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Demoiselle Crane


Demoiselle Crane
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2411 W: 94 N: 5569] (17712)
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, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2009-09-26 6:55
Viewed: 330
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Demoiselle Crane, Anthropoides virgo is a species of crane that breeds in central Asia, with a few found in Cyprus and eastern Turkey, even far as western and Northern Pakistan. The crane migrates to Africa and South Asia in winter.

Characteristics
The Demoiselle is 85-100 cm long with a 155-180 cm wingspan, slightly smaller than the Common Crane but with similar plumage. It has a long white neck stripe and the black on the foreneck extends down over the chest in a plume.

It has a loud trumpeting call, higher-pitched than the Common Crane. Like other cranes it has a dancing display, more balletic than the Common Crane, with less leaping.

Life
During the breeding season, marshy areas are preferred the living spaces, while the cranes are more commonly found in dry grasslands throughout the winter. The birds usually nest no more than 500 m away from a main source of water. Damp marshes, steppe habitats, and meadows are all other areas in which the Demoiselle Crane could be spotted in.

Demoiselle Cranes have to take one of the toughest migrations in the world. In late August through September, they gather in flocks of up to 400 individuals and prepare for their flight to their winter range. During their migratory flight south, Demoiselles fly like all cranes, with their head and neck straight forward and their feet and legs straight behind, reaching altitudes of 4,8-7,9 m. Along their arduous journey they have to cross the Himalayan mountains to get to their over wintering grounds in India, many die from fatigue, hunger and predation from birds such as eagles. At their wintering grounds, Demoiselles have been observed flocking with Common Cranes, their combined totals reaching up to 20,000 individuals. Demoiselles maintain separate social groups within the larger flock. In March and April, they begin their long spring journey back to their northern nesting grounds.

In Khichan in India, villagers feed the Cranes on their migration and these large congregations have become an annual spectacle.

The Demoiselle Crane is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

(Source: Wikipedia)
Argus, maurydv, roges, siggi, Miss_Piggy, goatman04, marianas, nglen, xTauruSx, bahadir, Gert-Paassen, boreocypriensis, jaycee, CeltickRanger, ferranjlloret, zulfu, Noisette, valy67, rousettus, Adanac has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To flashpoint: WorkshopPeterZ 1 09-30 11:48
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3831 W: 190 N: 11410] (35161)
  • [2009-09-26 7:09]

Hello Peter,
We are neighbours this time!
A great close portrait of a Demoiselle Crane that shows details of the head with excellent colours, sharpness and lighting. Though this species occasionally strays into Europe, it is easier to travel to Cyprus in August where they rest on the way to Africa. Eastern populations winter in India as you say. It is a species that I would love to photograph iin the wild.
Thanks and enjoy the rest of your weekend and I hope you are recovering well.
Ivan

Hello Peter,
a very beautiful portrait of a Demoiselle Crane, very good details and beautiful natural colours, i like the POV and the close composition.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 620 W: 0 N: 561] (3236)
  • [2009-09-26 7:41]

Hi Peter,

Een nieuwe super "portret" met enkele sensationele kleuren.
U wilt een mooie zaterdag,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1385 W: 56 N: 4777] (16434)
  • [2009-09-26 7:42]

Hello Peter,
The DOF are great, the birds stands out veru well from the BG.Very good details, nice colours and well composed.I like the POV too.
Excellent work.Best regards Siggi

hallo Peter
Mooie scherpe foto van deze kraanvogel
de kop van dichtbij is erg goed ,je ziet elk veertje
de rode ogen steken er erg mooi uit tegen het grijs
super shot
groetjes lou

Ciao Peter. Perfect focused portrait in excellent contrast and light's management.

Roberto

Hallo Peter
Absolutely great photography!. I'll give my left hand's pinky to be able to photograph a beauty like this. The colours and details are unbelievable and portrays so well on the screen. Indeed a pleasant photograph with lots and lots of detail to appreciate. Thanks for sharing this lovely and elegant bird. Best regards
Anna

Peter
What a great portrait!
Lovely colors, sharp details.
Horia

Hello Peter,

An excellent macro portrait with fantastic colors, sharpness & fine details.

Very well done & TFS.

Reards

Umar

Peter
What a lovely bird, great details and colors,
Mariana

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2924 W: 34 N: 8671] (32310)
  • [2009-09-26 9:46]

Hi Peter. This is a fine head shot of the Crane. Your sharp focusing has given fine detail in the feathers and bright eye. With natural looking colours. I like the plain coloured BG. well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • bedri Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 61 W: 0 N: 77] (514)
  • [2009-09-26 10:37]

Hi Peter,
Excellent capture, POV DOF very good. Well done, TFS.
Best regards,
Bedri..

Ciao Peter, splendid portrait of beautiful Demoiselle Crane, fantastic red eye, wonderful blurry BG, superb details and excellent sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Hello Peter, splendid portrait shot of a crane with nice point of view and composition.
TFS and regards,
Deniz

Hello Peter, lovely and great portrait of this beautiful bird. Nice composition, details and POV.
TFS and regards, Bahadır

Hallo Peter,

een mooi portret foto van deze kraanvogel met veel detailering.
Goed oogkontakt.
Prachtige kleuren.

Gert

Hi MF Peter,

An awesome portrait capture of this beautiful crane from wonderful POV with neat details and splendid composition.
TFS and have a nice Sunday!
Cheers,

bayram

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-09-26 16:25]

Hi Peter,

How beautiful! The magnificent red eye and the highly detailed feathers are wonderful. This Crane seems to be smiling for the camera. A marvelous portrait against a perfect background.

Jane

hello Peter

excellent portrait photo of this Crane,
fine focus with excellent sharpness and details,
i love the expression on his eye, TFS

Hello Peter,
Other nice portrait with excellent compo and POV. Interesting note and document.
TFS. Ferran

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1069 W: 0 N: 162] (870)
  • [2009-09-27 13:57]

Hello Peter,
Stunning portrait shot of this beautiful crane.
Details and composition are excellent.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

Hello Peter
another great bird portrait from you taken from his nice profil,
wonderful details on his feathers, and superb colors
i like his red eye and the grey BG where isolate the bird very nicely
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1880 W: 59 N: 2915] (8733)
  • [2009-09-27 22:36]

Hello Peter !
Wow, amazing close-up ! I have seen theses birds in a zoo, they are so gracious and elegant, and they have such a beautiful face, as you show us on your picture. I love the black and white markings, the bright red eye that stands out wonderfully, the long pointy beak... And the technical quality of the picture is excellent - details, composition, POV, colors, blurred BG, everything is perfect. Very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1343 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-09-28 2:42]

Hi Peyer,
your series of birds' head is really stunning. this one look so georgous with the red eye so detailed. the well groomed feathers also give a stunnig effect.
Well composed capture.

Regards,
Foozi

excellent portraite for this marvellous crane. focus, POV, eyes contact and composition wonderful. As you mentioned on notes, it also occurs in E Turkiye. In last summer, I visited the most familiar places. nothing. Same results were from other birdwatchers for last several years. I hope I will find it in next summer.
Meanwhile, I visited Vögelpark website, you gave link formerly. I cant find species list or details. Maybe language problems caused it.
Thanks for sharing this great portraite, have a nice evening Peter.
Ahmet

ciao Peter!
a good portrait of a Demoiselle Crane
nice details and color...maybe a little overexposed..i try a Ws

greeting sERGIO

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2009-10-06 19:43]

Hello Peter,
A very sharp and colorful close up, its eye is incredible, thank you for sharing.
Rick

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