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Female Chaffinch


Female Chaffinch
Photo Information
Copyright: Hilary Wilkinson (Hil) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 750 W: 11 N: 1442] (4951)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-04-08 15:08
Viewed: 460
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took a few shots in my Park today, loads of Blue Tit shots and they were all rubbish, should really use a Tri or Monopod but somebody got mugged for their Camera the other week, so I keep my Camera in my bag until I'm on my own, as I would probably end up in the pond putting up a fight.

Some notes...

The Chaffinch, (Fringilla coelebs), is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Its large double white wing bars, white tail edges and greenish rump easily identify this 14-16 cm long species. The breeding male is unmistakable, with his reddish underparts and a grey cap. The female is drabber and greener, but still obvious.

This bird is widespread and very familiar throughout Europe. It is the most common finch in western Europe. Its range extends into western Asia, northwestern Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira. On Tenerife and Gran Canaria, it coexists with its sister species, the endemic Blue Chaffinch.

Behaviour
It uses a range of habitats, but open woodland is favoured, although it is common in gardens and on farmland. It builds its nest in a tree fork, and decorates the exterior with moss or lichen to make it less conspicuous. It lays about six eggs.

This bird is not migratory in the milder parts of its range, but vacates the colder regions in winter. The coelebs part of its name means "bachelor". This species was named by Linnaeus; in his home country of Sweden, where the females depart in winter, but the males often remain. This species forms loose flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with Bramblings. This bird occasionally strays to eastern North America, although some sightings may be escapees.

The food of the Chaffinch is seeds, but unlike most finches, the young are fed extensively on insects.

The powerful song is very well known, and its fink or vink sounding call gives the finch family its English name. Males typically sing two or three different song types, and there are regional dialects too.
The acquisition by the young Chaffinch of its song was the subject of an influential study by British ethologist William Thorpe. Thorpe determined that if the Chaffinch is not exposed to the adult male's song during a certain critical period after hatching, it will never properly learn the song, He also found that in adult Chaffinches, castration eliminates song, but injection of testosterone induces such birds to sing even in November, when they are normally silent

Notes from Wilkepedia.com
JoseMiguel, nglen, claudine, glazzaro has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Hilary,
A very risky POV!
But I liked this scene, with this underneath view of the tilt.
The DOF and the soft blurred background works pretty well in this picture.
Lovely the rich and green texture of the moss on the trunk.
I'm impressed by the mugged episode, be carefull!
Well done and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2129 W: 9 N: 5957] (22516)
  • [2007-04-08 17:26]

Hi Hilary, A hard shot to take. but you pulled it of. good colour and compostion. with good detail in the green on the bark. great if the bird looked down at you. TFS.
Nick Good notes .

This is so sad to think that you have to be careful while taking pictures... People are just going crazy Hill. I have the chance to live in a very quiet town and when I go out with this big zoom and monopod, it sometimes cross my mind that it would be so easy to take it from me but I don’t want to think about it, so it won’t happens :)

This is a interesting POV you had there and you caught great details on what we can see of the bird :) I like this little light in its eye a lot. Well seen and keep on shooting! :-)
Claudine

Hi Hilary,
Very nicely captured, well focused. Nicely composed picture.

BL

Lovely shot, just remember that no photo is worth getting hurt over, take care.

Greg

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-05-12 22:43]

Hello Hil

A cute little chap,excellent focus and details.The colours are well saturated and the lighting is very well handled.TFS

Rob

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