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The Purple Heron/Ardea purpurea


The Purple Heron/Ardea purpurea
Photo Information
Copyright: nasos kountourakis (nasokoun) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 807 W: 0 N: 1203] (4163)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-06-16
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED-Nikon TC14EII
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-07-24 9:55
Viewed: 412
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Purple Heron/Ardea purpurea
in Greek porfirotsiknias(porfiros:purple-tsiknias:in the spoken language the heron),
is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae,breeding in Africa,central and southern Europe-southern and eastern Asia.
The European populations are migratory,wintering in tropical Africa.

The Purple Heron is a large bird,80-90 cm tall,with a 120-150 cm wingspan,
but slender for its size, weighing only 0.5-1.3 kg.
It is somewhat smaller than the Grey Heron,
from which it can be distinguished by its darker reddish-brown plumage and in adults,darker grey back.
It has a narrower yellow bill, which is brighter in breeding adults(like in photo).

The Purple Heron breeds in colonies in reed beds or trees close to large lakes or other extensive wetlands.
It builds a bulky stick nest.
It feeds in shallow water,spearing fish,frogs,insects,small mammals,reptiles and small birds.
It will often wait motionless for prey (like in photo),or slowly stalk its victim.
It tends to keep within reedbeds more than the Grey Heron and is often inconspicuous,despite its size.
It has a slow flight,with its neck retracted.This is characteristic of herons and bitterns
and distinguishes them from storks,cranes and spoonbills,which extend their necks.
The long neck of Purple Heron looks particularly snake-like,with more of an S-shape in flight.
The call is a loud croaking "krek".

(info are from wikipedia)

This scene was photographed in the river Strimonas,in the delta that it creates in the lake Kerkini,
in the flooded meadows.

thank you for your visit in my collection

have a nice day and good photographs
Argus, jojo1984, thor68, cirano, nglen, jaycee, CeltickRanger, Gert-Paassen, goldyrs, Noisette, boreocypriensis, maurydv, bahadir, mlines has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Nasos!
tres belle photo de ce heron dans ce beau paysage naturel
tres bon focus cadrage et nettetée bravo
Joffrey

Ciao Nasos, beautiful Heron in the grass, wonderful natural colors, great sharppness and fine details, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 792 W: 138 N: 1312] (5642)
  • [2009-07-24 11:26]

excellent capture of the wonderful hunting heron! :-) sharpness and details are great, love the
composition with all the marvellous green grass around. superb job & take care, thor.

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 654 W: 0 N: 228] (4916)
  • [2009-07-24 11:51]

Slav Nasos,
Very good capture of this Heron.Great colors,sharpnes and fine details.Thanks for sharing.
Regards.
Dûrzan

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8623] (32138)
  • [2009-07-24 12:08]

Hi Nasos. You have used the light well in this picture of the Purple Heron . Taken with rich colours and good detail. I like the pose with the bird hunting for food. Looks good in the long grass. well done TFs.
Nick.

Have a good weekend.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3813 W: 190 N: 11346] (34981)
  • [2009-07-24 12:40]

Hello Nasos,
Fine pose, great POV and a pleasing simple composition among the reeds make this an excellent capture of a Purple Heron taken in very good side lighting.
Thanks and have a good weekend,
Ivan

Eres todo un especialista en Aves , Nasos. Nos presentas otro bello trabajo lleno de técnica y exquisito gusto. Con esta fotografía se puede dar una buena explicación de lo que es la profundidad de campo !

Saludos: Josep Ignasi.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-07-24 16:34]

Hi Nasos,

I love your pictures and this Heron is no exception. I don't think I have seen a Purple Heron before. He looks just wonderful surrounded by the grass. (Grass is a novelty for me - the only grass in Tucson is on the golf courses). Beautiful colors and details of his face, beak, eye and feathers. The composition and framing are lovely.

Jane

hello Nasos

excellent photo of the heron on hunting pose (à l'affut),
fine POV and framing, i love the very good free space
you leaved in-front of the bird, beautiful luminosity,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2573] (9077)
  • [2009-07-24 19:48]

Hi Nasos,
your bird collection must be a lot. they are beautiful too.
This one is very artistic as the impact of light and hues by the grass is brilliant. Nicely composed in such a wonderful lighting.
Well done.

Regards,
Foozi

Hello Nasos,

An nice capture and good framed picture from these from these Purple Heron.
Good composition and sharpness.
Fine warm colours.

Gert

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 645 W: 15 N: 1580] (6173)
  • [2009-07-25 1:51]

Hello Nasos
A fine capture about purple heron, excellent details and natural colors
Regards
Razvan

Love the light and shade, Nasos...
Very well seen and beautifully shot!
Goldy

Hello Nasos
a very fine capture of this Purple Heron in a beautiful environment, i like the green colors of the grass in the sunshine, wonderful pose and very sharp details
Have a great sunday
Jacqueline

Εξαιρετική Νάσο, ευκρίνεια, χρώμα, φώς και σύνθεση υπέροχα,
καλή συνέχεια,
Νικος.

Hola nasos

Gracias por el comentario

Buene imagen, colorido y nitidez, impresionante.

Yo por estos lugares no encuentro animales asi, tendre que ir al Zoo. Felicidades

un saludo Antonio

Hello Nasos


Thank you for that picture of Purple heron.

Splendid composition, full of life. The sharpness and the depth of field are very good, so that we can see many details. The colours and the contrast are realistic. We have a good feeling from the bird who is walking in the grasses, looking insects for his breakfeast.

See you soon on treknature for other pictures.

Philippe.

Yasou file,

A fine capture of a purple heron between green bushes.
Delightful composition.
TFS and take care!

Bayram

Hello Nasos,
a beautiful picture of the Purple Heron taken with very good sharpness in a nice posture preying, splendid colours, a very pleasing composition with the bird among the grass.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Nasos
Excellent shot of this beautiful purple heron. Nice composition and framing!
TFS and regards, Bahadır

Hi Nasos, Good photo with the subject well positioned and good focus on the eye of this elegant bird. It seems undisturbed by you and the 300mm lens, and seems to have an eye on an insect in the grass. Good work, TFS. Murray.

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