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Hooded Crane - 1st TN Posting


Hooded Crane - 1st TN Posting
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1296 W: 0 N: 5061] (15084)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds MkII
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): RARE or SIGNIFICANT contributions to TN 3, Gruiformes (Turnalar, Crane-like), Wildlife of Japan [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-26 3:17
Viewed: 963
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I am pretty sure this is the first posting of a Hooded Crane - I did a quick search and could not find another, but please correct me if I am wrong.

This shot was taken as far from the Red Crowned Cranes as it is possible in the main archipelago of Japan (Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku & Kyushu). The crane reserve at Izumi plays host to both Hooded and White-Naped Cranes. On the days I visited there were an estimated 12,039 birds over-wintering! As well as the two main species there are also some Common & Sandhill Cranes.

The Hooded Crane, Grus monacha is a small, dark crane. It has a grey body. The top of the neck and head is white, except for a patch of bare red skin above the eye. It is one of the smallest cranes, but is still a fairly large bird, at 1 m (3.3 ft) long, a weight of 3.7 kg (8.2 lbs) and a wingspan of 1.87 m (6.2 ft).

Adult crowns are unfeathered, red, and covered with black hairlike bristles. The head and neck are snow white, which extends down the neck. The body plumage is otherwise slaty gray. The primaries, secondaries, tail, and tail coverts are black. Eye color is hazel yellow to orange brown, legs and toes are nearly black. Males and females are virtually indistinguishable, although males tend to be slightly larger in size.

Juvenile crown are covered with black and white feathers during the first year, and exhibit some brownish or grayish wash on their body feathers.

The breeding grounds of this species are in southeastern Russia and northern China. Non-breeding flocks occur in the Russia-Mongolia-China border region. More than 80% of Hooded Cranes spend the winter at the Izumi Feeding Station on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Small numbers are found at Yashiro in southern Japan, in South Korea, and at several sites along the middle Yangtze River in China.

Since the early 1950s, the Government of Japan has allocated funds to feed cranes in winter. From several hundred cranes after the Second World War, the numbers of Hooded Cranes at the feeding station near the town of Izumi in southern Japan, has increased from several hundred to more than 8,000. Conservationists worldwide are concerned that an outbreak of disease at Izumi could destroy the majority of the world’s Hooded Cranes estimated to number about 10,000. ICF has repeatedly communicated our concerns to Japanese colleagues and to the officials in Tokyo.

Hand held 300mm 2.8 lense + 1.4x converter
cicindela, cataclysta, Alex99, uleko, kjpweb, vanderschelden, nglen, marhowie, rousettus, Adanac, ramthakur, angybone, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cicindela: Small number of Japanese postingsJamesp 1 01-28 00:02
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello again!
And first of all - my best congratulations because of the 1st time presented Hooded Crane from Japan! The true is, that there are really small number of photos fom this coutry (I really can not understand it because we all know that many cameras are producing in this coutry, eg. Nikon, Fiji...).
Very nice profile and good details. Bravo also for educational and informative note!
Best regards,
Radomir

Hi James
Very interesting bird. I like natural surronuding, good sharpness and compo. I think thet you could remove the OOF birds from background but it is a minor thing here.
Best wishes
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3139 W: 148 N: 4734] (15295)
  • [2008-01-26 3:51]

Hi James.
Image of the bird is simply outstanding. Pose is so attractive and timing is great. I like impressive soft light. Exposure is spot on. All details and colour tones are reproduced precisely. Surroundings are wonderful too. DOF is really very good. Bravo. Excellent job.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2711 W: 139 N: 7830] (24389)
  • [2008-01-26 4:17]

Hello James,
Congratulations on this TN first and great portrayal of a Hooded Crane it is too!
The sharpness, timing, POV and composition are superb. Must be marvellous to see thse in the wild!
Thanks for sharing this,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2544 W: 170 N: 7738] (24487)
  • [2008-01-26 5:12]

Hello James,
What a fabulous experience to see all these Cranes gathered and thanks for showing us this rarely seen bird from Japan. Well-timed capture as it moves along the muddy field. I like its pose and details are very sharp and colours natural.
Many thanks and regards, Ulla

Striking portrait with a wealth of detail. Great Light and notes! Looks like a mix of Common, Sandhill and Whooping crane!
TFS and Cheers, Klaus

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1834 W: 243 N: 6032] (21484)
  • [2008-01-26 6:01]

Yep I cheacked a well and I'm pretty sure this is the only Hooded Crane photo on TN!!! So congratulations!! :)
A great capture as well.
The clarity is impeccable and the photo is very sharp and detailed.
Great colours and perfect lighting.
Superb DOF, BG and bokeh!
Well done James.

Cheers,
Joe

Hello James,
Very good image. Technically okay. And beautiful. Educational, copying Radomir. Very good depth of field and natural colours.
Well done
TFS
Annick

nice portrait, perhaps a little to sharpened? greetings Ori

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1871 W: 8 N: 4868] (15759)
  • [2008-01-26 8:42]

Hi James,

Congratulations on being the first to present a Hooded Crane to TN! A wonderful shot with amazing details of the face and plummage. I love the tail feathers. Lovely natural colors and a wonderful natural setting.

Jane

Hello James,
Pressing for time to go to Lake Taupo now!
just drop up to compliment this superb photo!
see you later
cheers
tony

Hello James wonderfull sharp detail I bet the original is awsome. Nice shallow DOF good background seperation well composed tfs rgds Necip.

Very nice capture James..and a TN first as well!
Thanks for sharing this one,
Howard

hello James,
a perfect shot of this very beautiful crane. Congratulations on 1st post and thanks for showing it us. You capture it perfectly POV, focus and composition by hand held.
best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1098 W: 1 N: 4462] (14976)
  • [2008-01-26 18:10]

Hello James,
What incredible detail you achieved in the plummage of this beautiful species, great work James thank you.
Rick

hello james,
lovely capture, the focus is spot on, good details, well composed shot,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 514 W: 8 N: 1134] (4174)
  • [2008-01-26 22:20]

Hello James,
It's a little late tonight, so I'm just marking
your posting tonight.. Well done

Everton

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1770 W: 29 N: 5156] (16888)
  • [2008-01-27 1:53]

Hi James,
Appreciate and like this wonderful shot from you. Out of town, hence doing a short job. Sorry friend.
Regards.
Sumon

Hello James,
Very beautiful photo of this Crane. Excellent sharpness, details and clear and natural colours. Great pose and excellent composition. Fantastic to see these in the wild.
Regards,
Peter

Very impressive portrait of this rare Crane, James.
The side perspective gives a fine impression of its beautiful head and plumage.
Thanks for sharing this great image of a bird that has appeared on TN for the first time.
Regards.
Ram

Hi James

Yes good shot of the Hooded Crane
Excellent sharpness and well composed.

Chris

wonderful in-motion shot - love the stepping action you captured.
Great details in the plumage.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2096 W: 9 N: 5879] (22262)
  • [2008-01-27 9:21]

Hi Got called back to work tonight just got back so a quick note to say good pictures.
well done TFS.
Nick..

hello James

a superb shot, lovely pose of the subject, i love the way that
the bird's one feet is on the mud and the other it is mud,
this brings a plus to this kind (nature, birds and wild animals) photos,
excellent sharpness in the image and excellent details
of the bird's plumage, i love the way you framed it on the image,
i love that big free place you leave in front of him
where he his looking, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-01-27 12:44]

Hello James

Excellent detail and focus.
The plumage shows well with very good definition.
Well exposed with natural colours.
TFS

Rob

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