size. Although the species as a whole is not threatened, the isolated dark subspecies restrictus in the Chimanimani Mountains numbers only about 400 birds.
The Bokmakierie has a range of loud whistles and calls, often given in duet, but the most typical is the one that gives this species its name, bok-bok-mak-kik.
Unlike the true shrikes, which perch conspicuously in the open, the Bokmakierie is shy and skulking. This bird has a typical shrike diet of insects, small lizards, snakes, small birds and frogs. It is predated itself by snakes, mongooses, and large shrikes like the Common Fiscal and Southern Boubou.
Morigann, MMM, uleko, valy67, eqshannon has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To fiftysomething: IDrobindb 1 02-12 12:12
To cuckooroller: IDrobindb 1 02-12 11:58
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 648 W: 15 N: 1602] (6243)
  • [2009-02-11 4:24]

Hello Robin
Nice capture with wonderful colors and great details.
Regards.
RAzvan

Hello Robin
superb capture of a Yellow Throated Longclaw, well colored.
Good sharpness.
Regards
Pierre

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2575] (9083)
  • [2009-02-11 4:43]

Hi Robin,
excellent presentation with beautiful pose for the morning.
Well composed at the corner giving a good space to blow the sound.
lovely colours and the lighting is excellently utilised.

Regards,
Foozi

Hi Robin,
nice picture of a beautiful bird taken in a fine pose.
Well composed with pretty good sharpness and fine details.
The bird standout well from the blue sky.
IMO, you could add a wee more contrast.
Well done.
Gert

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2009-02-11 5:14]

Hi Robin,

A nice composed capture of this singer which I havent seen before uptill now,its a very colorfull singer and I am wundering if it sings as beatifull as it is captured,thanks

Paul

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2009-02-11 5:15]

Hi Robin
Nice presentation.Good POV and sharp image.nice plumage detail with outstanding colors.We can almost here him singing.
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2993 W: 162 N: 961] (2823)
  • [2009-02-11 5:48]

Hello Robin,
What a beautiful bird very nicely caught while greeting the day! Excellent focus on the bird, sharp details and lovely colours.
Many thanks and regards, Ulla

Hello Robin !
This is just an amazing picture ! Your timing was perfect, capturing this bird in the mosre wonderful pose, beak wide open, singing to greet the new day. I aalso like the composition of the picture, the blue sky in BG, and the vivid colors. It's pleasant and cheerful. Very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2392 W: 94 N: 5536] (17620)
  • [2009-02-11 8:19]

Hello Robin,
Very beautiful photo of this Yellow-throated Longclaw. Very nice pose, natural colours and good sharpness. Wonderful timing. I also have good memories of the Addo N.P., elephants and so on.
Regards,
Peter

Very nice coloured yellow and open mouth in classic position...Very good framing and or cropping job!
Bob

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2909 W: 34 N: 8636] (32186)
  • [2009-02-11 11:06]

Hi Robin. You have captured this Yellow Throated Longclaw in a fine pose with its mouth wide open . Singing its little head off. You have taken it with good detail and bright colours. it stands out so well from the clear blue ky. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hello Robin,
Beautiful bird and safer to photograph than an ellie.
I didn't spot this specie in southern Africa.
TFS
Annick

Hi Robin,

The ID is incorrect. This is not genus Macronyx, for many, many morphological reasons.

This is an adult Telophorus zeylonus (Bokmakierie).

Hi Robin
A very nice capture of this bird doing what it does most, singing. It is, as Cuckooroller has pointed out, a Bokmakierie and not a Yellow-throated Longclaw. As a result you probably need to edit your notes.
TFS
Mike

Robin, this is a very beautiful shot of this bird. Outstanding job. Thanks for commenting on my dove. I appreciate it. Have a great day, Bill

Check out my website:
Bill Houghton Photography

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