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Dunnock (Järnsparv)


Dunnock (Järnsparv)
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3646 W: 349 N: 8884] (28661)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 30D, Canon Ef 400mm /F5.6 L USM, Digital RAW 400, 1.4 X converter
Exposure: f/8, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): A - Z Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-09-19 7:42
Viewed: 836
Points: 86
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today’s post is a common bird up here the Dunnock, Järnsparv.
It’s a common but not many have seen it because it lives deep in bushes and it’s not easy to get a clean shoot of it. Micke (Tamrock) and I was out on a new area today and I found this one, the pictures is a bit busy with a lot of twigs but it’s the natural environs. It’s a migration bird and it will soon fly to south Europe for wintering, some wintering down in the south parts of Sweden.


The Dunnock, Prunella modularis, is a small passerine bird found throughout temperate Europe and into Asia. It is by far the most widespread member of the accentor family, which otherwise consists of mountain species. It is sometimes called the Hedge Accentor, Hedge Sparrow or Hedge Warbler.
It is a resident in the milder west and south of its range, but as an insectivore, must migrate south from the colder parts of its range. It is a bird of woodland, shrub and gardens. It builds a neat nest low in a bush or conifer, laying 3-5 unspotted blue eggs.
The Dunnock will not be seen using a bird feeder, but prefers to pick up food from the ground which has been dropped by other birds.
It is a host of the Common Cuckoo. It is likely that this association is recent, since other Cuckoo hosts have learned to discriminate between eggs, and the Cuckoo has consequently evolved eggs that match those of its host. In the case of the Dunnock, there is no resemblance, yet the Cuckoo eggs are accepted.
This is a Robin-sized bird, 13.5-14 cm in length, fairly drab in appearance, and somewhat resembling a small House Sparrow with its streaked back and general shape. It is also brownish underneath, and has a fine pointed bill. Adults have a grey head. The sexes are similarly coloured. They were introduced to New Zealand between 1867 and 1882 and now breed throughout the country including on the Chatham, Antipodes, Auckland and Campbell islands.
This species makes up for its drab appearance with its breeding behaviour. Females are often polyandrous, breeding with two males at once, and thus giving rise to sperm competition. Males compete for mating access to the female, but DNA fingerprinting has shown that chicks within broods often have different fathers, depending on their success at monopolising access to the fertile female. Males try to ensure their paternity during courtship by pecking at the cloacas of the female to stimulate her to eject the sperm of other males with whom the female has recently mated.[1] Males provide parental care in proportion to their mating success, so it is not uncommon to see two males and a female provisioning nestlings at one nest. Polyandry is rare in birds, with only about 2% of species showing such a mating system; the majority are monogamous, where one male and one female breed together. The song is thin and tinkling.
Source and more info in different language here

Canon 400mm / 5.6 L + Soligor Pro 300 DG 1.4x converter
ISO 400, Raw-format, AV-mode. Tripod. Partial metering
Levels, Contrast, Crop, S/H-filter. resized to 800 pixels, Smart Sharpen PP in PS CS3
marhowie, pvs, Tamrock, Natch, fartash, uleko, nglen, mirceax, red45, undoredo, Patleboss, Luis52, jaycee, MMM, LordPotty, Janice, lise, sandpiper2, CeltickRanger, eqshannon, claudine, Argus, kjpweb, jmirah, ridvan, go2stones, tiklod, meyerd has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Janice: Thanks Janiceellis49 1 09-20 04:16
To Tamrock: Tack Mickeellis49 4 09-19 21:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1124 W: 255 N: 2412] (10981)
  • [2007-09-19 8:05]

Hi Gert,

A very nice capture,the pose of the dunnock,the colors and sharpness are excellent,maybe common,but I have only seen it two times in nynäshamn,but who knows he might make a stopover on his way south,tfs

Paul

Hi Gert
lovely picture of this common bird just great
tfs
Tom

bonjour gert
on voit un peu les defauts laissés ici et là,surement dû a une accentuation,toujours est il que l'oiseau est magnifiquement detaillé.
laurent

hej gert!
de blev ju riktigt bra de där!
really sharp with fine exposure
and a good composition,nice pov to!
good work my friend!

Hej Gert
Nice and sharp shot of Dunnock!
Inte så illa kan man säga :)
Snart är alla träd lövlösa och då blir det enklare att jaga :)
Well done!
TFS
Ralf

Dear Gert!
Unrealistic sharpness! - I see three-dimensional effect because of colors and foreground-background combination. Colors palette is very magnetic too.

Thanks for your works - it creates great impression!

Natalia

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2320 W: 164 N: 6917] (21924)
  • [2007-09-19 9:38]

Hej Gert,
Lovely capture of this Dunnock amongst a network of twigs forming a nice pattern. It is a very pretty bird that I always enjoy seeing. Great sharpness and lovely light bringing out the colours. I like its pose too.
Very well done!
TFS and cheers, Ulla

Hello Gert
The Dunnock is a visitor to my garden in the UK and I only ever see them foraging around the ground so it is lovley to see one in pinsharp detail in the trees.
The detail is exemplary and Im guessing that you used quite a narrow aperture to capture all that detail...
Great Shot and TFS
Paul

Excellent bird shot. I love the over-the-shoulder pose and your sharpness is great. Despite the tangled background your narrow depth of field keeps the bird as the focal point of the image. Too bad about that branch crossing the tail. This is really, really nice. Exquisite sharpness and feather detail.

Dave Shaw
www.wildimagephoto.com

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1855 W: 2 N: 4966] (19088)
  • [2007-09-19 10:19]

Hi Gert. What a fine capture of the little Dunnock. excellent detail shown in the feathers with the sharp focusing . natural colours. with a nice pose. well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

Hi Gert,
A beautiful capture of this litle bird, great details and super light.
tfs

Mircea

Hi Gert
Very nice capture, good pose and colors.
Regards.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2788 W: 75 N: 7763] (25933)
  • [2007-09-19 12:02]

Hi Gert!

Excellent picture. Very clear, sharp and detailed. Dynamic pose looks great. Twigs and spots of blue sky on BG made nice 3D effect. Good work my friend!

Hi Gert,
It's been a while. I'm back now and good to see you again. :-)
Your photos are always amazing to me. Superb details and sharpness, OOF is also great.
TFS and regards,
Kevin

Bravo,j'ai moi aussi essayer les oiseaux,mais jamais je ne suis arriver a un résultat acceptable mais celle ci est parfaite.Tfs
Respect
Mich

Hello Gert,
splendid shot, outstanding focus, great colors and great pose, it is a lovely composition,
cheer,
friendly,
Pat

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1013 W: 5 N: 2744] (9964)
  • [2007-09-19 14:57]

Hola Gert.- Exelente foto, bella pose, gran nitidez y colorido. Saludos Luis52.

Hola Gert, dinámica imagen por la pose del gorrión. Gran enfoque y profundidad y sobre todo una excelente luz. Como resultado una foto casi real !! Formas y colores de fondo espectaculares y gran complemento al conjunto.
Una toma impresionante y llena de vida. Enhorabuena !!

J. Ignasi

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1639 W: 8 N: 4185] (13683)
  • [2007-09-19 16:53]

Hi Gert,

Fabulous capture of this Dunnock - could not be better. The pose is adorable. Perfect colors and sharp details of the face, wing and plummage. Lovely setting wit the branches and blue sky.

Jane

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 736 W: 0 N: 1495] (6744)
  • [2007-09-19 18:23]

Hi Gert
Very nice composition.Sharp image whit grat detaisl and nice colors.I also like that catchlight in the eye.
TFS Michel

A lovely clear shot Gert,especially considering how shy these birds are.
Just yesterday I was trying to photograph Grey warblers here,but they kept hiding in the middle of the bush while I went round and round to no avail.
Excellent capture.
Steve

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1677 W: 5 N: 2144] (11854)
  • [2007-09-19 19:39]

Excellente exposition et très bon détails du plumage.
Merci!
Joseph

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 795 W: 4 N: 1971] (9324)
  • [2007-09-20 1:19]

Gert superb shot and what a lovely eye catch. Wonderful and excellent focus. Ganesh

Hello Gert
Very intersting shot of this Dunnock,
Perfect focusing,lighting and BG,Welldone.

Good Luck
Fartash

Wow - Tack sharp Gert!
Superb detail, colors, DOF, exposure, and well composed.
A common bird...Done uncommonly well :)
Very nice work mf.
Howard

Hey Gert - is this a new camera?
EXCELLENT SHARPNESS - amazing capture - quite perfect... It's a lovely capture, and such good clarity showing his face and details so clearly!
BRAVO!
Janice

PS Spring has sprung in NZ!! Fruit blossoms and flowers are now appearing - hurrah! I've been on holiday to Norfolk Island - an island warmer than NZ - wonderful heat!!

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 179 W: 52 N: 530] (2585)
  • [2007-09-20 5:25]

Hi Gert,
Outstanding sharpness and details!! You can see all the small details in every feather.
Great composition and POV.
Very well done and TFS
Lise

Well done Gert, I can appreciate how hard it is to get these guys. Background is OK in my opinion for this species.
Excellent sharpness and plumage details
Well composed with nicxe pose.
I guess you like your new toy.

Chris

hello Gert

excellent shot of this bird with the imge's luminosity, sharpness
and details and also i like the angle from you took your photo

TFS

Asbed

Great bird shots hold a place in my hart Gert. Wonderful gear and a good eye to use it. You are an expert at what you do for fun. What more can one ask?
Bob

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1084 W: 58 N: 2155] (7181)
  • [2007-09-20 10:34]

Hello Gert,
Oeps, almost missed this high quality photo. A bit busy in the BG, but otherwise PERFECT.
Regards,
Peter

Hi Ellis,
A beautiful capture of this Dunnock. It somewhat looks like a house sparrow found here in India. Razor sharp focus as always. The colors and composition are also beautiful. Thanks a lot for sharing.

hello gert,
lovely capture, the image is sharp with good details of the plumage, well composed shot, lovely colours, nice light, liked the pose very much,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

What a great pose that you captured from this sweet model Gert. Details are amazing and this lightning and exposure, just superb! This is a lovely bird and beautiful capture. Congrats!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2422 W: 132 N: 6903] (21601)
  • [2007-09-21 7:56]

Hej Gert,
Superb capture of järnsparven. Apart from your usual high technical standard, I like the pose, composition, POV and the lighting very much.
Excellent shot!
TFS,
Hälsningar,
Ivan

Plockat trattkantereller idag men fotomöjligheterna var klena. Trevlig helg!

Hi Gert,
Fantastic shot with so warm colours.
Guy

Simply awesome what the clarity is concerned - the detail in the plumage is superb. How you guys do the shots of these littles ones is a mystery to me. Then again I haven't actually targeted them either. Your shot definitely is an inspiration to get going there. Bravo! Cheers, Klaus

  • Great 
  • jmirah Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 436 W: 5 N: 901] (3574)
  • [2007-09-22 10:38]

Back later, cutting grass

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 1137] (5130)
  • [2007-09-22 10:40]

selam gert , excellent close up shot and very good composition of this lovely bird .nice pov and bg with splendid colours.well presented pose
Well done my friend!
Regards ridvan

Excellent image of his looking back over his shoulder at us. Great clarity and detail. Well done.

TFS!
Reid

Hi Gert,
This is an amazing razorsharp picture. The colors, details, POV and DOF makes this great shot.
Thanks for sharing,

Claude

Hi gert another great capture
very well focused great moment and fantastic
colours
Tfs TOba

  • Great 
  • meyerd Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 351 W: 63 N: 998] (3075)
  • [2007-09-25 12:02]

Hello Gert,
Wow, I admire this pic and its author, my reference! This normally is a drab bird that sticks to the shadows, there is no bird more difficult to make interesting in a picture. You did it.

Best regards,
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • odin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 197 W: 1 N: 213] (1143)
  • [2008-01-04 19:31]

What a amazing shot, so clear and sharp. Great picture management. Well done Sébastien

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