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Unbelivable... I can fly!


Unbelivable... I can fly!
Photo Information
Copyright: Bengt Falke (falke) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 156 W: 17 N: 458] (1682)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40 D, Canon 300/4 L IS USM + EF 1.4 ext. II
Exposure: f/5.6
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-08-16 4:32
Viewed: 425
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Seeing the Great Bustard was our main reason for going to Spain this spring. We started in Coto Donana and went on to the Belen plains in Extremadura where this photo is taken. Later we went further north to the Pyrennees for the big vultures

We were sitting in the car observing a pair of nesting Great Spotted Cuckoos. The male was sitting on a fence and I prepared myself and the camera for the takeoff against the clear blue sky. Then suddenly something huge came flying over the fence and I just lifted the camera and took a long sequence as the bird flew almost over me...... how great.

This is a first for me of europes heaviest bird (up to 18 kg), I did not expect it to be such a good flyer.

From Wikipedia:
The Great Bustard, Otis tarda, is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia. European populations are mainly resident, but Asian birds move further south in winter. Sizeable populations exist in Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Russia and Spain, but the species is declining due to habitat loss throughout its range.

The male of this huge bird is possibly the heaviest extant bird capable of flight, alongside the similarly sized Kori Bustard. An adult male typically is 90-110 cm (3-3.7 ft) long with a 2.1-2.5 m (6.9-8.2 ft) wingspan and usually weighs from 10 to 16 kg (22-35 lb).[1] The heaviest known bird was about 21 kg (46 lb), although larger specimens have been reported but not verified. An adult male is brown above and white below, with a long grey neck and head. The breast and lower neck sides are chestnut. In the breeding season, the male has long white neck bristles. In flight, the long wings show large areas of white.

Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_bustard
nazirbadar, Argus, boreocypriensis, NinaM, MMM has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2380 W: 94 N: 5487] (17484)
  • [2009-08-16 5:02]

Hello Bengt,
Lucky fellow, you are. Great photo of this bustard in flight. Excellent sharpness, details, timing, natural colours and composition. Fantastic blue BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Bengt,
And here is an unbelievable picture of the rare Bustard.Simply this picture is outstanding because of the way the moment is captured with great sharpness and perfect composition.
Regards
Nazir

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3802 W: 190 N: 11310] (34871)
  • [2009-08-16 6:31]

Hello Bengt,
I have dreamt of taking a photo of the Great Bustard, the expected result of a successful trip being a shot taken at a long distance, but to have the luck of photographing one close-to in flight is beyond any dream!
A great shot at the right POV with nice sharpness and lighting.
You are a lucky man and thanks for sharing this fine result.
Best wishes,
Ivan

great capture, great bustard, TFS Ori

Superb shot,great picture.Well done.Regards.Alin.

Hi Bengt,
An awesome shot of o a young great bustard in-fligh
from a fine POV with excellent clarity.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 801 W: 3 N: 2100] (6594)
  • [2009-08-16 10:28]

A great shot, Bengt, very good sharpness, nice light and colour, and what a bird! I really like all the details of its belly and the top of its wings, you managed a very good exposure of a difficult situation. Thank you,

Francine

Wow Bengt ! This is amazing capture of the bird in motion! Lovely snap with great clarity. Awesome composition with bright blu sky behing. Very well done!

TFS,
Kedar

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2009-08-17 10:08]

Hi Bengt
Nice inflight capture.Sharp image with good POV.I also like the catch light in the eye and the colors of the BG.Good text to.
TFS Michel

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