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House Sparrow (Gråsparv)


House Sparrow (Gråsparv)
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3645 W: 350 N: 8890] (28681)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 30D, Canon EF 70-200mm/4.0 L IS USM, Digital RAW 200
Exposure: f/8, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-09-07 10:06
Viewed: 776
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today’s post is a House Sparrow, gråsparv, it’s not common anymore.
They were a pest when I was a kid, they where every ware but this days they quite rare. This one was sitting on a stonewall close to a hamburger restaurant waiting for chips, He had company with a lot of Tree sparrows and jackdaws.
I was out for testing my new lens the Canon 70-200/4.0 L IS and it’s a great lens, razor sharp,
Click here for a big version.


The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the Old World sparrow family Passeridae, and is, somewhat controversially, considered a relative of the Weaver Finch Family. It occurs naturally in most of Europe and much of Asia. It has also followed humans all over the world and has been intentionally or accidentally introduced to most of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand and Australia as well as urban areas in other parts of the world. It is now the most widely distributed wild bird on the planet.
In the United States it is also known as the English Sparrow, to distinguish it from native species, as the large North American population is descended from birds deliberately imported from Britain in the late 19th century. They were introduced independently in a number of American cities in the years between 1850 and 1875 as a means of pest control. The mistake was realized after they were well established and by 1883 they were already considered pests and their introduction a disaster.[3]
Wherever people build, House Sparrows sooner or later come to share their abodes. Though described as tame and semi-domestic, neither is strictly true; humans provide food and home, not companionship.

Source and more info in different language here

Canon 70-200 mm /4-0 L IS USM
ISO 200, Raw-format, AV-mode. Hand held
Levels, Contrast, Crop, S/H-filter. resized to 800 pixels, Smart Sharpen PP in PS CS3
red45, Arjun, mecamich, go2stones, lise, Tamrock, uleko, coasties, nglen, LordPotty, marhowie, CeltickRanger, tiklod, martic, Bufo, cataclysta, falke, Patleboss, loot, Jonas_Schmitt_ has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2829 W: 75 N: 8024] (26857)
  • [2007-09-07 10:12]

Hi Gert!

This is most detailed picture of Sparrow I've ever seen my friend! Every piece of feather is clearly visible. And surprisingly this common bird is colorfull! Excellent light, details and cute pose. I read that population of these wonderfull birds is decreasing in our cities - this is very bad news.

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 299 W: 3 N: 734] (3442)
  • [2007-09-07 10:21]

hi mr.gert,
a beautiful picture of this cute sparrow.xcellent details and great composition with v.good POV.
AWESOME picture,
congrats,
TFS

bonjour gert
un simple petit moineau sans couleurs eclatantes mais lorsque c'est pris par vous cela prend une autre dimension.
juste formidable.
laurent

Hello Gert,
Very sharp image. The beak, the eye,...are well done!
TFS
Annick

Hi Gert,très jolie capture,excellent détail et couleur.Bravo
Mich

I think these are really hardy birds that have adapted well to civilization. I posted one awhile back from Starbucks. It could be this one's brother. Very nice sharp image. The other image is amazing. Great lens. Well done.

TFS!
Reid

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 182 W: 51 N: 552] (2683)
  • [2007-09-07 11:06]

Hi Gert,
Very lovely picture of this house sparrow. Great POV and composition. Amazing details.
Well done and TFS.
Lise

hej gert!
här ser man va fin den gluggen verkar vara!
fågeltokig som man är så gillar jag även
dessa fåglar,kallad råttor av vissa:)
really sharp and fine picture and very
nice exposed in the fine lightning!
good work!

Bonsoir Gert
Un simple moineau mais pris de telle façon qu'il est superbe .Excellente netteté et très belle lumière
amitiés

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2465 W: 168 N: 7448] (23526)
  • [2007-09-07 12:51]

Hej Gert,
It's very sad how this little bird gradually has been reduced in numbers. I think it is very beautiful and one used to be able to watch its behaviour at close quarters when they were common. ANyway, you managed to capture one really well! I like the natural light that's brought out the colours beautifully. Great sharpness and a fine composition too.
TFS and have a nice weekend, Ulla

  • Great 
  • marcin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 126 W: 0 N: 155] (1371)
  • [2007-09-07 13:00]

hi Gert
Very sharp image,
good work
tfs
marcin

Hey Gert

Welcome back to the World of Canon! My favourite.... a male House Sparrow! Lovely shot with perfect low POV. Love this MF. You have captured their charm beautifully! :-)

Spring is here with mixed weather. Cloudy again today with a very cold lazy wind.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5540] (20950)
  • [2007-09-07 13:15]

Hi Gert, You have captured a fine shot of the Sparrow. showing excellent detail in the feathers.with natural colours. good light in the eye.well done TFS.
Nick,,
Hav a good weekend,

Hej Gert
Jätte fin bild på gråsparven med fina detaljer.
Vädret ser inte så lovande ut :(
Vi syns snart
Hälsningar
Ralf

Hi Gert,
This must be the clearest shot of a House Sparrow that I've ever seen.
I wonder why they have become scarce in Sweden now. They are still very common in cities here in NZ.
I don't think they are considered pests here because there are not many native birdsthat they'd compete with.
Most ofr ours are arboreal insectivores that stay in the forest.
Do you know why they are considered a pest in some places ?
A beautiful shot anyway.
Well done.
Steve

bonjour Gert

netteté remarquable comme d'habitude,
j'aimes le contraste entre l'avant-plan (l'oiseau) et l'arrière-plan

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • tiklod Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 300 W: 74 N: 883] (3367)
  • [2007-09-07 19:14]

Hi Gert,
Beautiful feather's details. Great colours. Well done.
Thanks

Claude

  • Great 
  • martic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 178 W: 2 N: 144] (1245)
  • [2007-09-07 23:52]

Bonjour Gert,

Magnifique prise d'un moineau commun tout est bien rendu, les couleurs et les détails du plumage
Merci
Jean-Michel

  • Great 
  • Bufo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 422 W: 71 N: 984] (4241)
  • [2007-09-08 1:10]

Hi Gert,
they have been put on the red list in my country. Just because in 25 years the breeding population has decreased by half. A fine picture with splendid details. I have heard great stories about the 70-200 lens by canon. Anxioulsy waiting for more of these splendid pictures...:-)
greets, Jacob

Hi Gert
Perfectly sharp photo with great contrast. Very good composition and nice OOF not distracting buckground
Best wishes
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • falke Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 158 W: 17 N: 443] (1590)
  • [2007-09-08 2:17]

Nice details here! It has a great pose and I love the detailed plumage.

Have you switched camera back to Canon again, Gert! Please let me know why as I am a bit interested in the new Sony A700?

Hi Gert,
Everything is already said.
A perfect picture of a cute sparrow.
Pretty week-end
Guy

Hi Gert,

Amazing photo. Technically perfect picture. Very pure and shrap shot. Very well done. Tfs. Stev

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 4 N: 2302] (10736)
  • [2007-09-08 8:28]

Gert This is absolutely gem of a shot. The clarity and the focus is sharp. ganesh

Bonjour Gert, photo d'une netteté exceptionelle, très jolies couleurs naturelle et belle pose de l'oiseau,
en somme une superbe composition
un grand bravo pour une grande photo,
amicalement,
Pat

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2007-09-08 12:38]

Hi Gert,
beautiful portrait of this little fellow. I would maybe consider cropping the red blur at the top, the signal colour makes it a bit distracting. The sparrow shows off all its individual feathers, great detail, and the delicate structures make a great contrast to the solid rough texture of the stone it is sitting on, adding to the interest of this picture. Very well done!
Gabi

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5726 W: 605 N: 3416] (9137)
  • [2007-09-09 0:45]
  • [2]

Hi Gert

Wow MF, this is simply mind boggling. Looking at the "large version" once again underlines your wizardry with a camera in hand even though the wrists make this an uphill battle and a painful experience for you. Obviously your equipment goes a long way to assist you, but it still remains nothing if it is not in the hands of a master. It is great to once again see you posting such immaculate material from the big Canon (I for one are glad you've gone back to your roots) and not to disregard this superb result from the new lens. It definitively seems like a perfect combination. A faultless posting in all technical aspects and a pleasure on the visual senses with absolute details, remarkable colours, extraordinary exposure, and that touch of Ellstrom artistry and magic.

However, there's a bit of sadness reading your notes, because seeing and knowing the gloomy truth about the decline in numbers of this co-inhabitor of man and also of so many other species. You are so right, because even here in South Africa these birds were abundant when I was a kid and nowadays you don't see as many of them anymore. It seems like the only bird that is still increasing in numbers are the Indian Minas (the pests), but even that would be sad if they were to finally disappear off the face of earth and so emphasise man's destruction of this beautiful earth and its environment. This sombre yet thought provoking note is a great enhancement of this posting. It really goes a long way to show us how urgently we need to pay attention to what we are doing to this world and find solutions to the problems. This last year or so it has been very evident how the earth is starting to strike back and I think we are still in for some major surprises these next few years as far as global warming and extreme weather conditions and natural disasters are concerned.

Great stuff MF and TFS.
Regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2007-09-09 4:25]

Hi Gert,
Wonderful portrait shot of the House Sparrow with sharp details on its plumage and lovely colour tones. Superb natural lighting and you have captured a fine pose here. Excellent POV and DOF and a great composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi!
Great picture with nice colors and exellent sharpness!
tfs,Jonas

  • Great 
  • kjpweb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 367 W: 86 N: 1084] (4788)
  • [2007-09-10 10:10]

Gorgeous image. No animal is common - and your sparrow is just beautiful! Hat's off to you! Great Work! Cheers, Klaus

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