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Male Chaffinch


Male 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: Black & White
Date Taken: 2007-04-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Chaffinch's [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-12 19:50
Viewed: 593
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The chaffich was singing so sweetly he didn't even notice me get so close, the Chaffinch seems to be a regular visitor to TN these days, I might even create a Chaffinch Theme, in my notes below they mention a Blue chaffinch, I would like to see one of them.

Info...

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 (Thorpe 1958).
claudine, greenpinkorange, Debz, thor68, Alex99, jaycee, ramthakur, hester, scottevers7, marmottelolo, jeanpaul, jcoowanitwong, ridvan, mikou, Luis52, glazzaro, metcher has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To claudine: THANKSHil 2 04-13 10:03
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-04-12 19:59]

Hello Hil

A lovely colour combo in this shot.The beak,head plumage and sky,combined with the trees and breast plumage is super.Very nicely placed in the frame.The focus is very good with sharp details.A very beautiful bird.TFS

Rob

The blue worked out well for this shot. I might like to see a little dodging of the highlights on the subject so it stands out more against the background. Cheers, -j

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1800 W: 29 N: 5223] (17114)
  • [2007-04-13 3:12]

Hi Hilary,
Wonderful blue BG makes the bird stand out. Lovely natural colours and sharpness. Perfect lighting and POV. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1874 W: 245 N: 6145] (21884)
  • [2007-04-13 4:23]

Hi Hilary,
a beautifully composed shot of this Chaffinch.
Sharp but too much background.
Great POV and colours.
Well done,
Joey

Hi Hil
Really nice details on your bird, colours looks really well saturated almost unreal which make very interesting atmosphere :)
TFS
Ralf

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
  • [2007-04-13 5:31]

Hi Hil, a nice shot of this Chaffinch. You have caught his colours beautifully, it is nice and sharp and you can see his eye and beak very clearly. good detail on the feathers, great pov. Nic composition.
tfs
debz

Hello Hill,
We don't have Chaffinch here so it is always a pleasure to see them :-)

This is a beautiful capture and I wish that I know what his sound sounds like. I guess that it might sound like the Yellow Goldfinches that I know; clear, happy, melodious?

This is a nice capture of this bird with good POV, details and exposure. Have you tried a vertical composition with it? Congrats and TFS,
Claudine

a chaffinch-theme - that´s a great idea, hil! :-)
and your wonderful shot would be the first one in it.
excellent diagonal composition and pov from below against a beautiful blue sky.
the colorful and sharp chaffinch is terrific as well as the thick green branch with it´s moss.
well seen & captured, thorsten.

Hi Hilary,
Nice blue BG makes the bird stand out. Lovely natural colours and sharpness.

Biswarup

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3160 W: 148 N: 4787] (15449)
  • [2007-04-13 9:39]

Hi Hilary.
Bravo. Great picture. My congratulations. Fantastic colours, excellent diagonal composition, amazing POV and BG. Your charming bird is reproduced with great skillfulness. My best wishes and TFS.
Alexei.

a proud one, singing so sweetly, you say. must have been really nice, i wish i could hear it. the birds where i live just make.. noise! lol

good shot here with such a nice pose and posture! sharpness and colors are very well done and the background gives a very interesting effect to it. well done!

steph

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1902 W: 8 N: 4957] (16017)
  • [2007-04-13 11:09]

Hi Hil,

This is beautiful. The chaffinch looks so majestic in that pose. The colors are magnificent, the details are excellent, the setting is gorgeous. Makes a superb picture.

Jane

Great shot of Chaffinch from the ground level, Hilary.
The subject is in sharp focus along with the thick branch it is perched on.
The blurred BG of branches and blue sky adds a great deal of appeal to this lovely shot.
TFS.
Ram

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1479 W: 18 N: 3030] (11110)
  • [2007-04-13 14:07]

Hi Hilary

I love the little chaffinch with his pink breast. Lovely blue sky to set him off and a nice composition

TFS

Karan

Hi Hil, Very nice colors in this photo. Love your low POV. Good compo and great details. Only thing that could possibly had made this better was an open beak, singing a tune. VERY nice shot, like it alot. TFS! Lyndon

bon clicher, très belle exposition

Hello Hilary a suberb sharp shot with nice natural surroundings tfs rgds Necip.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1422 W: 127 N: 5219] (23113)
  • [2007-04-13 16:14]

Hello Hil, you did a great job on that picture. The light is perfect, it's incredibly sharp and I really like your POV. Congrats !

Mario

Hi Hillary,
Excellent exposure has really brought out the beautiful colors and detail in the plumage. A well controled DOF has a nice soft effect on the backround.Looks great!
Scott

bonjour hilary
excuse,j'ai pris du retard!
pov interrressant,jolies couleurs et bonne netteté.
j'aime le bleu du ciel qui fait bien ressortir l'oiseau.
laurent

Hello Hilary
Tes photos d'oiseaux sont toujours plus belles les unes que les autres! Tu es une vrai spécialiste! J'aime bien la zone de netteté sur la branche et l'oiseau. L'oiseau est bien mis en valeur dans son cadre et les couleurs sont chaudes. Super photo!
Merci et au revoir...JP

Hi Hil (You liked to be called that way :-))
This is a very good picture with a good composition. The colors and the exposure has been managed very well here and the catch light in the eye is an added bonus.
TFS
Goutham

Hi Hilary, beautiful shot, nice lighting and colors, well done.

TFS Anders.

Hi Hilary,
Very nice diagonal composition and pov. Marvelous blue sky background. The chaffinch is well in focus with vivid colors. TFS this beautiful image.
JC

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 563 W: 0 N: 1148] (5188)
  • [2007-04-16 15:20]

selam hilary; wow superb shot of the small little lovely bird, very good colours nice pov, well composed shot with frame (can you say what do you use for frame), very nice bg and details
tfs & regards
ridvan

  • Great 
  • mikou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 863 W: 73 N: 1348] (5265)
  • [2007-04-16 15:29]

Hi Hilary.
Blue color in this your picture is simple splendid.I like all color a lot.Beautiful composition with very impressive point of view.Pretty his pose,very nice details on plumage and blue sky in BG it is all very pleasant view for my eyes.Superb done,thank you for sharing.
Best greetings Milos.

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1026 W: 5 N: 2887] (10445)
  • [2007-04-16 16:29]

Hola Hilary.- Que bellos colores del plumaje de este hermoso Pajarillo. Foto muy nitida y con gran fondo.
Luis52.

Has such a proud visage, excellent detail and nice pose, well captured!

Greg

Hi, Hilary.
Very nice. So natural colors on bird. Good composition and sharpness.

Great note, excellent composition, good sharp, fine color, great photo.

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