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*Let me kiss you, Handsome!*


*Let me kiss you, Handsome!*
Photo Information
Copyright: Thorsten Buchen (thor68) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 792 W: 138 N: 1312] (5642)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-02
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 400D, Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DiII, SanDisk Ultra II 1GB, Hoya 62 mm UV
Exposure: f/13.0, 1/320 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Cologne Zoo [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-06 12:42
Viewed: 1057
Points: 19
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Two marabou storks in Cologne´s Zoo.

**********************

The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a
large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It
breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in
both wet and arid habitats, often near human
habitation, especially waste tips.

It is a huge bird. Large specimens are thought to
reach a height of 150 cm (60 in), a weight of over 9
kg (20 lbs) and have a wingspan of at least 3.2 m
(10.5 ft). In the last regard, it shares the
distinction of having the largest wingspan of any
landbird with the Andean Condor. Unlike most storks,
the three Leptoptilos species fly with the neck
retracted like a heron.

The Marabou is unmistakable due to its size, bare head
and neck, black back, and white underparts. It has a
huge bill, a pink gular sack at its throat, a neck
ruff, and black legs and wings. The sexes are alike,
but the young bird is browner and has a smaller bill.
Full maturity is not reached for up to four years.

Like most storks, the Marabou is gregarious and a
colonial breeder. In the African dry season (when food
is more readily available as the pools shrink) it
builds a tree nest in which two or three eggs are laid.

It also resembles other storks in that it is not very
vocal, but indulges in bill-rattling courtship
displays. The throat sack is also used to make various
noises at that time.

The Marabou Stork is a frequent scavenger, and the
naked head and neck are adaptations to this, as it is
with the vultures with which the stork often feeds. In
both cases, a feathered head would become rapidly
clotted with blood and other substances when the
bird's head was inside a large corpse, and the bare
head is easier to keep clean.

This large and powerful bird will eat different kinds
of animals, either alive or as carrion, including
small mammals, reptiles, and similar prey. Living prey
includes termites, fish, locusts, grasshoppers,
caterpillars, frogs, rodents, crocodile eggs and
hatchlings, quelea nestlings, doves, young and adult
flamingos, cormorant nestlings, and pelican chicks.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marabou_Stork]

**********************

Kameramodell Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL
Aufnahmedatum/-zeit 02.06.2007 15:00:11
Aufnahmemodus Manuelle Belichtung
Tv (Verschlusszeit) 1/320
Av (Blendenzahl) 13.0
Messmodus Mehrfeldmessung
Filmempfindlichkeit (ISO) 400
Objektiv 18.0 - 250.0 mm
Brennweite 250.0 mm
Bildgröße 2592x3888
Bildqualität Fein
Blitz Aus
Weißabgleich Man. Weißabgl
AF-Betriebsart One-Shot AF
Farbraum sRGB
Rauschminderung Automatisch
Dateigröße 3609 KB
Transportart Reihenbild-Aufnahme
dew77, blakitan, horia, loot, c_rapp, SkyF has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To loot: :-)thor68 1 06-12 10:11
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Good 
  • ele Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 94 W: 14 N: 15] (382)
  • [2007-06-06 12:45]

la foto sarebbe bella ma dovresti provare a cancellare la rete dietro

Nice moment, excellent light and details.
Andrea

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-06-06 13:29]

Hello Thorsten,
Lovely scane.Well caught,framed and composed.
TFS..:-)

Hi Thorsten,
ich kann mir nicht helfen, aber irgendwie kann ich mich mit diesen Vögeln nicht anfreunden.
Was bedeuten diese roten "Geschwülste"? Und sehr "unreine" Gesichtshaut ;-)
Aber ein putziger Moment voll Liebe, Danke und Gruß
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hi Thor,
Very nicely capturing this romantic moment. Sharp, great details of feather of these big bird.
Great shot.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2169 W: 218 N: 4383] (14900)
  • [2007-06-09 4:33]

Hi Thor and sorry for the delay. I just arrived home a few hours ago.

This is really a wonderful shot and one with excellent timing!
It really give the feeling that the storks are in their natural environment and acting perfectly usual.
Very nice sharp details as well as natural colors.
If it weren't for the fence in the BG, this would be a brilliant shot...but you couldn't do anything about that. You tried to managed the DOF as well as possible and i actually thing you nailed it there because both of them are in full focus and the B is very nicely blurred. More would have probably been too artificial.
Anyway, lovely photo!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hello Thorsten , very well exposured sharp photo , i think this World' ugliest bird . TFS

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5435 W: 593 N: 3649] (10027)
  • [2007-06-10 16:04]
  • [3] [+]

Hi Thorsten

A lovely moment you've captured here. Well spotted and good timing. Just proves again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm sure you won't stand in this cue for a kiss unless you are very hard up for some affection (chuckle).

A very clear shot with good details and colours. The lighting was well managed and I like the zoomed in close crop. Just a slight pity about the zoo paraphernalia in the BG, but otherwise a great shot.

Good work MF and TFS.
Regards
Loot

EWWW! and yet very cool! great picture of these not so handsome birds. Nice clear details and colors Great capture. TFS
Christan

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2007-07-13 16:59]

Hallo Thorsten,
nicht die schoenesten Voegel aber auf jedenfall sind sie interresant. Prima timing bei dieser Aufnahme, die Interaction von den Beiden ist super. Prima Perspektive und auch der Bildschnitt sind klasse.
Gruss..Sky

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