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Riding my Harley


Riding my Harley
Photo Information
Copyright: Japie Venter (japie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04-15
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Sigma 50-500 F/4-6.4, Digital ISO 200, Skylight
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): AnYtHiNg ExTrEmElY hUmOrOuS, Birds of Southern Africa, 40-49 Points (Chapter 4), 50 - 60 points (chapter two) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-04-18 8:32
Viewed: 2220
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I had to spend some time in Port Elizabeth for business and made sure to find time to take some pictures. Spending some time in the Addo National Elephant Park, I found myself concentrating on the birdlife rather than the big guys themselves. My next posts will feature some of the big guys little neighbours. This one was dreaming about riding a Harley Davison (wearing a long dark coat) while his tummy was facing the bright early morning sun

This is the Speckled Mousebird ( Roberts: 424)
It is a brownish coloured mousebird with a black bill and untidy looking tail. Size 27-36 cm - Slightly smaller than a Laughing Dove, but with a very long tail. Afrikaans: Gevlekte Muisvoël

As with other mousebirds, the tail is very long and the bill is short, strong and conical, with a down curved upper mandible. The bill is black on the upper mandible and whitish on the lower mandible. The eyes are dark-brown and the legs and feet are purplish red.

The Speckled Mousebird has greyish brown upperparts, with a slightly paler crest on the head. The face is blackish and the belly is more yellowish than the rest of the plumage. The tail generally appears tatty, as the central tail feathers are longer than the others.

The Speckled Mousebird is a common species of bushveld, coastal bush, forest edges, gardens and orchards. It is usually seen in loose flocks of 5-20 birds. The flight is direct and straight, with rapid wing-beats, but appears clumsy.

Speckled Mousebirds live mostly on fruit, leaves, the nectar of flowers and seeds and some insects.

The call is a harsh zik, zik, a bit like a weaver.

Speckled Mousebirds bred mainly in the summer months. The nests is a large untidy bowl of plant material, lined with soft material and leaves. The nest is placed in a bush or tree.

Here is some more info regarding the Addo National Elephant Park and I will add more bits in future posts:

For the first time in over 100 years, lion and spotted hyena were reintroduced to the park last year. But the Addo story has only just begun. Plans to expand the 148 000 hectare Addo National Elephant Park into a 360 000 hectare "Greater Addo" park are moving forward at an exciting pace. This expansion is transforming Addo into the ultimate tourism destination.
Luc, dew77, cafecrem, Comandante, red45, marhowie, carper, Callie, gerhardt, Runnerduck, Fisher, liquidsunshine, AndyB, sAner, khris_rino, rlortie, coasties, hummingbird24, extramundi, Janice, elihesam has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
Congratselizemeijer 2 04-18 14:15
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-04-18 8:43]

Wonderful shot Japie.Composition,details and DOF are
wonderful.Very well done.TFS...:)

Halo Japie!
What a great hair-do :-))))
Great subject!

Hi Japie, hy is pragtig. dit lyk of hy uit die boom wil val. It looks a little bit dark, but still very good.. Love the fluffy underbelly..

Groetnis
Elize

Hello Japie !
Very good capture of this bird !
Congratulationand TFS !

Very cute bird on the tree.He looks like a driver on motocycle.Wonderful composition!
Very good job!

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2806 W: 75 N: 7857] (26309)
  • [2005-04-18 9:16]

Ha, ha, what a dynamic pose Japie :-) He looks like biker indeed, very good title. Bird is cute, pose amazing, details and quality very high. Another great post from you!

Japie, Excellent "laid back" pose here!! Really looks like this bird may have had a bit too much of the fruit of the vine! ;-)
Excellent sharpness, details and I like the composition with bird top of frame..It gives it room to fall!! ;-)))

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2167 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2005-04-18 10:21]

Japie!!!!!!
Dat is een hele tijd geleden. Prachtige foto trouwens. Erg mooie capture wat weer een prachtige compositie geeft, mooie pov, goede dof, erg goed werk Japie.
gr. Jaap

The Hogrider... exceptional pose and moment captured, Japie. He looks as if he enjoys.. "basking in the ambience" :) Great shot, well done.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 106 N: 2658] (7487)
  • [2005-04-18 10:49]

JApie
10/10 for the caption, they just love sunning their bellies like this, and this is an excellent pose, no nits. Reminds me a bit of being married, and "driven" like Bente said. At least we can deam of a Harly! Very nice exposure and POV too, TFS

Just looking at this bird now makes me lol after reading your first paragraph! A great pose.
Great detail and composition - Brilliant! Thank you for posting.

Great and funny shot Japie.
Very nice pose, composition and details.
Excellent work.

Congrats for the 5000.

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2005-04-18 13:59]

Looks like an old gieser riding high. LOL
Excelent capture with warm tones. beautiful composition.

Mike

Nice shot Japie,
Great title, Congratulations on making 5000.
Excellent pose. Nice details, colours and composition.
Thanks for posting

What a curious creature. I'm just wondering how this pose came about. Is this a natural pose of the bird or was it captured when it had just landed on the branch? Anyhow its quite a funny one. Nice details except for wing which came in shadow. TFS!!!

So funny... and extremely humorous. Excellent Japie: pose, colors, composition, details, lighting. Goes to my favorites.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11868)
  • [2005-04-18 22:12]

Une belle pose acrobatique de l'oiseau et une bonne prise de vue.

Félicitations pour l'éclairage.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3068 W: 231 N: 5840] (19618)
  • [2005-04-19 0:19]

That is a fantastic shot, Japie. The pose is hilarious. Great details and colors. Definitely an unusual pose and composition. Very interesting!

He's one laid back bird! Must be a petrol head for sure. Check out the hair! Super shot Japie. Excellent light (where are his shades?), wonderful POV and well, that pose says it all! TFS

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1654 W: 79 N: 1456] (4742)
  • [2005-04-19 6:14]

Haha! This is GREAT! :) Now this is an easy going bird. Lovely pose Japie and fantastic composition, colors and details. Well done on this one. I am glad your regularly posting again. :) Congrats on the 5000 points. It's well deserved. TFS!

Looks like a bad hair day anyway you take it.
Wonderful posting, I had never heard of this one before. All he needs now is a rubber band attached to the ends of the forked branches and place around his backside.
Thank you for a great posting and composition.

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2005-04-20 8:02]

Hi Japie,
What a funny pose ! i love it :-)
Great colours & details, dof + pov are perfect,

Thank you for sharing,

Christian

  • Great 
  • Graal Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 788 W: 31 N: 20] (4998)
  • [2005-04-20 13:52]

Very nice shot, beautiful mousebird. Good composition (pose as from Harley, yes), sharpness and colours. Well done.
Regards,
Aleksander

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16850)
  • [2005-04-20 15:58]

Japie, very nice title, excellent photo.

Great pose, sharpness and colors. The blue sky works really well here.

The bird is really very beautiful.

Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 316 N: 4403] (14711)
  • [2005-04-21 3:39]

Hi, Japie. I hope we will have a new post from you soon...
Personal assessment of the photo: more than great.
Srong visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete.
Thank you for sharing so beautifull pictures and for the enjoyment which they give us, and for the feeling to feel less ignorant after the reading of your note.

Japie, I am glad to meet you again.
What a great quality for this mousebird. The pose is very unique, he looks a very interesting guy! :-D
Regards, Felipe.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3414 W: 144 N: 5803] (17197)
  • [2005-04-22 16:26]

Brmm, brmmm! Good title Japie, you got it right. He does look like a bikie in his gear. I've not seen this bird before, so thank you for showing. His details and pose are excellent.

Great catch, never heard of this mousebirs before ...

What amazing work!
Indeed in an unique time skilfully you freezed her,very well captured and very nicely composed,too.
The light is strong nice elements,the side light.
I have not seen a bird like it,Thanks for posting it,Japie!
Best Regards
M

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