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The Swedish nightingale


The Swedish nightingale
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3388 W: 343 N: 9479] (30805)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-09-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF 300mm / F2.8 L USM, Digital RAW 400, Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/160 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-10-21 7:31
Viewed: 227
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Thanks for the nice comments and words of my previous post.

This a Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica which means the Swedish nightingale.
This bird breeds far up in the north and I only see them in the autumn when they are
flying south for the winter. It’s a bit pale in colors this time of year, I hope to catch them in the spring when the plumage are in full colors.
I took this picture of a distance of 4-5 meter, I was using the Qwick4 camo-net so they came very close sometime to close.
I hope you like this male.


The Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats.
It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in wet birch wood or bushy swamp in Europe and Asia with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in north Africa and India.
The Bluethroat is similar in size to the European Robin at 13-14 cm. It is plain brown above except for the distinctive black tail with red side patches. It has a strong white supercilium
The male has a blue bib edged below with successive black, white and rust coloured borders. Some races, such as L. svecica svecica (Red-spotted Bluethroat) of northern Eurasia, have a red spot in the centre of the blue bib.
Others, such as L. svecica cyanecula (White-spotted Bluethroat) of southern and central Europe, have a white spot in the centre of the blue bib. L. svecica magna in Turkey has no central spot.
Females of all races usually have just a blackish crescent on an otherwise cream throat and breast. Newly fledged juveniles are freckled and spotted dark brown above.
Despite the distinctive appearance of the males, recent genetic studies show only limited variation between the forms, and confirm that this is a single species.
The male has a loud, varied, and sometimes imitative song reminiscent of its relative, the Nightingale. Its call is a typical chat “chack” noise.

Source and more info in different language here

Canon 300mm/F2.8 L, 1,4x converter, Tripod , camo- net, Walkstool, ISO 400, Raw-format, AV-mode, spot metering, +1/3 Ev
Converted in Canon DPP, Levels, Contrast, Crop, resized to 800 pixels, Smart Sharpen ,PP in PS CS4.
Well calibrated Eizo monitor, calibrated/profiled with a Spyder3 Elite
marianas, Alex99, goatman04, meyerd, Argus, eqshannon, marius-secan, parasbhalla, nasokoun, MMM, Noisette, anel, Solrac, Miss_Piggy, loot has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Argus: Tackellis49 2 10-21 09:32
To meyerd: Camoellis49 1 10-21 09:01
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Critiques [Translate]

Gert
What a great capture!
Wonderful sharp details, lovely colors.
Congratulation!
Mariana

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3581 W: 143 N: 5669] (18529)
  • [2009-10-21 8:20]

Hi Gert.
Amazing portrait of the charming bird. As usual all is perfect but I am especially expressed with blue sky in bird's eye. Very nice framing of the bird and natural reproduction of the pictorial colouration of the feathers. Natural for our steppe surroundings (dry and green stems and grass) id nicely blurred and do not distract our attention. Magnification level and 3D-effect are great. Well done and kind regards.
Alexei.

Hello Gert,

A really outstanding portrait of this Bluethroat with beautiful coloration, sharpness & fine details.

Excellent POV, pose & BG. Very well done & TFS.

Best wishes

Umar

Hi Gert,
nothing to say, speechless, I admire this kind of portrait a lot. It asks for spit second decisions. You must get hot under the camouflage tent! I had this bird as a surprise visitor once in my yard; to see them more often I had to come to Norway. Thanks for the treat!
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3802 W: 190 N: 11310] (34871)
  • [2009-10-21 8:52]
  • [+]

Hej Gert!
A very fine close capture of Blåhaken. Your camo-net seems to be very effective in being able to get close to a bird. Technically this is close to perfect, the plumage details of this male being well seen from this nice low POV.
Well done and thanks for sharing this beauty,
Hälsningar,
Ivan

You seem to have done all the right things here Gert. I had missed your number one photos for a while..but your gear really does help does it not? That lens combo is quite the deal to produce such naturally sharp looking images...and it also doesn't detract at all from any of the natural colours...Well done sir!
Bob

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2904 W: 34 N: 8600] (32056)
  • [2009-10-21 11:41]

Hi Gert. Its easy to see where it gets its name. With the use of the Camo - net you were able to get very close. Which has given you sharp focusing and fine detail in the feathers. I like the catch light in the eye. Your use of the light has given bright colours. Well taken TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1566] (6115)
  • [2009-10-21 12:15]

Hello Gert
Wonderful portrait of this rare species in my country that I never seen. Well done
Regards
Razvan

Hi Gert,

A lovely closeup capture of this tiny cute bird with superb details! I like the great contrast between the colors of the bird and the blurry green BG. The eyes are perfectly shown. The sharpness is great and the POV is superb.

Great composition!

best regards,
Paras

Verry good close up of this wonderfull bird.Good photo.Regards.Alin.

hello Gert
a very good close up scene with the cute profile,beautifully litted up natural colours and excellent and sharp details,exceptional photo output!
TFS thanks for sharing,thanks for your good comments to my photo,it was a pleasant surprise.
Nasos

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2009-10-22 8:12]

Hi Gert
Excellent portrait.Crystal clear image with outstanding plumage detail.Colors are also very nice.I also like the catch light in the eye.
TFS Michel

Hello Gert
great portrait of this Swedish nightingale, taken with superb details
I like his shiny eye, his blue feathers, the composition and the nice BG
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1715 W: 0 N: 3896] (15640)
  • [2009-10-23 1:29]

Hello Gert,
This is a very fine and beautiful portrait of the Bluethroat, a bird which I don't remember having seen. Excellent sharpness and composition. The colors of the throat are so subtle and so beautifully covered with tiny waterdrops..
I have seen yesterday close to my home, next the river Aar a White-throated Dipper, a bird of which you had shown beautiful pictures in the past.
Thanks a lot and
Kind regards
Anne

Excelente retrato de este ave con bello colorido en una actitud muy natural
Buen trabajo
un saludo

Hallo Gert
Once again a stunner from your hand and camera. The technical aspects applied here is great. All the birds in your images always seem to be posing for you and you are very fortunate to have such opportunities to capture them this delightful almost behavioural way. It is always pleasant to look at your postings and this lovely Bluethroat is no exception. Like always your presentation is done with pride and preciseness and I thank your for that. Focus, sharpness, composition and overall display is great.Best regards.
Anna

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5413 W: 593 N: 3645] (10013)
  • [2009-11-05 23:39]

Hi Gert

With this little Swedish nightingale not showing its full colours it probably fits into the LBJ (little brown job) category, but never the less you've captured it beautifully.

It looks like such a dainty little bird, with its narrow beak and smallish eye. You've managed to show very fine and lovely details, good (shallow) DOF, and pretty natural colours. That camo-net obviously pays its dividends, unfortunately here in sunny Zululand it would probably be better to go to a Sauna instead as one would sweat less. The only problem is that there won't be any birds to photograph.

Hey, it feels good to be back on the site and to be welcomed back in such a friendly and warm maner as you've done on my last posting. Thanks so much for your kind words and also for your response on the forum threat icw Aaltjie. It is much appreciated. Take care.

Well done my friend and TFS
Best regards
Loot

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