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Swainson's Francolin


Swainson's Francolin
Photo Information
Copyright: Jan Hendrik van Rooyen (janhendrik) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 378 W: 65 N: 685] (2384)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-05-07
Categories: Birds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Southern Africa II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-05-10 6:54
Viewed: 669
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Swainson's Francolin (Pternistes swainsonii)
I was fortunate enough to be invited to a wedding inside Kruger. My better half has a friend who works in Kruger and they got married in Olifants rest camp at the lookout point in front of the restaurant. Everything was immaculate, so much care and detail had gone into organising the wedding. The service was so beautiful, with giraffe and kudu drinking at the river below. For the reception they had booked out the whole of Balule rest camp, some 10km’s away, where we would have the reception of our lives under the wild African sky. We were looking forward to the evening very much.

The bride and groom, both being scientists, did their research thoroughly, and they determined that, on that day of the year, it had not rained for something like 50 years. Those of you who know Kruger will agree that it just does not rain there in autumn or winter.

Well, need I tell you what happened on that day? Right after the service, a storm like you had never seen, with gale force gusts of wind, blew the whole of Balule away. We felt so, so sorry for the newly married couple. Everyone’s hearts went out to them. They just took it in their stride though.

The reception had to be moved to Olifants restaurant, and it still was one of the best weddings we had ever attended.

I took this picture on the way out of Kruger the next day on the way home. It was taken close to Lower-Sabie.


A dark francolin with red facial skin. Size 33-38 cm - about two-thirds the size of a Guineafowl. The male is a bit larger than the female. Afrikaans: Bosveld Fisant

The bill is short, fairly solid, with a curved upper mandible. It blackish-brown above and red below. This species has a patch of bright red skin on the throat and face. The eyes are dark brown, the legs and feet blackish.

The Swainson's Francolin is all dark brown, streaked with black. It is a common species of more open country, preferring bushveld with open spaces, and farmland areas. It is not found in dense woodland or forested areas. It is usually seen singly or small parties. This francolin runs quickly when disturbed, and flies on whirring wings when flushed.

It eats seeds, berries, shoots, bulbs, insects and molluscs.

The call is a very loud and harsh and consists of 7 or 8 crowing sounds, dropping in pitch and volume towards the end: krrwoaa, krraa, kraaa, krraa....

This species breeds in the summer months. The nest is a hollow in the ground, which is lined with dry grass. It is hidden in the grass or a thicket.

SOURCE: Swainson's Francolin

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Camera mode: Aperture priority
Time of day: 15H26
Date: 7 May 2006
Lens: Canon 100-400mm IS USM
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec
F-Stop: F/7.1
Focal Length: 400mm
Support: Hand Held
ISO: 100
Original file type: Raw (CR2)
uleko, jaycee, vanderschelden, marhowie, Evelynn, carper, ramthakur, GLEM, loot has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To loot: Swainson's Francolinjanhendrik 1 05-13 09:32
To vanderschelden: Stay in carjanhendrik 1 05-10 11:31
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
  • [2007-05-10 7:08]

Hello Jan, I like this shot very much, the pov is great. Your story and notes are wonderful too. You have captured good light and beautiful colours. The bird is nice and sharp showing good feather and head detail. Good POV. Very nice.
tfs
debz

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3452 W: 144 N: 5902] (17486)
  • [2007-05-10 7:10]

What a place for a wedding - how exciting for you to go, apart from the storm!
I do like your Swainson's Francolin - definitely a new bird for me. He looks like he's just going for a stroll along the road.
And I can see his colours give good camouflage to hide him in the bush. Good clarity and colours too Jan
Well done
Janice

Great note man and a great post as well. I love hat park as well, as you have probably noticed by all my posts....
Take care

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 112 W: 0 N: 352] (1731)
  • [2007-05-10 7:19]

Hi Jan, what an interesting bird, I never seen before. The colors and light is excellent. Also the details and moment.
TFS, Dan

G’day Jan, I'm a little jelouse! sounds like a great place for a wedding. Nice shot, great dop, lovely colours and detail. Whith a little story to boot. TFS Paul

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2468 W: 168 N: 7464] (23588)
  • [2007-05-10 10:09]

Hello Jan,
Having recently seen the Black Francolin on Cyprus your title caught my eye and your capture is really very fine! Well-timed to get the head in profile and all very nicely in focus. I love the colours!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1788 W: 8 N: 4639] (15001)
  • [2007-05-10 11:00]

Hi Jan,

Loved your notes - sounds like a wonderful and exciting wedding. Isn't rain supposed to bring good luck?

Wonderful capture of this bird I have not seen before. The colors are beautiful and every feather stands out. Lovely pose and setting and a wonderful sparkle in his eye.

Jane

Hello Jan,
'Great' story... almost Lootanian:-).
Definitely good writers in SA.
Image is quality too! Moody Kruger one...
One nit: you have to stay in your car:-)
TFS
Annick

Excellent shot Jan,
BG is nicely blurred, and the light and color look just about perfect. Sharp & detailed,
Very well done.

It's a nice picture and a great story. Thanks. The sharpness is very good and I like the turned head. The exposure looks good and the colors very natural.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 514 W: 8 N: 1099] (4072)
  • [2007-05-10 12:53]

Beautiful!
Hello Jan, this is a very good picture, explendid image of this francolin, the collors and details are fantastic, indeed a very good capture, well done my friend..

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2165 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2007-05-10 13:24]

prachtige foto Jan,
echt Sud Afrikaner naam trouwens, goede compositie, prachtige capture, mooie details en een goede dof, prachtig werk,
prettige dag.
groet Jaap

Thanks for looking at my recent picture and writing your critique, Jan. I am obliged.

This is a wonderful picture of this fine bird I have seen for the first time. It has a lovely head and interesting feet.
The image is well captured with excellent details on its head and plumage.
TFS.

great portrait, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 524 W: 87 N: 693] (5739)
  • [2007-05-10 17:25]

hi Jan,
il semble que le rouge soit à l'honneur ici aussi :)
Belle image réalisée à bonne hauteur, la DOF est excellente.

bravo
gl

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3072 W: 232 N: 5866] (19726)
  • [2007-05-11 3:17]

Hello Jan Hendrik,
Unusual bird, rarely seen on TN.
I always enjoy seeing a new species.
Very well presented in good light and sharp details.
A beautiful specimen.
I really enjoyed your story about the wedding.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5726 W: 605 N: 3416] (9137)
  • [2007-05-13 4:55]
  • [2] [+]

Hi Jan-Hendrik

Wow, what a venue for a wedding and how fortunate to be invited to attend it inside Kruger. Although the reception was almost blown away, it seems like you and the newly weds enjoyed it thoroughly after all. Especially having the opportunity to capture such lovely shot of this Francolin surely must have made it all worth the while. I suppose you had quite a ride the next day, covering the distance from Olifants to Crocodile Bridge (I assume) where you probably exited the park or did you stay over for a couple of days. (I know I would have stayed longer if I had such a good excuse as an invite to a wedding to "turn my arm" to get me there in the first place.)

You really captured the rear view and the side-ways glance of this bird in all of its specific beauty. I found they are normally rather shy, dashing away and hiding between the grasses whenever one tends to get too close, but you seem to have had a great opportunity with this one. The vertical composition is great and I like how one can clearly see the range of the DOF as the sharpness fades on the stony gravel of what seems to be the skirting of the road. This obviously rendered a fittingly OOF and isolated BG that compliments the bird and makes it stand out rather well in the shot. The colours are very natural and stunning, and the details are ever so sharp. You made excellent use of the low lying light with good exposure control.

Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

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