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Whooper Swan


Whooper Swan
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2388 W: 94 N: 5521] (17576)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-09-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital JPEG
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/1600 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-09-24 6:28
Viewed: 297
Points: 62
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello Friends,
Recovering from an operation in hospital last Tuesday, the next days I got some more time to give comments.

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American Trumpeter Swan.

Description
The Whooper Swan is similar in appearance to the Bewick's Swan. However, it is larger, at a length of 140-160 cm, a wingspan of 205-275 cm and a weight range of 8-20 kg . It has a more angular head shape and a more variable bill pattern that always shows more yellow than black (Bewick's Swans have more black than yellow).

Distribution and behaviour
Whooper swans require large areas of water to live in, especially when they are still growing, because their body weight cannot be supported by their legs for extended periods of time. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom.

Whooper swans have a deep honking call and, despite their size, are powerful fliers. Whooper swans can migrate many hundreds of miles to their wintering sites in northern Europe and eastern Asia. They breed in subarctic Eurasia, further south than Bewicks in the taiga zone. They are rare breeders in northern Scotland, particularly in Orkney, and no more than five pairs have bred there in recent years. This bird is an occasional vagrant to western North America.

Icelandic breeders overwinter in England and Ireland, especially in the wildfowl nature reserves of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Whooper swans pair for life, and their cygnets stay with them all winter; they are sometimes joined by offspring from previous years. Their preferred breeding habitat is wetland, but semi-domesticated birds will build a nest anywhere close to water. Both the male and female help build the nest, and the male will stand guard over the nest while the female incubates. The female will usually lay 4-7 eggs (exceptionally 12). The cygnets hatch after about 36 days and have a grey or brown plumage. The cygnets can fly at an age of 120 to 150 days.

Whooper Swans are much admired in European culture.

Source: Wikipedia
CeltickRanger, siggi, maurydv, boreocypriensis, pilonm, nglen, nasokoun, Gert-Paassen, horias, Argus, xTauruSx, bahadir, parasbhalla, cirano, zulfu, ferranjlloret, jaycee, KOMSIS, goldyrs, Luis52, Noisette, anel has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To euroblinkie: HerstelPeterZ 1 09-24 11:20
To Gert-Paassen: HerstelPeterZ 1 09-24 11:18
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Critiques [Translate]

hallo Peter
ik miste je al,het kon geen vakantie zijn
ik hoop dat het goed met je gaat en dat je er weer bij kan zijn
NOU,je begint met een meesterlijke kop
zo scherp en zo mooi van kleur
supper compositie
bedankt groetje lou

hello Peter

beautiful portrait photo of the Whooper Swan,
fine POV at the level of its head, fine focus
excellent sharpness and details,
and beautifully blurred background, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 407 W: 0 N: 1011] (5460)
  • [2009-09-24 6:52]

Excellent macro, portret of this Swan!

  • Great 
  • bedri Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 53 W: 0 N: 73] (500)
  • [2009-09-24 7:08]

Super photo Peter, beautiful portrait. Well done, TFS..
Regards,
Bedri..

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4723] (16252)
  • [2009-09-24 8:18]

Hello Peter,
Lovely potrait of this cute Whooper Swan. Very neat image. Nice soft colors.Great shot.
Best regards Siggi

Hello Peter,
what a fantastic portrait of the Whooper Swan, excellent POV and DOF, superb sharpness and marvellous colours, very pleasing composition.
TFS
Wishing you all the best
Maurizio

Hi MF Peter!

Wish you a speedy recovery MF! Hope there is not any serious problem. THis is greatportrait capture of this pretty whooper swan in all around!
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

Hello Peter,

Wow! What a swan!!! I never saw one with this yellow on the face! Nice close-up with a lovely background enhancing the swan. You managed the exposition letting us see the different white tones. The only thing is that it seems to me that the feathers on the neck at the left is less in focus than the rest of the head. Maybe a smaller aperture (f/8) would have solve this little thing...

Cheers and TFS!

Michel

Hoi Peter,
Een prachtige opname met een echt perfecte scherpte diepte. Het moment met de snavel net iets open is prachtig en laat mooi zien welk gereedschap de zwaan heeft om te eten. Aangezien witte veren de belichting erg moeilijk kunnen maken moet ik zeggen dat ik erg onder de indruk ben van deze perfect belichte foto. Het is leuk om het landschap in de reflectie te kunnen zien.
Groeten.
Niek

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8625] (32146)
  • [2009-09-24 9:53]

Hi Peter. I hope all is ok with you and you get back to normal soon. This Whooper Swan has such sharp focusing and fine detail in the well exposed white feather. This is excellent . Your use of the light has given such bright colorus. well done TFS.
Nick..

hello Peter
very beautiful close up, with impressive colours, photo with very good output
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos

Hallo Peter,

hoe gaat ie?
Zo te zien alweer aardig in beweging, hoop voor je op een spoedig herstel.

Mooie portret opname van de kleine of wilde zwaan.
Prachtige kleuren.

Gert

Realismo por la buena luz y enfoque ayudados por una enorme profundidad de campo y a f7.1... y es que esa D300 es fantástica.
Un saludo: J. Ignasi.

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 387 W: 59 N: 854] (3948)
  • [2009-09-24 11:42]

Peter
Waw....wonderful duck portrait!
Lovely colors and sharp details.
Horia

Ciao Peter. Amazing focused portrait in perfect sharp and contrast. Real good work with light and colours. Well done.

Roberto

  • Great 
  • izida Silver Star Critiquer [C: 28 W: 0 N: 0] (584)
  • [2009-09-24 12:23]

Merhabalar Peter,
Harika bir portre..Detaylar.cekim ,renkler harika..
Elinize ve emeginize saglik

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 190 N: 11348] (34987)
  • [2009-09-24 12:25]

Hello Peter,
I hope you are recovering well from your operation. This is a great close of the head of a Whooper Swan taken with ssuperb sharpness, colours and lighting against a neutral BG to show it with fantastic detail.
Wonderful shot!
Thanks and all the best,
Ivan

Hello Peter, superb portrait shot of this lovely swan. I wish you healty and hope you recovery soon..
TFS and regards,
Deniz

Hello peter, lovely and perfect shot of this cute faced swann.
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

Hi Peter,

Nice macro capture of the Whopper Swan with great details!
The sharpness and POV are perfect with nice color contrast, existing within the picture. The picture has superb focusing and the clarity is exceptionally well done.
Great work!

best regards,
Paras

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 656 W: 0 N: 228] (4942)
  • [2009-09-24 15:23]

Slav Peter,
Very good portrait with excellent sharpness and perfect POV.The colors and details are very good.TFS.
Dűrzan

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1057 W: 0 N: 162] (868)
  • [2009-09-24 15:31]

Hello Peter, wonderful shot of this beautiful swan with lovely pose.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

Hello Peter,
Guauuuuuuuu! Impresive portrait ....
TFS. Ferran

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-09-24 16:44]

Hi Peter,

So sorry to learn that you were in the hospital and wish you a speedy recovery. This Whooper Swan is wonderful with the beak that looks like it was splashed with yellow paint. Colors and details of the beak , eye, and feathers are excellent. A wonderful portrait of this unusual looking Swan.

Jane

Ciao Peter, wonderful portrait of beautiful swan, fantastic details, splendid colors and excellent sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Hi Peter,
A successful portrait Whooper Swan ...
Depth of field, excellent color and sharp detail.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

Hope you're out of the hospital, Peter, and up and about!
Very nice portrait with wonderful, sharp details!
Get well soon, my friend!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2009-09-25 15:11]

Hola Peter.
Nice and sharp, lot of fine details on the head of this swan. Beautiful colors and BG.
Hope You get well soon My friend.
Saludos
Luis52.

Hello Peter
wonderful portrait of this Whooper Swan, the details and the olors are reproduced precisely, i like especially the inside of his beak
great lightind and superb BG
Have a great WE
Jacqueline

hello peter,
beautiful capture of the swan, the closeup looks so beautiful with precise dof, great sharpness and lovely eye contact,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Thanks a lot for your critiques on my 3rd anniversary picture.

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1723 W: 0 N: 3915] (15730)
  • [2009-09-26 4:50]

Hello Peter,
A perfect portrait of the Whooper Swan! I like especially its funny expression. The light is well managed, the colors look natural, the background is well chosen. A very pleasing shot, indeed.
Have a nice weekend
Kind regards
Anne

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