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European blackbird


European blackbird
Photo Information
Copyright: Valerie Schnepp (valy67) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1409 W: 53 N: 1929] (5768)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-22
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 350D, Canon EF 55-200mm 4.5-5.6 II USM
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2006-06-22 16:56
Viewed: 1309
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is one of the most common birds in France- or at least in Alsace. I was at my grand parent's home, cutting grass to make some hay, and this beautiful guy was flying around me, looking for the grasshoppers and other insects that were uncovered by cutting the grass. He was not afraid of humans at all, and was quite close to me when I took this photo, no more than 2 meters.


European blackbird (Turdus merula)

Order : Passeriformes
Family : Turdidae

Adult male blackbirds are, as the name suggests, totally black. They have a bright golden-yellow bill and a neat yellow ring around the eye during spring and summer. Towards the end of summer the bill starts to darken. Females are brown in colour, with dark, streaky mottling on the paler, rufous breast. Juveniles resemble females, but they have pale spots on the upperparts.
A range of vocalisations is produced, including a loud 'pli-pli-pli' alarm call, and the fluty, melodious song (3).

This bird is able to successfully exploit a large range of habitats, from city centres to highland moors, including woodland, gardens, copses, and parks.

The blackbird feeds on fruits, berries, earthworms and a large range of insects. Its active feeding behaviour, when leaves are thrown aside, is characteristic, as well as its careful stalking of a lawn whilst listening with the head cocked to one side for worms.

The nest, a stout cup of twigs, stems, mud and dry grass is built in a tree or bush mainly by the female, although the male may assist by collecting materials (I have a photo of a blackbird nest in my gallery if you want to see what it looks like).
From March between 4 and 5 eggs are laid in the nest. They are bluish grey, mottled with reddish brown and incubated by the female for up to 17 days. After hatching, the young are fed by both parents and fledge after around 13 days.
Dando, jmp, aido, SkyF, loot, liquidsunshine, TAZ, cas_orla, marhowie, red45, lebois, pablominto, ramthakur, CTP, eruyanik, Alex99, RII has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To eruyanik: Hi Ersin !valy67 2 06-25 13:26
To loot: Hi Loot !valy67 1 06-23 00:54
To Silke: Hi !valy67 1 06-22 18:02
To Dando: Hi !valy67 1 06-22 17:45
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 641 W: 32 N: 791] (3080)
  • [2006-06-22 17:40]
  • [+]

Hi Valerie, I love this composition. I like the way the blackbird is turning it's head, a great pose. You have composed the shot very well with excellent POV, colours, details and lighting. Very well odne and TFS.
Dean.

I am looking to get the 350D is the near future and I am pleased to see such good results in your photos, well done again.

Hej Valerie!
Bardzo ladny ptak. Bystre oko, wyrazne piorka. Troche przeszkadzaja w tle te zolte kreski.
Pozdrawiam - Roma

Hello Valerie, excllent details, Bg, POV, DOF, Perfect capture TFS Kyle

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 753 W: 108 N: 1730] (5406)
  • [2006-06-22 17:58]
  • [+]

Hi Valerie
I like this one even better than the blackbird you posted on TrekLens (http://www.treklens.com/gallery/photo153229.htm). This one has all the saucy character of your subject intact. Now it is more than a record of the species shot -- it is a portrait!

  •      
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2341] (8407)
  • [2006-06-22 18:07]

Hola Valerie,
Gran composición y pose. El pájaro tan a la izquierda mirando hacia al espacio vació de la derecha crea una situación intrigante. Gran nitidez y buen fondo.
Un saludo,
José M.

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1095 W: 169 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-06-22 18:20]

Hi Valerie,
I agree with the other critiques, it's a lovely composition. The way the Blackbird is turned back into the frame, it's a nice pose from the bird and a very artistic approach from you. The detail is great, nice light and detail in the eye, great DOF, perfect colours and I like the colours in the BG too, the grasses contrast nicely with the green without interfering. Excellent shot and great note too.
Regards,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-06-22 18:49]

Bonjour Valerie,
Lovely pose, POV and details are excellent. Great colors and excellent exposure.
TFS..Sky

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5779 W: 607 N: 3564] (9623)
  • [2006-06-22 22:03]
  • [2] [+]

Hi Valerie
A lovely bird and captured really well with a storyline that has very similar aspects to my last posting.
I like your composition with the bird almost at the edge of the crop while looking back into the frame. The colours are fine and the details are sharp. The BG is well removed and OOF and it compliments the bird very well, but if I may say so, there is a little bit of noise there. It is not a big deal and we all know that it is easy to remove it. The exposure was well managed.
Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot
PS. I snooped around your "Genebase" web site and it really looks impressive. There is some very interesting blogs & pieces of information and of course the photos are just great as we have become accustomed to see from you.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2385 W: 50 N: 3170] (10926)
  • [2006-06-23 2:11]

Belle composition pour ce Merle noir. J'aime beaucoup sa pose sur la souche. Bonne netteté et profondeur de champ avec un fond soft qui fait bie ressortir le volatile.
Compliments Valérie.

Hi Valerie,

I really like the pose of this blackbird. The exposure on black or white birds is always difficult, but you have managed it well. Good composition. Well done.

Jan-Hendrik

Hi Valerie,
This is a wonderful pose you have captured, lovely BG. Perfect exposure, with sharp detail and well composed..Very good DOF and eye contact as well.
Very nice! Thank You.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2841 W: 75 N: 8090] (27431)
  • [2006-06-23 8:05]

Bonjour Valerie!
I love Blackbirds, they're very common also in Poland, very brave and curious. Excellent photo, I like pose of bird and composition. Green BG is perfect for this shot!

Bonjour Valérie
Très jolie photo de ce merle noir,belle composition avec une magnifique posture de l'oiseau.Les couleurs et les détails sont réussis avec un très joli BG.
Merci et au revoir....JP

  • Great 
  • lebois Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 74 W: 3 N: 82] (232)
  • [2006-06-23 10:12]
  • [2]

Salut Valerie
great shot of this common bird. I love the composition of this picture. Sharpness, backgound all great. All complimented by the framing . Well done!
Amicalement
Morag

Hi Valerie,
Great pose from your feathered friend!
The framing and composition is upper shelf, DOF spot on and gives details where details should be...
The colour of the beak really is the final touch here!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Good morning Valerie,
Good detail, nice strong colours and sharpness. exposure and lighting are good. Good POV and composition.

Thanks for posting, have a great weekend my friend.

Wonderful image, Valerie!
Great POV, DOF, colours and sharpness.
The bird is looking expectantly at you, hoping you would turn up the next tidbid for him.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • puciu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 519 W: 0 N: 16] (2603)
  • [2006-06-23 15:27]

£adna kompozycja, dobra ostro¶æ i fajne kolory. Dobrze rozmyte t³o.

  • Great 
  • takos1 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 276 W: 25 N: 204] (2575)
  • [2006-06-23 18:20]

Senz'altro bella!
Buoni dettagli, bei colori e ottima composizione.

Ciao.
Franco

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 499 W: 2 N: 466] (2169)
  • [2006-06-24 4:14]

beautiful shot! very nice pose of a bird, giving a great composition. nice exposure on absolute black bird. tfs

  • Great 
  • CTP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 774 W: 6 N: 1107] (3183)
  • [2006-06-24 20:30]

Hi Valerie,
Excellent Blackbird portrait shot.
I like your pov,dof,focus,pose/expression,sharpness,colorts,note,framing and blurred bg.Well Captured.TFS
Chris

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7759)
  • [2006-06-25 4:00]

Hi Valerie
He is giving you a pose I tink. Great shot. Good colours, sharpnes, details, light, DOF and POV. Also good note and BG.
Well done Valerie

osse

Hello Valérie!
Hey i'm surprised to saw this post! It's so nice to different shots in your gallery! You know my gallery full of insects only! You had to so close this bird with your 55-200 mm. i really love it's pose! Great pov and perfect framing on this one! i like the bg also! It has beautiful soft colours! Just wonderful!
Cheers!
Ersin

Valerie, I too like this picture, though the bird looks very scruffy! not that that is a dab thing you understand. It is an excellent portrait of the blackbird and I have often found the best shots are to be had when you are working alongside nature. Then they don't seem bothered by you at all.

TFS
Emma

  • Great 
  • hvdp Silver Star Critiquer [C: 25 W: 1 N: 3] (210)
  • [2006-06-27 15:43]

Encore une très belle composition, avec ce regard qui renvoie dans la diagonale. Un bel arrière plan et une bonne exposition.
Bravo!
Hugo.

Hi Valerie.
A very nice shot with amazing pose of a bird, excellent managed foreground and well blurred BG. I have tried to weaken shadows a bit. What do you think about it.
My regards,
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • RII Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 491 W: 0 N: 889] (2810)
  • [2006-07-20 4:21]

Hi Valerie.
Excellent capture, great color contrast and details, vert nice composition and pose,good and note.

Saludos...RICARDO.

Hi Valerie,
Nice posed from this pretty bird. Sharp and clearly seen image. POV, dof and composition are great. Well done.
JC

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