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Aquila rapax


Aquila rapax
Photo Information
Copyright: Oana Otilia Saracutu (oanaotilia) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 311 W: 19 N: 509] (1700)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-03-29
Categories: Birds
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2009-04-02 12:59
Viewed: 787
Points: 43
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Finally, the spring in here.
Together with some good friends I decided to make a trip somewhere in Belgium. We said let’s go to Bouillon, close to the French border deep in the south of the Belgian province of Luxembourg. This castle was once owned by Godfry of Bouillon, leader of the first crusade to Jerusalem in the year 1096. The town is first mentioned in a text of 988, but it was probably already inhabited in the Gallo-Roman period. It is now a lovely tourist city, where people who like to spend their holidays in green surroundings will certainly find something to their liking. In the local tourist office information can be obtained about different walking routes in the Bouillon area. Also fishermen will find the Semois river an interesting place to practice their sport.
We visited the castle we walked on the darker medieval corridors or the stairs.

But the main attraction, included in the entrance price is an educational exhibition on falconry all year round. And, believe me, this is extraordinary! This show is based on the tradition of hunting with birds of prey. This was a luxury sport, reserved only to the kings or higher lords. Oana1
Between those birds, it was this beautiful and magnificent tawny eagle Aquila rapax.
It is about 62–72 cm in length and has a wingspan of 165–185cm. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. It was once considered to be closely related to the migratory Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis, and the two forms have previously been treated as conspecific. They were split based on pronounced differences in morphology and anatomy; molecular analysis indicates that these birds are not even each other's closest relatives.
It breeds in most of Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across tropical southwestern Asia to India. It is a resident breeder which lays 1–3 eggs in a stick nest in a tree, crag or on the ground.
Throughout its range it favours open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert, steppes, or savannah.
This is a large eagle with tawny upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail. The lower back is very pale. This species is smaller and paler than the Steppe Eagle, although it does not share that species' pale throat.
Immature birds are less contrasted than adults, but both show a range of variation in plumage colour.
The Tawny Eagle's diet is largely fresh carrion of all kinds, but it will kill small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, reptiles and birds up to the size of guineafowl. It will also steal food from other raptors.
The call of the Tawny Eagle is a crow-like barking, but it is rather a silent bird except in display.
All the birds were kept in special places, and probably many will say that those are not ideal conditions for a big bird. Maybe they are right, but the show that they offer worth it. I was really impressed.
Florin, flashpoint, maurydv, roges, eqshannon, ramthakur, gannu, valy67, Heaven, rousettus, Royaldevon, Mikolaj, KOMSIS, Gert-Paassen has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To ramthakur: Thank youoanaotilia 1 04-03 08:28
To eqshannon: croppingoanaotilia 2 04-03 06:50
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Oana!
intense portrait of this rapacious eagle
beautiful detail of the feathers and the proud look....well managed!
I try a Ws....

cheers sERGIO

Hello Oana,
a very beautiful portrait of this splendid bird of prey, My Queen Oana 1st, good sharpness, splendid colours and lighting, very nice composition. Interesting notes.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 614 W: 0 N: 557] (3214)
  • [2009-04-02 13:34]

Salut Oana !
O captura splendida.
Noroc cu primavara ca mai putem si noi sa iesim mai "lejeri" in sinul naturii si putem sa surprindem asemenea pasari sau peisaje faine.
O seara faina,
Adrian

Nice close, Oana! Lovely bird and details.
Congratulations and TFS!

Saudações,
Bruno

There is an art of cropping. I took a class many years ago and have forgotten how it went but I do it sometimes and get good results, such as you did here, but I find many others do not understand the true nature of dynamic cropping...You are spot on!

A fine portrait of a Tawny Eagle you captured during your trip to Belgium, Oana.
The eye of the raptor itself has captured a bit of sky in it. It is a truly razor sharp image with lovely colours.
I must compliment you for your well written note too.
Regards.
Ram

Buna Oana !
Interesanta si frumoasa captura.
Felicitari.
O zi buna,Chris

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 15 N: 1629] (6333)
  • [2009-04-03 9:30]

Buna Oana
Frumos portret. Imi place.
Razvan

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 94 N: 5564] (17694)
  • [2009-04-03 10:59]

Hello Oana,
Excellent portrait of this Tawny Eagle in a very nice pose. The sharp details and natural colours are very good. Beautiful catchlight in the eye. Great OOF matching BG.
Have a good weekend,
Peter

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2009-04-06 3:03]

Buna Oana,

Ai facut un portret foarte reusit al acestei pasari. Imaginea este foarte interesanta si frumoasa. Chira daca nu este oarecum "soft" iti da senzatia de extrema claritate. Culorile sunt foarte bune caci ai reusit sa prinzi o lumina foarte buna. Cadrajul este de asemenea foarte reusit.

Felicitari,
Cristian

Hello Oana !
Such a great portrait of this majestic bird ! I love his sharp look, it's very impressive. maybe I would have added some sharpness, but well, this is just my opinion, the picture is very beautiful as it is. Wonderful composition and POV, fantastic pose of the bid, nice natural colors. Very well done !
Valérie.

Buna Oana, ai reusit un portret foarte bun....felicitarile mele.

  • Good 
  • Heaven Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 811 W: 108 N: 1736] (6060)
  • [2009-04-07 12:20]

Hi Oana!

The show must go on! It seems that there isn't anything more important in our society than entertainment... so let's dance the bears, fly the eagles and bite the crocodiles...

I apologize for being so sarcastic, but I can't be a friend of that kind of events.

Well, your picture is fine, the eagle's eyes and its beak are impressive, although the picture lacks a bit of sharpness.

Kind regards

Markus

Magnificent and you know it!

Hi Oana ,
So nice portrait with great details.
Nice work

Kind regards
Saeed

Hello Oana
your shot is fine. POV and eyes contact and details also good. TFS, best wishes
Ahmet

Hello Oana,

A lovely close-up of the tawny eagle in which the close crop focusses attention on the details of its dangerous beak and sharp, watchful eye. Very well done.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hi Oana,
A wonderful macro shot.Good sharpness and details.
Eye and bill is very clear.
Regards from Mesopotamia.
Dûrzan.

Hello Oana! Ideal sharpness. Good contrast. Nice colours. Very good work. Well done!

Buna Otilia,

Interesanta fotografie, mi se pare putin cam trista si cu privirea pierduta in zarile indepartate in care ar trebui sa zboare. O fi o traditie pentru multe popoare (vanatoarea cu rapitoarele cu pene) dar tot pasari chinuite raman. Fotografia e reusita. Bravo.

Numai bine, Ceyar T.

Hello Oana,
a very beautiful portrait of eagle...
Good sharpness, splendid colours and lighting.
Have a nice day,
Seyfi.

Hello Oana
a wonderful shot of this aquila rapax, you have cropped this picture in a nice way,
great detailed shot and the colors and luminosity are beauiful
I like his intensive look and very good note
TFS Jacqueline

Hi Oana,

very nice close up from this bird of prey.
Good of sharpness and details.
Fine colours.

Gert

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