<< Previous Next >>

Ringed Plover


Ringed Plover
Photo Information
Copyright: Pekka Valo (pekkavalo1) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 311 W: 42 N: 1210] (3817)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, Canon 100-400 L + 1.4x Extender, RAW ISO 400, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/11, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-04-26 3:05
Viewed: 654
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Ringed Plover captured at RSPB Elmley Marshes nature reserve.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula is a small plover. Adults are 17-19.5 cm in length with a 35-41 cm wingspan. They have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes and a short orange and black bill. The legs are orange and only the outer two toes are slightly webbed, unlike the slightly smaller but otherwise very similar Semipalmated Plover, which has all three toes slightly webbed, and also a marginally narrower breast band; it was in former times included in the present species. Juvenile Ringed Plovers are duller than the adults in colour, with an often incomplete grey-brown breast band, a dark bill and dull yellowish-grey legs.

This species differs from the smaller Little Ringed Plover in leg colour, the head pattern, and the lack of an obvious yellow eye-ring.

The Ringed Plover's breeding habitat is open ground on beaches or flats across northern Eurasia and in Arctic northeast Canada. Some birds breed inland, and in western Europe they nest as far south as northern France. They nest on the ground in an open area with little or no plant growth. If a potential predator approaches the nest, the adult will walk away from the scrape, calling to attract the intruder and feigning a broken wing. Of course, once the intruder is far enough from the nest, the plover flies off.

Ringed Plovers are migratory and winter in coastal areas south to Africa. Many birds in Great Britain and northern France are resident throughout the year.
These birds forage for food on beaches, tidal flats and fields, usually by sight. They eat insects, crustaceans and worms.

There are three weakly-defined subspecies, which vary slightly in size and mantle colour; they intergrade where their ranges meet:
• Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula - breeds temperate western Europe north to central Scandinavia; resident or short-distance migrant to southwest Europe. Largest and palest subspecies.
• Charadrius hiaticula psammodroma - breeds Iceland, Greenland, northeast Canada; wintering west Africa. Intermediate in size and colour.
• Charadrius hiaticula tundrae - breeds Arctic northern Scandinavia and Asia; wintering Africa and southwest Asia. Smallest and darkest subspecies.
C. h. hiaticula and C. h. tundrae are among the taxa to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
NinaM, haraprasan, jaycee, Jamesp, CeltickRanger, Adanac has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 567 W: 0 N: 1397] (4619)
  • [2008-04-26 5:00]

Hello Pekka, this is a lovely picture of this beautiful bird. It looks like a young, maybe it is not, it is so cute. I like its little leg up and the beautiful colours. Thank you!

Francine

Hi Pekka,
A nice capture of this beautiful plover bird. Excellent composition and sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1791 W: 8 N: 4653] (15039)
  • [2008-04-26 9:23]

Hi Pekka,

What a beautiful Ringed Plover. Colors are beautiful. Excellent details of the face and plummage. I love the position of his legs! A wonderful natural setting and a very pretty picture.

Jane

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1215 W: 68 N: 2524] (8319)
  • [2008-04-26 12:04]

Hello Pekka,
Very beautiful photo of this Ringed Plover. Excellent natural colours and very sharp. Great composition and POV.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
  • [2008-04-26 13:26]

Hi Pekka

Great low POV plus excellent detail and colour. Wonderful pose too. Great work.

James

hello Pekka

excellent shot of the Ringed Plover, fine POV, framing and DOF,
excellent sharpness and details of the bird and parts of the foreground,
i love that the image was shooted on the bird's walking movement,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2008-04-26 19:42]

Hi Pekka,
Wonderful shot of this Ringed Plover looking out for food on that marsh. Very impressive sharpness and colours with perfect lighting. A great moment freezed with skillful timing. Excellent low POV to portray it and very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Pekka,
Very nice and neat captured on the Plover!
excellent pov with great sharpness, wonderful colour and details
a pleasing posting indeed
many thanks
regards
Tony

Hello Pekka,

Only marking today.
Mariki

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1051 W: 1 N: 4170] (14008)
  • [2008-04-29 20:19]

Hello Pekka,
You are fast becoming one of my favorites here. Your excellent images of a wide variety of creatures are wonderful, thank you Pekka.
Rick

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF