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Willow Tit


Willow Tit
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3388 W: 343 N: 9483] (30813)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-01-16
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF 300mm / F2.8 L USM, Digital RAW 400, 1.4 X converter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/160 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Dainty birds 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-01-16 9:55
Viewed: 1047
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
First I will thank all for the nice comments and words of my last post.

After a cold night I went out to my feeding station despite it was -15C to test my new lens
I bought yesterday. I always have a lot of birds around the feeding station so it was quite easy to find a co-operative model.
This is what I think a Willow Tit, but it could be a Mars tit, they are very close especially in the winter with lots of young birds and both species are quite common up here.

The lens a Canon 300mm /F2.8 non-is is very heavy 2.9 kg so a tripod is a must and it worked beautiful in the really low light. And I have to buy a new mono ball, me is to weak fpr this heavy lens.


The Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and northern Asia. It is more of a conifer specialist than the closely related Marsh Tit, which explains it breeding much further north. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate.
In the east of its range it is much paler than Marsh Tit, but as one goes west the various races become increasingly similar, so much so that it was not recognised as a breeding bird in Great Britain until the end of the 19th century, despite being widespread.
The Willow Tit is distinguished from the Marsh Tit by a sooty brown instead of a glossy blue black cap; the general colour is otherwise similar, though the under parts are more buff and the flanks distinctly more rufous; the pale buff edgings to the secondaries form a light patch on the closed wing. The feathers of the crown and the black bib under the bill are longer, but this is not an easily noticed character. However, the more graduated tail (not square) shows distinctly when spread. Length is 11.5 cm, and wings range from 60-70 mm.
The commonest call is a nasal zee, zee, zee, but the notes of the bird evidently vary considerably. Occasionally a double note, ipsee, ipsee, is repeated four or five times.
The Willow Tit often excavates its own nesting hole, even piercing hard bark; this is usually in a rotten stump or in a tree, more or less decayed. Most nests examined are cups of felted material, such as fur, hair and wood chips, but feathers are sometimes used. The number of eggs varies from six to nine, with reddish spots or blotches.
Birds feed on caterpillars, insects and seeds, much like other tits.
Info from Wikipedia.


Canon 300mm L, 1,4X converter tripod, spot metering, , Speedlight 580 II flash
ISO 400, Raw-format, manual exposed. Converted in Canon DPP
Levels, Contrast, Crop, resized to 800 pixels, Smart Sharpen ,PP in PS CS4.
Well calibrated Eizo monitor
Miss_Piggy, haraprasan, jaycee, cloud, siggi, Morigann, red45, flashpoint, Noisette, CeltickRanger, jusninasirun, uleko, bobcat08, Argus, Juyona, Alex99, Tamrock has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To joey: Big glasellis49 1 01-22 06:09
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Gert,
Its my pleasure to be your neighbor today. A lovely capture of this tiny willow tit bird. Excellent sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hallo Gert
It does not matter to me which camera or lens you use, your images are always "par excellance". I am sure even if you take a photo with your cellphone you will have excellent results. I could not but add this Willow Tit to my theme Dainty birds, as this one is smaller than small, finer than fine, and more neater than neat and more prettier than pretty. I am sure under those lovely set of plumage is only a tiny heart and lungs. I don’t think there is space for anything else. Thanks for adding to my viewing pleasure with this refined bird.
Best regards.
Anna

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2411 W: 94 N: 5569] (17712)
  • [2009-01-16 10:20]

Hello Gert,
A wonderful photo. What a perfection! Amazing colours and sharp details in an excellent composition. Great OOF BG and POV. High quality!
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2924 W: 34 N: 8671] (32310)
  • [2009-01-16 10:50]

Hi Gert. This is a fine close up of the cute looking Willow Tit , which you have taken with sharp focus and fine detail. A nice pse on the dry grass. all with interesting notes. Have a nice weekend.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-01-16 10:54]

Hi Gert,

If there had been a blizzard you probably would have gone out to test your new lens!!! The lens passed the test. A beautiful capture of this Tit with all the merits of all of your photos. Wonderful colors, details, pose, background and composition.

Jane

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 71 N: 758] (4703)
  • [2009-01-16 10:57]

Hello Gert,
It's perfect work, excellent sharpness details of plumage, soft light and clear BG.
Best regards, Pawel

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1385 W: 56 N: 4777] (16434)
  • [2009-01-16 11:32]

Hello Gert,
A wonderfull capture of this willow Tit,nice pose and razorsharp.This is a great composition. wonderful colours and details
well done and TFS
Best regards Siggi

Hello Gert,
this is a wonderful capture with fine details on the cute willow tit.
The colors and background are beautiful.
Very well done
Pierre

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2009-01-16 12:47]

Hello Gert!

Good use of new lens my friend! And lots of courage to take photos at -15C :-) Bird is cute, one of most beautifull tits, more beautifull then its colorfull sisters. Perfect quality and superb composition.

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 657 W: 15 N: 1636] (6365)
  • [2009-01-16 13:10]

Hi Gert
Wonderful capture, with rich details and very sharp.Well done.
Regards.
Razvan Zinica

Excellent shot, Gert, this tiny bird is so cute, sometimes it is also visiting my garden - but it's always very quick, no chance for such a good shot.
Thanks and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hello Gert,
Delicately beautful or charming...okay dainty:-)
Well photographed. Definitely another smiley:-).
Thanks for sharing and a nice weekend.
Annick

hello Gert!
excellent portrait of this tiny and strange passeriforme .. I really like the setting and details for impressive quality
compliments sERGIO

hello Gert
great sharp detailed shot of this willow tit in a winter atmosphere
good focusing on his eye, pose and POV
very well done
Jacqueline

Hi Gert, lovely bird in the snow with splendid details and superb sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

hello Gert

excellent close-up photography of the Willow Tit
shot with fine POV and framing, excellent focus,
great sharpness and details and even of the snow, TFS

Asbed

Hi Gert,
Excellent capture of Willow Tit; great POV and composition, sharp fine details and natural BG.
TFS
Pekka

Hi Gert,

Superb shot with unique perch on vertical twig. The focus is flawless exposing fine details of the plumage with the background completely muted.

TFS and best regards,
Jusni

Hello Gert,
A beautiful shot of this Willow Tit.
Perfect focus and very good exposure.
Wonderful detail and composition.
TFS
Steve

Hello Gert,
Great capture of this adorable little bird, good
composition an d pov, excllent sharpness and depth
of field, beautiful colors, lovely catchlight and
superb details in the plumage, well done.
Thanks
Angela

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2009-01-16 23:03]

Hi Gert
He is a little fellow. Very beautiful and your new lens looks like it worked perfectly.
Amazing sharp details on his plumage, good colours too,
TFS
Janice

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3002 W: 162 N: 991] (2901)
  • [2009-01-17 2:14]

Hej Gert,
Beautiful capture of the pretty Willowtit in a fine pose and against a lovely backbround. Great details and colours and well composed.
TFS and cheers, Ulla
Hu så kallt ni har det nu! Här har vi bara några minusgrader det räcker! Sol igår men mycket lite fåglar. Det är kallt för fingrarna när man tar fram kameran!!

Hi Gert,

I must give Miss Piggy completly right. Here words: "It does not matter to me which camera or lens you use, your images are always "par excellance". are just my words.

A magnificent shot of this cute bird in the cold enviroment. The POV and DOF are great. A specialy like I the BG color. The contrast with the BG is perfect. Like 3D.

Thanks for sharing. Have a nice day and TFS BOB

  •      
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2009-01-22 3:54]
  • [+]

Ahem! Isn't f/2.8 too shallow for birds???? :-))))
How are you finding this new lens of yours, Gert? I very nearly bought this one but was advised otherwise because it was too expensive for a second hand lens. In the end I bought a Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens - it's an incredible piece of glass and I expect your Canon is even better so I'm looking forward to some more awesome shots from you :-)
This is is a very good shot of a Willow Tit.
Perfect use of flash to light the bird very naturally.
Superb detail in the feathers.
Well composed and a great POV.
Extremely sharp!

I have followed in your path with turning my points off... feels like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders! :-)

Cheers mf,

Joe

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3831 W: 190 N: 11410] (35161)
  • [2009-01-23 2:27]

Hej Gert,
A perfect portrait of a Talltita in a wintery capture. The use of the fill-in flash and the limited light couldn't be better to achieve fine exposure and sharpness. The POV and composition are perfect too.
Well done m f and thanks for delighting us with this great shot of a species that is quite rare in Scania.
Hälsningar,
Ivan

Vi har varken snö eller sol och det är väldigt mörkt; trist, men det går mot ljusare tider som sagt var!

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2009-01-27 5:31]

Hi Gert,

A nice capture of this tit,I see you have as well purchased yourself a new and heavy toy,I think you will enjoy this lense a lot,tfs this typical winter image

Paul

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2269 W: 10 N: 2650] (15641)
  • [2009-01-27 12:54]

Buenas Noches,
Beautiful birds are in your gallery friend.
sharpness and detail,
color and exquisite plumage.
Sweden will soon be filled with the color of spring, I hope, :))
saludos Gert y Siv.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3596 W: 143 N: 5696] (18621)
  • [2009-02-01 8:01]

Hi Gert.
What a delicate picture of a charming small birdy. You have used fill flash precisely. Patch of light in the bird's eye is amazing as well as refined reproduction of all bird's features. Absolutely smooth and neutral BG is so suitable for this scene and time of year. Superb work. As usual.
Alexei.
P.S. Your high mark of my last photo is very dear for me and great honour, dear friend. Thanks a lot for kindness.

tjena!
en riktigt skarp och fin bild på talltitan!
bra kompad oxå!
good work!

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 1399 W: 3 N: 30] (506)
  • [2009-02-10 11:31]

merhaba Gert
wonderful capture of this cute bird
composition, POV, sharpness and details are great
i like pp working also
TFS
regards
izler

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