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Stork


Stork
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1207 W: 2 N: 4559] (13788)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-24
Categories: Birds
Exposure: f/5.6
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-04-05 22:31
Viewed: 642
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
Latin name - Ciconia Ciconia

Today I begun a new serie about the Stork.
When the Male arived as first one, the female comes a few days later the male is going to Clapperen ( i don't no of this are the right english word).
Maybe another word are better, calling Stork!
Photo made with my new D300 camera.

The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae, breeding in the warmer parts of Europe (north to Estonia), northwest Africa, and southwest Asia (east to southern Kazakhstan). It is a strong migrant, wintering mainly in tropical Africa, down to the south of South Africa, and also in the Indian subcontinent.

It is a huge bird, 100-125 cm (40-50 in.) tall, with a 155-200 cm (61-79 in) wingspan and a weight of 2.3-4.5 kg (5-10 lbs). It is completely white except for the black wing flight feathers, and its red bill and legs, which are black on juveniles. It walks slowly and steadily on the ground. Like all storks, it flies with its neck outstretched

Conservation and population
Notable breeding totals occur mainly in eastern Europe, with 52,500 pairs in Poland (6th International Census of White Stork, 2004, 12,000-18,000 pairs in Ukraine, 10,500-13,000 pairs in Belarus, 10,000 pairs in Lithuania, the highest known density of this species in the world, and 8,500 pairs in Latvia. In Germany, 3,000 of the total 3,400 pairs are in the former East Germany. In southwestern Asia, Turkey has the highest population, with 15,000-35,000 pairs. Apart from Spain (14,000 pairs) and Portugal (1,000-2,000 pairs), numbers in western Europe are much less healthy, with the once sizable Danish population declining to just five pairs in 1995, while re-introductions of zoo-reared birds have halted declines in Italy (30 pairs), the Netherlands (9-12 pairs), and Switzerland (120-160 pairs). A few pairs also breed in South Africa, recent colonists from within the normal wintering population (HBW). North of the breeding range, it is a rare passage migrant or vagrant in Finland, Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden, and also west to the Azores and Madeira. Data (except Poland and South Africa).

Threats to the species include the drainage of wetlands and other agricultural intensification, collisions with overhead power lines, use of persistent pesticides (such as DDT) to combat locusts in Africa, and (largely illegal) hunting on passage and the wintering grounds (HBW). Some birds, known in German as Pfeilstorch ("arrow storks"), have been found in Europe with African arrows embedded in their bodies.

The White Stork is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies

White Storks rely on movement between thermals of hot air for long distance flight, taking great advantage of them during annual migrations between Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. The shortest route south would take them over the Mediterranean, but since thermals only form over land, storks take a detour. The options are limited, because to the east lies the Arabian Desert, where it is difficult to find food and water - and to the west lies the Atlantic Ocean. This leaves two narrow migration corridors: eastern storks cross the straits of Bosporus to Turkey, traverse the Levant (Syria-Lebanon-Israel-Palestine), and then bypass the Sahara Desert by following the Nile, while western ones fly through the straits of Gibraltar. Either way, the storks can get help from the thermals for almost the entire trip and thus save energy.

White storks breed in open farmland areas with access to marshy wetlands, building a stick nest in trees, on buildings, or special platforms. Because it is viewed as bird of good luck, it is not persecuted, and often nests close to human habitation. In southern Europe, storks' nests can be seen on churches and other buildings. It often forms small colonies. Like most of its relatives, it feeds mainly on frogs and large insects, but also young birds, lizards and rodents.

The white stork is almost silent except for the noisy mutual bill-clattering when adults meet at the nest

Cultural associations
According to mythology, the 'stork' is responsible for bringing babies to new parents. This story probably came about because White Storks have a habit of nesting on buildings in urban areas, so they are often seen around human habitation.

Poles, Lithuanians and Ukrainians believe that storks bring harmony to a family on whose property they nest. The White Stork is the national bird of Poland and Lithuania. Famous polish poet Cyprian Kamil Norwid mentioned polish storks in his poem "My song":
Proframe, mariki, Hil, jaycee, Alex99, boreocypriensis, maurydv, goldyrs, uleko has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To goldyrs: Thanks.Gert-Paassen 1 04-07 10:32
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Critiques [Translate]

Good morning Gert,

You're up early :)
Beautiful shot of this calling stork.
Technically excellent with great sharpness, exposure and DOF.
Love the composition and the soft BG color tones.
Wonderful details and color contrast.
Great note also.
Perfect work Gert. TFS!!!

Best regards and have a nice Sunday, Harry

Hi Gert,
nice shot. Typical pose. Picture is good arrected, good composition. Well done. Tfs. Stev

Hello Gert,

Excellent shot of this stork. Nice pose of the bird. Great POV, DOF, and sharpness. Beautiful light and colours. Superb background.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405] (5027)
  • [2008-04-06 2:55]

Hi Gert,

Great shot of the Stock displaying for a mate, nicely composed with a excellent pose and superb POV and DOF, the details are really good with a very nice eye, lovely colours too and perfect exposure on the difficult Blacks and Whites.

TFS Hilary

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12250)
  • [2008-04-06 3:03]

Bonjour Gert,

Superbe photo,bravo pour la pose de l'oiseau et l'arrière plan.
Merci.
Joseph

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-04-06 8:56]

Hi Gert,

A wonderful shot of this beautiful stork. I love the pose! You did a perfect job on the black and white. Marvelous details of the feathers and the eye is fantastic. I'm looking forward to your stork series.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2008-04-06 9:11]

Hi Gert.
What a nice pose of the stork and scene at whole. Brilliant sharpness and reduction of all details of the beautiful bird and nest. Excellent lighting and natural trish palette as well as the precise timing. Bravo.
Alexei.

Hi My Beloved friend Gert,
Excellent shot of this beautiful bird my friend! TFS.
Greetings from Sanliurfa (Birecik),
Bayram

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-04-06 20:57]

Hello Gert

This is one way to look behind you!
Very well captured with sharp detail and excellent focus.
The colours are natural and well saturated.
Excellent POV and DOF.
TFS

Rob

Splendida immagine di cicogna sul nido, spettacolare posa, ottimi POV e la composizione con il nido tagliato e il bellissimo BG, ottimi i dettagli e molto belli i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Hey Gert,
What is this Stork doing?I mean it's neck seems to be twisted quite a bit!Or is it just stretching?
You've captured a very different pose...I can't say if I like it or not...but this shot, overall is great, as is the note!
Thanks!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2992 W: 162 N: 950] (2789)
  • [2008-04-07 9:40]

Hello Gert,
Splendid capture of the White Stork performing its bill-clattering! Very well-timed and it is beautifully in focus. Great sharpness and lovely colours and I like its position on the nest. Fine soft background too. Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer [C: 207 W: 0 N: 605] (2855)
  • [2008-04-07 12:20]

Hi Gert,
Very unusual for a pose, I really like it.
Colours are very nice, good work with the whites!

Lise

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