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Darwin's Bicentenary


Darwin's Bicentenary
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3831 W: 190 N: 11410] (35161)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-22
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-02-10 22:29
Viewed: 719
Points: 76
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata).
Swedish name: Kamsothöna

I use this image of a Red-knobbed Coot to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a great scientist, Charles Darwin, who was born on February 12 1809.

Not only was he born 200 years ago but 150 years ago he published his great work, The Origin of Species.
In this astounding book he describes how each species evolved by minute changes from one generation to the next and if this change allowed the species to be better adapted to the environment it would survive in that form until the conditions in the environment altered to favour another change.
He realised that these changes or mutations happen all the time and that they are happening now and that if a chance mutation favoured a species it would have a better chance of survival. After sometimes millions of years the total change in one species may be great enough to classify it as a new species.
He understood that there never was, nor is now, any creative purpose in evolution and that is the basis of what we know about life on this planet.
Though he knew nothing of genetics or genes, he realised that life started in vey primitive forms. Now that we know about DNA and genes his theory can be compared to Newton’s theory of gravity, a scientific fact rather than a theory.

Why do I use this species to celebrate Charles Darwin?
There are several species of the Fulica genus, the most common being the Common Coot, posted several times on TN. They all have in common the white bald area at the base of the bill, which is what the common ancestor to this genus must have had.
Now these different species differ in the size and shape of the white area, in their calls and in the case of this species, the appearance of the red knobs on the forehead. I think they have two main purposes: firstly to indicate that the bird is in breeding condition and secondly for the visual distinction from the Common Coot that happens to share the same habitat, so that each species recognises its own.

These red knobs not only allow this species to recognise its own but also show that it is ready to breed as they appear during the breeding season. They shrink after breeding.

The Red-knobbed Coot is rare in Europe, occurring only in SW Spain. It is therefore not as successful as the Common Coot. It was re-introduced into Mallorca. It also occurs in various parts of Africa.

I took this from a foot-bridge over a canal in the Albufera Nature Reserve at a distance of about 10 meters with the camera had-held. After moderate cropping and size reduction the image was selectively sharpened.
uleko, rcrick, pvs, siggi, matatur, robindb, albert, boreocypriensis, zulfu, jpdenk, eqshannon, crs, haraprasan, eng55, nglen, jaycee, septimiu_nemes, pekkavalo1, Noisette, Luis52, CeltickRanger, Adanac, efsus, valy67, MMM, Silvio2006, ferranjlloret, iris, marhowie, CatherineD, jusninasirun, Florin has marked this note useful
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To eqshannon: No Problem!Argus 1 02-11 09:36
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 717 W: 38 N: 1560] (5019)
  • [2009-02-10 23:28]

Hello Ivan,

Wonderful shot of this Red-knobbed Coot, the detail in the plumage is excellent, really sharp eye colour, well framed and composed, t.f.s

Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2009-02-11 0:42]

Hi Ivan,

A nice note and dedication to Darwin and his evolution theory,your choice of this red knobbed coot is a perfect choice to this,well captured with good showing its different markings,thanks

Paul

hello Ivan,
fine capture of the red knobbed coot, the image is sharp with good details of the plumage, well composed shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 657 W: 15 N: 1636] (6365)
  • [2009-02-11 1:45]

Hello Ivan
Nice capture with good light and details.
Regards.
RAzvan

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1385 W: 56 N: 4777] (16434)
  • [2009-02-11 2:01]

Hello Ivan,
Great shot of this Red-knobbed Coot , very good black/red and white contrast.Very good sharp details and a lovely composition.
Best regards Siggi

Quite an interesting capture of a Red Knobbed Coot in fine detail Ivan, which even shows the back-pedalling left foot in the water! And such a good species to commemorate a great scientist, the founder of the modern evolution theory (the idea goes back to the classical Greeks actually), Charles Darwin. I'm sure you've seen the double articles on him and his theory recently featured in National Geographic Magazine.
Cheers,
Mehmet

Hi Ivan,

Very good dedication to the man who first saw the evolution miracle and who had the courage to speak out. Well seen photo with good control of the exposure showing the detail in the nlack areas.

Robin

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2009-02-11 2:25]

Hi Ivan,
Wonderful shot of this great looking Red-knobbed Coot with immaculate sharpness and colours on its plumage. Superb handling of natural light and exposure and I like the way it wades in the water (leg movement). Nice way to remember the great man on his 200th anniversary.
TFS.
Sumon

hello Ivan
beautiful picture
with good sharpness
nice details of the bird
great shot
greeting lou

Hello Ivan,
Very nice capture with great light.A very good idea to celebrate Darwin's anniversary. I read his book some years ago and was really surprised to hear recently in NGM that he had no scientific background!
Best regards
Albert

Hello Ivan,
Very beautiful image, great sharpness and composition.. Well
done

Everton

Merhaba Dostum Ivan,
A perfectly taken capture of this Red-knobbed Coot with excellent clarity, nice pov, pose and composition MF! A great celebration of the Darwin's bicentenarr, who is the father of evolutionary realities and biology.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1069 W: 0 N: 162] (870)
  • [2009-02-11 5:38]

Hello Ivan, excellent shot of this bird with great details and great celebration.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

Hej Ivan,
never seen this beauty before and it's a fine dedication to Charles Darwin.
Well composed with a good POV.
The light was not easy what I can see but you managed more than well with the exposure. a lot of fine details are well seen in the black plumage.
Well done, mf.
Nu är det grċtt och trist igen efter ett par fina dagar.
Men ljuset är i alla fall tillbaka, det är ju skönt.
Gert

Hi Ivan,

A very interesting note and a fine photo, good detail and sharpness, and an interesting bird.

John

I have reason to question parts of Darwin and not based on religion but on science and my own theories..more like hypothesis...but no doubt Darwin was the man behind many wars today!!

Seriously...Funny how words can do one thing when read by one group and another is totally different...Is there any true proven LAW other than theLaws of Thermodynamics...and by the way they are questioned by some space missions...oh-oh.

Superior image and looks like giveing me a chance to soap box...sorry...Fine show Ivan.
Bob

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2009-02-11 9:06]

Hello Ivan,

You have shown us a fine photo with a very good note. The POV you have chosen for photographing the bird gave you an excelent perspective over its head with good view to the red knobs you reffer to in the note. Plumege also is well shown as color rendering was accurate.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

Hi Ivan,
A lovely capture of this beautiful red knob coot. Superb sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1161 W: 32 N: 1196] (3668)
  • [2009-02-11 11:09]

Hi Ivan,
Very nice capture.I liked details on black plumage,lighting and sharpness a lot.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2924 W: 34 N: 8671] (32310)
  • [2009-02-11 11:32]

Hi Ivan. Thanks for the interesting notes about Charles Darwin.
I see why you used the bird now to go with the name of the picture. At firat i could not see a conection till i read you notes. You have taken this one with fine detail in the head area and body . well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-02-11 11:40]

Hi Ivan,

I haven't seen this Red-knobbed Coot before. A fine species to use for your dedication to Charles Darwin. A wonderful capture with beautiful colors and fine details. This view shows off the red knob perfectly. I love the leg paddling underwater. Your notes were most interesting.

Jane

a very sharp photo with clear details and perfect light Ivan !
wonderful colours and great POV ,
well done !
septimiu

Hej Ivan,
Great picture to celebrate Darwin! Excellent capture of Red-knobbed Coot; great low POV, good composition, sharp fine details, nice catch-light on eye, bright beautiful colours.
TFS
Hälsningar
Pekka

Hello Ivan,
We have a very similar coot to this over here,minus the red knob.
Its called the Australasian Coot.
A nicely composed shot of this one,and a good tribute to Charles Darwin on his 200th birthday.
I'm sure he'll be chuffed ;)
Cheers
Steve

Hello Ivan
you made a wonderful shoot of this coot with great details on the head and plumage
beautiful colors and lighting
very well done
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2009-02-11 16:02]

Hola Sr. Ivan.
Me agrada mucho esta bella foto. La nitidez lograda es exelente y sobresale la claridad del agua, dando un fino detalle a poder ver parte de sus patas.
Los colores del ave son muy bellas y sobre todo su cabeza.
Saludos Don Ivan.
Luis52.

hello Ivan

here on the TV they where talking about Darwin's Bicentenary,
excellent photography of the Red-knobbed Coot commemorate that day,
shot with fine POV, DOF and framing, excellent sharpness
and details of the dark plumage of the bird, and also
excellent educative notes, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2009-02-11 17:53]

Hello Ivan,
Cplendid job getting great details in the dark plumage of this Coot. I like too that you can see its foot under the water. Great notes, image and work Ivan, thank you.
Rick

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 436 W: 10 N: 738] (3210)
  • [2009-02-12 1:02]

Merhaba Ivan,
Değerli bilimadamı Charles Darwin için yapılmış manidar bir ithaf olmuş. Son zamanların bizim ülkemizde özellikle dini çevrelerce eleştirilen ve speküle edilen bilimadamı olan bu saygıdeğer şahsiyeti en iyi sanırım kuşlar ve yaban hayatı ile ilgilenen bizler anlayabiliriz. Bu güzel kare için sizi kutluyor, başarılar diliyorum.

Hüseyin

Hello Ivan !
What a wonbderful picture to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a great man - his contribution to science was huge. I didn't klnow everything you wrote in your note, so it was very interesting to read. I have seen COmmons COots very often, but this one I never saw, he looks strange with this red thing over his beak. You managed to capture excellent details on the plumage, and I also like the natural colors and the pose of the Coot. Very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1343 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-02-12 4:47]

Hi Ivan,
excellent shot of this rare species. i never know about this bird. The eyes and the "crown" really interesting here.
Thanks too for enlightening woith the notes about Darwin.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 924 W: 0 N: 1995] (8957)
  • [2009-02-12 7:03]

Hi Ivan
Great capture.Good POV and outstanding detail from the black plumage.Very sharp image with excellent light on the Coot.
TFS Michel

Hi Ivan, great celebration for Darwin bicentenary, lovely fulica with fine details and excellent sharpness, good POV, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Ivan,
Una bonita Fulica mallorquina muy bien captada para ilustrar el bicentenario de Darwin, gracias por compartirla.
Salutacions cordials.

  • Great 
  • iris Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 469 W: 60 N: 947] (3016)
  • [2009-02-13 4:01]

Hello Ivan,
A beautiful coot species but not so common one to celebrate a scientist who lived to contribute to the biological history of living organisms.

The PoV you have chosen highlights the red knob on the bird's head. The bird itself is shown in good detail with the dark plumage and that little red eye getting illuminated by the natural light falling on it.Thanks for sharing this fine specimen.
Cheers
Silpa

Great shot to mark this great scientists 200th with Ivan.
Excellent details & well composed. I would just point out that it's a theory of course, and the jury is still out..

"Charles Darwin would have been 200 tomorrow, an event that Gallup is marking with a new poll showing that 39 percent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution. A quarter say they don't believe in evolution, and 36 percent say they have no opinion". (From U.S.News & World Report magazine).

Excellent presentation,
Howard

Hello Ivan,
Very interesting species, well presented, with a very good light and colours. Thank you for your note, wich is very useful. Best regards,
Catherine

Hi Ivan,

Beautiful image for the celebration. The coot is so well framed and the metering on this capture is brilliant. The black feather under bright light can sometimes be tricky but you have managed this really well.

TFS and best regards,
Jusni

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