<< Previous Next >>

Isn't She Lovely!


Isn't She Lovely!
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3825 W: 190 N: 11396] (35111)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2009-05-06 9:27
Viewed: 625
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Red-knobbed, or Crested Coot (Fulica cristata).
Swedish name: Kamsothöna

We sat on a bench by a small pond ringed by reeds in the Albufera Wetland Nature Reserve and took out our sandwiches that we prepared for lunch.

No sooner did we do this than this female Red-knobbed Coot came with her brood of chicks. We quickly took our cameras and took shots while we realised that she came out hoping to be given pieces of bread. Clearly others had done so before us!

We took more shots and Ulla took a fine one of the parent feeding the chicks with our crumbs (SEE WORKSHOP).
We then saw a small notice showing that we should not feed these birds!

The Red-knobbed Coot is quite common in parts of Southern Africa and occurs also less commonly in S. Spain and N. Morocco. It was reintroduced on Mallorca after it had become extinct and this female is part of the re-introduction programme in the national park. Obviously they are not meant to be tamed by the visitors!

This species is omnivorous and normally quite shy, shyer than its relative the Common Coot. It also sounds quite different. This close shot also shows the bluish tinge of the bill, not found in the Common Coot.

This was taken with my long lens hand-held at a distance of about 3 meters (10 ft). The blood-red knobs on the head only show during the breeding season and this close shot shows small red blobs on the side. The shiny red parts are where they are wet.

After slight cropping and size reduction the image was sharpened.
siggi, techranger, eng55, zetu, nasokoun, chrisruth, spalaxtr, nglen, boreocypriensis, jaycee, eqshannon, Luis52, fiyo, NinaM, sranjan, Noisette, goldyrs, KOMSIS, matatur, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1382 W: 56 N: 4768] (16394)
  • [2009-05-06 9:39]

Hello Ivan,
Splendid portrait of the Red-knobbed Coot. Superb lighting, immaculate sharpness and nice colour tones. Excellent POV to capture this calm and composed pose. I like its red/white crest. Very nicely composed. Best regards Siggi

Lovely indeed Ivan... at least to an old "coot" like me... ;) TFS.

Larry

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 94 N: 5564] (17694)
  • [2009-05-06 9:58]

Hello Ivan,
Superb portrait of this Red-knobbed coot. Excellent sharpness and details. Beautiful natural colours. Great POV, pose and composition.
Regards,
Peter

Yes. She is. And you shown it to us. Thanks

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1158 W: 32 N: 1194] (3660)
  • [2009-05-06 10:12]

Yes,she is lovely Ivan:)
I liked POV,expression on face and her red eyes a lot.Excellent work!
Thanks for posting..

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 15 N: 1629] (6333)
  • [2009-05-06 10:21]

Hello Ivan
What a beauty...wonderful perfect portrait with sharp details and vivid light colors. Well done.
Regards
Razvan

yes she is Ivan
an excellent close up and shot
TFS
Nasos

I do not forget your correction

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 604 W: 11 N: 1631] (5995)
  • [2009-05-06 10:54]

Hello Ivan,
This Coot is very different from the coots we have here, she's
beautiful indeed.. Well done

Everton

Hi Ivan

Great closup of the Red Knobbed Coot. I love close-ups like this and because you get to see so much detail of the object photographed. You have done well on POV, sharpness and good exposure. Love it!

Well done
Regards

Chris:)

Hi Ivan,
She is really lovely. Splendid portrait of this coot. TFS,
Regards
Mustafa

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2921 W: 34 N: 8658] (32266)
  • [2009-05-06 12:42]

Hi Ivan. What an amazing looking bird. I have never seen this so thanks for posting. The Red Knobs look so bright which you have taken with sharp focusing. Great detail in the bright red eye. A good close up all round. with interesting notes. Well done TFS.
Nick..

I am of to look at the chicks.

Hi Dostum Ivan,
Stunningly perfect portrait capture of this beautiful Red-knobbed from nice POV with excellent details and nice composition. TFS and cheers,

Bayram
PS. since i am in trip to SE and E Anatolia (that i have not get time for internet), i also missed your so many wonderful shots. Sorry...

great portrait, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-05-06 14:52]

Hi Ivan,yesterday you post a Pararge and today i found one in my forest....but i think that tomorrow i couldn't found a incredible bird like that...ehehhee...never seen nothing like that,your portrait is the best way to appreciate the impressives quality of this bird!! My best compliments,have a nice day,LUCIANO

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-05-06 16:14]

Hi Ivan,

An amazing portrait of this Red-knobbed Coot. Those knobs look painful. I agree, she has a lovely face and a most beautiful eye. You have captured her with wonderful natural colors and superfine details. The feathers are superb.

Jane

Isn't She Lovely!?????? Ummmmm...Sure if you say so....but at least we know she is normal:-) At best I can say Joey's spiders are more frightening:-) I can write Joey and I know he is busy...but would other who know him please write as well...tell him Ivan is about to take over with his fun and great works!

Bob

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2009-05-06 19:14]

Hola Don Ivan.
Hermosa foto. Nunca he visto una aves igual a esta en ningun otro lado.
La pequeña historia de su nota es tambien agradable e interesante.
Es muy llamativo los adornos rojos que luce sobre su cabeza y ademas combina muy bien con el blanco de su rente y pico.
Un Saludo y un abrazo para Ud. y Sra. Ulla.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-05-07 1:18]

Hi Ivan,
yess...she is really beautiful. Very sharp and clear capture. The feather is so smooth and lovely. The shines really give an effective
beauty to the photo.
A well done close up , to such a great subject.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2009-05-07 2:27]

Merhaba Ivan,
bizim buralarda görmediğimiz çok ilginç bir kuş.
Bütün güzel detaylarıyla çok güzel bir portre olmuş.
Tebrik ederim

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 801 W: 3 N: 2100] (6596)
  • [2009-05-07 9:27]

she looks like she's bleeding but I really like her little hat. We should wear such hats, how pretty we'd be! What a nice bird, Ivan, I had never seen one or don't remember having seen one. They look like the coots here in Canada, but with a different mask. I like the one in the workshop too, with the little babies. What a nice way to make us look again at a post from Ulla! Thank you!

Francine

Hello Ivan,
No doubt it is lovely & TFS.
Regards-Subhash

Yes Ivan, it's really a lovely creature, fantastic portrait with suèperb details and splendid sharpness, wonderful colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Ivan
what a nice portrait of this crested coot ! wonderful sharp shot with beautiful colors
an nice POV
I like the shot In WS too
Have a good night
Jacqueline

Lovely indeed is she, Ivan!
This is indeed a superb shot, and Ulla's WS shot compliments this one superbly!
Cheers!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2009-05-07 23:32]

Our coots don't have those red knobs - how strange they look. And I do like Ulla's workshop too - that's a great shot of the parent feeding the babes Ivan.
Their white patch makes it very hard to shoot - it can get so over-exposed. I've taken many photos of them but haven't posted them because of that.
You seem to have captured this one quite well.
Well done
Janice

Hi Ivan,
Very good portrait of a bird ...
Birds of a meaningful glance.
wonderful colors,details and nice composition.
Best regards,
Seyfi

Hello Ivan,
I recognised this as a Coot immediately,but I've never seen this knobbled variety.
Very interesting.
Cheers & TFS
Steve

Merhaba Dost İvan,ne güzel bir portre olmuş.Üstelik çok ta ilginç.Göz netliği ve bakış boşluğu harika,ellerine sağlık,selamlar :)

A beautiful semi-frontal portrait in fine colours and great detail Ivan, as usual, you've superbly isolated the bird from the background my friend, TFS it indeed!
Cheers,
Mehmet

Very nice portrait,
TFS
Salih

hello Ivan

she is a beauty but i think you already know portrait photos
of birds (or wild animals) are not my kind of photography,
from my 400 photos until now, i have only one bird (Wood Duck)
and one animal (Moose) portrait photos, on this photo i love
the look of the bird and her eyes, abd the one that is on the WS
i love much more, the one of the WS is a tenderness moment photo
of baby birds with their parent, TFS

Asbed

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF