<< Previous Next >>

This is my Eland!


This is my Eland!
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: 2004-11-15
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Sigma 170-500mm APO, Digital ISO 200, Skylight
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-11-30 15:32
Viewed: 1354
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I have posted an Eland before and the information can be found here . What I like about this shot is that it portrays the size of the Eland very well. The bird is a Cattle egret and here is some info on it.

Cattle Egret (Roberts: 71)

A small, white, short-necked heron which is usually found in flocks feeding away from water. Size 54 cm - about the size of a guinea fowl, 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.


The camera settings:
Program Setting: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 428mm
F Stop: F/7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec
ISO: 200
Tripod: No
Flash: Diffused Off Camera TTL
Reflective Panel: No
Cable release: No

Please forgive me for not providing and ID for the fly on the Elands nose :)
elroyie, PDP, christophe, gerhardt, extramundi, RAP, ellis49, Luc, red45, deud, Lourens has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Great capture of those two 'neighbours' :)
Very good colours and very sharp picture. I think that putting the heron away from the edges of the animal behind should be better.

Very nice picture of these two togheter. Its a sharp picture and a nice scene, you also get a good impression of the skin of the heron.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2951 W: 366 N: 3779] (11763)
  • [2004-11-30 16:31]

What a cracker he comes out of the screen. Very nice. The bird in the foreground adds a very nice touch.

temperate picture, again a very good work, very very great shot

Tack sharp in CAPS! This is very nice Japie. You are getting every thing out of that lens. Great shot.

The fly is Cantseeit Toosmallus. :)

The more you post, more natural your shots look, and I like that very much Japie. Whant a beautiful composition you obtained here again. Sharp, detailed and with warm colours. Excellent work.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-11-30 17:57]

Muy chistoso mi amigo... muy chistoso... si sabes perfectamente la especie de mosca, pero todos sabemos que no quieres compartirla. ;-)
Otra gran imagen, sin dudas... la conjunción del mamífero y el ave en tan bella composicion la convierten en una excelente presentacion.
Muy buena agudeza y detalles sobre ambos animales con agradables tonos.
Felicitaciones... por la mosca.

Very funny my friend...very funny... if you know the species of fly perfectly, but all we know that you do not want to sharing ;-)
Another great image, without doubts... the conjunction of the mammal and the bird in so beautiful composition turns it an excellent presentation.
Very good sharpness and details on both animals with pleasant tones.
Congratulations... by the fly.

  • Great 
  • papkin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 78 W: 0 N: 96] (1580)
  • [2004-11-30 18:47]

Beautiful composition ,beautiful small bird.

Great Japie.
A pleasure to see.
Good colours and nice composition.
Very good details. Good note.
Excellent work.

Majestic, I love Eland, so thanks for posting a complete animal. The comparison with the egret makes a good composition and its sharp enough to please anyone. Nice.

Great camaraderie. Well chosen, well spoken. I have to admit the striking red intimate parts of the eland bothers me a bit like an intruder in the friendly picture. Very admirable image!

Lovely shot Japie, too bad about the fly's identity. Maybe next time.
I like Elands and this one is an excellent shot of both bird and animal. They need each other. Well portrayed.

nice shot of this couple ;o)
good compo and colours.this realy is a great shot, looks like it could go right in an encyclopedia or on a poster.well done!

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26973)
  • [2004-12-01 6:49]

Two good friends resting in savannah. What a great shot Japie! Again - Africa at its best.

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 2 N: 466] (2162)
  • [2004-12-01 8:19]

good shot of this frienship and colaboration.

Lovely image, Japie. I like the inclusion of the cattle egret. Very nice.

Very nice couple, very sharp.
Well done.

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF