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The Tooth Faery, you say?


The Tooth Faery, you say?
Photo Information
Copyright: Callie de Wet (Callie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 106 N: 2659] (7495)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-12-06
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Nikon D70, Sigma 80-400 OS
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Rodents [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-12-21 8:32
Viewed: 1358
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Striped Mouse Rhabdomys pumilo , 21 cm including tail, weighing in at 45 g. The Kalahari is home to a great number of animals, most of them seldom seen or encountered. On this trip, we tried to see and photograph as many small things as possible, quite a daunting task, as they are either fast, small and mostly greyish, or even smaller, nastier and poisonous to boot.

This is one of its more likable denizens, liked especially by raptors, snakes, jackals, badgers and of course, us, but for different reasons. Mice ‘n rats form an important link in the food chain, and I found them cute little beggars with inquisitive faces and twitching noses. As for the scaly, scabby tails, well, some people just freak out at the very thought of a fat rat tail brushing against them.

The Striped Mouse varies in colour from pale, brindled, reddish brown to dark. It has two distinctive pairs of stripes that run from the back of its neck down to the base of its tail. Its underparts are whitish. It occurs over a large part of SA, from sea level up to above 1 800 m.

They are predominantly grass eaters but enjoy the odd insect too. Their nest is found at the base of a grass thicket , with a well hidden entrance. They line their chambers with fine, soft leafy debris.
This guy had some thing going with a neighbour, and was not too worried about the bid white box in the road. They were well hidden below a fairly large bush, in almost total shade. Jus bit of sunlight filtered through on the ears and its tail/

SHOOTING DETAILS
Venue – Kalahari Desert, Auob Road
Date 66 December 2004
Time 17h28
Camera - Nikon D70
ISO 200 & ↑± 0 EV.
Sigma 80-400 F4.5- 5.6 APO OS
Filter – Cokin UV
Focal length - 400 mm
Exposure mode - Aperture Priority - 1/125 @ F10
Flash – Balanced i-TTL
Support – Handheld
Little cropping; H/S; levels; hue/ saturation; S/C; Some USM, , reduced to Site size.
CaptiveLight, NitzanCK, Fisher, mogens-j, IdoTT, Luc, dsidwell, LordPotty, netfalls, Lourens, jhm has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To dsidwell: MouseCallie 1 12-22 01:28
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Critiques [Translate]

It looks like a cross between a squirrel and a rat! Good note as always Callie

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2004-12-21 10:37]
  • [2]

Callie a cross between a chipmunk and a rat.
A little weak on the focus, I guess holding a monster makes it difficult to work with.
Well done on the shot. Excelent note.

Mike

Cute little fellow Callie. The grey fur sets the mouse off very nicely. It looks so curious in a very nice way.

  • Great 
  • ellis49 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3645 W: 350 N: 8890] (28681)
  • [2004-12-21 11:53]
  • [2]

Very good Callie.
I'm agree with the others , look like a cross between a rat and chipmunk, look very funny.
Little soft but still very good, excellent note.
Well done.

Gesëende Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige nuwe jaar.
God Jul och Gott Nytt ÅR

  • Great 
  • IdoTT Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 210 W: 19 N: 86] (482)
  • [2004-12-21 12:37]
  • [2]

A great catch Callie!
Just too bad the focus is a bit OFF!
But this is a great pic! I understand that such a small creature is hard to find (and i'm not talking about photographing it!)
So ...

WellDone!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 315 N: 4404] (14713)
  • [2004-12-21 13:28]
  • [2]

Good work, Callie.
A not eaysy to catch... for human photographer.
Good note too.
Thanx

Hey Callie..
Great capture, very small ceature! it is very hard to find this mouse.
The focus is a bit OFF, and this is not sharp enough, but the light is fantastic!


Anyway excellent pic and note.
You did great, well done!

Looks delicious, Callie! Actually, he's kind of cute. The clarity suffers just a tad here, but that is probably due to digital compression issues. I like how he/she is framed by the colorful sand.

Haven't seen this species before, but it can't be the tooth fairy, no wings.
Apart from its a bit noisy, but given the circumstances of the capture...does it really matter; no.
TFS

Thats a cute little critter Callie. One I've never seen before. That soil looks pretty red too. I wonder what its composition is ?
You were lucky to find a bit of shade...that sun looks scorching.

Mooi rot Callie. It looks like he was enjoying the shade. Good post.

Composition: ****
Sharpness: **
Color: ****
DOF: **
POV: ****
Note: ****

Very nice shot, even if focus is a bit soft.
The branch in front is a bit distracting.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-12-23 16:20]

Pragtige streepmuis! He is interested in something, maybe Pietta up in a tree?

This is a beautiful, natural composition with lots of detail.

Very well done and thanks for posting.

Very nice shot, Callie. I think you were very lucky to get this shot. Nice work.

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 660 W: 0 N: 178] (622)
  • [2004-12-28 2:38]

"Als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen" hé Callie, de staart in de linker benedenhoek is nog duidelijk te zien, het mooie aan deze muis zijn, zijn grote oren ten opzichte van zijn lichaam. Zonder tele zou u ze niet zo dicht kunnen benaderen vermoedlijk.
Groeten, John

Great shot of such a small animal. Unfortunately all of our attempts to photograph the smaller animals of the Kalahari failed. Of crouse, the 400mm length would have helped!

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