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Audouins Gull


Audouins Gull
Photo Information
Copyright: Ralf Lukovic (ralfsworld) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 509 W: 88 N: 1816] (6134)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Canon EF 400mm F/2.8 L IS USM, CF Extrime IV 8 GB
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-01-21 5:33
Viewed: 626
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today's post is still from my Spain trip. This shot was photographed on way back to my hotel in Alicante. We found little place close to the sea with camping cars parked and decided to watch sunset. I found birds activity on the beach and went out from a car to make few shots. Well I scared all birds when I went out and it wasn't any good one. So I decided to sit in the car or use as a hide and it worked. I found car as a really good hide in many places around the world.

I made this shot @ 800mm resting my hand on car window with manual camera settings. This gull had something from the sea in his bill and I don't know what?


The Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii) is a large gull restricted to the Mediterranean and the western coast of Saharan Africa. It breeds on small islands colonially or alone, laying 2-3 eggs on a ground nest.

In the late 1960s, this was one of the World's rarest gulls, with a population of only 1,000 pairs. It has established new colonies, but remains rare with a population of about 10,000 pairs.

This species, unlike many large gulls, rarely scavenges, but is a specialist fish eater, and is therefore strictly coastal and pelagic. This bird will feed at night, often well out to sea, but also slowly patrols close into beaches, occasionally dangling its legs to increase drag.

The adult basically resembles a small Herring Gull, the most noticeable differences being the short stubby red bill and "string of pearls" white wing primary tips, rather than the large "mirrors" of some other species. The legs are grey-green. It takes four years to reach adult plumage.

This species shows little tendency to wander from its breeding areas, but there were single records in The Netherlands and England in May 2003.

This bird is named after the French naturalist Jean Victoire Audouin.
CeltickRanger, rousettus, Argus, horia, MMM, Maite, jaycee, JoseMiguel, Rolf has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

An excillent short. extream skill and warm light made it perffect.
best regards, Nadeem Khawar.

hello Ralf

superb inflight shot with his lunch on his mouth (excellent timing),
i love your image's POV, the way you framed the bird
on the image (i love that space infront of him),
and and i love that sun light on a part of the gull, TFS

Asbed

Hello Ralf,
this is great capture of Audouin Gull's. Focus and feeding action great as like as lighting, composition and POV. Green plantation, I think algs suuply a richness to the composition. good and informative notes. thanks.
best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2135 W: 224 N: 3948] (13111)
  • [2008-01-21 6:40]

Hi Ralf

A superb in-flight capture from you!
It's rather rare to see a moody shot of a flying seagull, but you've managed just one like that! :)
The warm low light really makes the bird stand out superbly from the BG, creating some long and beautiful shadows across it's body.
The sea in the back looks great, too and contrasts well with your subject.
Very sharp details and magnificent colors (i particularly like the bill here), too. The round thing (no idea what it is either) in its beak is definitely a nice bonus :)
Outstanding work!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 147 N: 7948] (24747)
  • [2008-01-21 6:43]

Hej Ralf,
Great in-flight capture of an Audouin's Gull, a rare species in the superb lighting of the setting sun. The characteristic bright red bill show well here.
I hope to take shots of this species when we are on Mallorca.
Well done and thanks for the inspiration!
Hälsningar,
Ivan


Blåser kallt med växlande molnighet. Vi väntar på lämpligare väder om det nu kommer!

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 786 W: 0 N: 1581] (7256)
  • [2008-01-21 7:17]

Hi Ralf
Excellent in flight capture.Good POV and sharp image .Light is beautiful.I like the capture whit the food in the beq.
TFS Michel

Ralf,

Greatflight shot,
Lovely colors for the sunset,
Gives image very warm tones,
Great job,

fototab

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1005 W: 64 N: 1242] (5082)
  • [2008-01-21 7:37]

Hello Ralf
Beautiful picture captured in a very good timing! A really splendid action-shot, with excellent sharpness, DOF and a very beautiful light.
Congratulations and TFS
Greetings
Maite

This is a very nice composition with great light and colours.
Best wishes,
Achim

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1902 W: 8 N: 4957] (16017)
  • [2008-01-21 8:19]

Hi Ralf,

A wonderful shot of this Gull in flight. The lighting is superb. Wonderful colors and razor-sharp details. I love the face with that great eye and the red beak opened wide to hold the food.

Jane

Hello Ralf
This is a fine capture with wonderful light illuminating the Gull..Its some very impressive equipment you have which you have used perfectly showing your impressive skills as a photographer...I like your note of a car being a very good hide if not almost a tripod!!
Tfs and Best Regards
Paul

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1347 W: 72 N: 2864] (9457)
  • [2008-01-21 10:27]

Hello Ralf,
Wonderful in-flight photo. Amazing warm light and excellent sharpness and details. Very good POV and composition. Fantastic BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hi Ralf,
Magnificent in flight capture!
It's really beak the seed it have on their beak.
I like the low light and the subtle hues it porduced.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1159 W: 255 N: 2639] (11925)
  • [2008-01-21 11:37]

Hi Ralf,

A nice capture of this gull,I dont know what you fed him,looks like a grape or somethin like that,anyway a nice inflight with good light,tfs

Paul

Hi Ralf
Great action shot
Very nice composition
Fine detail and sharpness
Good catchlite
tfs jon

Hi Ralf

Great shot of this rare gull.
Excellent light and great sharpness.

Chris

Hi Ralf, splendid flying gull with great details, good colors and wonderful sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Rolf Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 59 W: 0 N: 27] (196)
  • [2008-01-23 6:18]

Hello Ralf,
this is great capture of Audouin Gull's.
TFS
Rolf

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