Black Swan

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Black Swan
Photo Information
Copyright: howard shirley (gerbilratz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 0 N: 916] (2938)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Tiffen 58mm UV PROTECTOR USA
Exposure: f/8, 1/160 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Avies! [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-05-05 4:27
Viewed: 425
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Black Swan, Cygnus atratus.

Cygnus atratus, was formerly placed into a monotypic genus "Chenopis"

It is a large waterbird, Native to the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Introductions have seen it become common, numbering close to 500,00 birds worldwide.

This is a portrait from a collection of water birds recently photographed at Waltham Abbey/Lea Valley.

They can inhabit fresh, brackish and salt water lakes, swamps and rivers with underwater and emergent vegetation for food and nesting materials. Permanent wetlands are preferred, including ornamental lakes, but they can be found in flooded pastures and tidal mudflats and occasionally on the open sea near islands or the shore.

Black Swans are mostly black feathered, but have a line of white "flight" feathers on the wing edges that sometimes show when at rest, and are conspicuous in flight. The bill is bright red, with a pale bar and tip; and legs and feet are greyish-black.

Cobs are slightly larger than pens, with a longer and straighter bill. Cygnets are a greyish-brown with pale-edged feathers.

A mature Black Swan measures between 1.1 and 1.4 metres in length and weighs 6-9 kg. Its wing span, in flight, is between 1.6 and 2 metres.The neck is long (relatively the longest neck among the swans) and curved in an "S".

The Black Swans are quite vocal, making bugle-like sound, called either on the water or in flight, as well as a range of softer crooning notes. It can also whistle, especially when disturbed while breeding and nesting

Black Swans, like many other water fowl, lose all their flight feathers at once when they moult after breeding, and they are unable to fly for about a month. During this time they will usually settle on large, open waters for safety.

Introduced populations

The Black Swan is popular as an ornamental waterbird in Western Europe, especially Britain, and escapes are commonly reported. This one was/is one of a pair living on the Lea Valley waters, and is an escapee from area's unknown. The population in Britain is not yet self sustaining, and is therefore not on the Official British List, but the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust have recorded a maximum of nine breeding pairs in the UK in 2001, with an estimate of 43 feral birds in 2003/04.

This bird is in the wild state, and was spotted under a willow tree preening itself. The image was manual focus, hand held whilst standing in the water to get a better POV. It was accompanied by several mallards, some Canada geese nearby with chicks did try to drive it away.

ISO 100
Shutter speed, 1/160
F-stop f/8
Focal length 300mm.

Shot in RAW, no PP at all, image is "as shot", apart from slight right/left cropping. Sized to upload, saved in jpeg.
gannu, boreocypriensis, eqshannon, eng55, Gert-Paassen, nglen, Royaldevon, Alex99, gracious, Argus, xTauruSx has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To eqshannon: Black Swangerbilratz 1 05-05 07:26
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Howard,

Very beautiful portrait of this black swan. Superb detail. Very good light and colours. Splendid eye.
cheers,
Mariki

A lovely shot of this swan, Howard.I've yet to see a black one.And very interesting notte, too.
Goldy

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 729 W: 4 N: 1811] (8606)
  • [2008-05-05 6:13]

Hello Howard, Nice shot and so superb. Excellent clarity and lovely eye sight. Ganesh

Hi Howard, lovely portrait of beautiful black Sawan with splendid details and great sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hi My dear friend Howard,
Marvelous portrait capture of a Black swan which I have not seen before with wonderful clarity, lighting and framing.
TFS my friend!
Cheers,

Bayram

I saw one of these the other day and it was quite different...I think perhaps the other had a slight white balance problem...this one is spot on though.Can we officially give you 4 points thereby making up for the damaged bird...I often wonder at what happens to some things when the3y are hurt like that...most times we never know...
Bob

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 335 W: 3 N: 370] (1093)
  • [2008-05-05 7:29]

Hi Howard,
Beautiful portrait.POV,expression on face and details are perfect.
Thanks for posting..

Hello Howard,

Good close up from the Black Swan,
Sharpness oke with beautiful colors, nice to neighbour with you today.

Gert

Hi Howard,a fantastic portrait,the birds as a flowers,you are a master in all fields..eheheh..thanks for share and for the note too,have a nice day,Luciano

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1864 W: 2 N: 4738] (18250)
  • [2008-05-05 8:52]

Hi Howard. We had a pair in the ocal park last year but when spring came they flew off and have not come back. Not an easy colour to get right but you have taken this one so well. good detail in the fetahers just a litte soft on the bill. mind you my eye are not as good as they use to be . TFS.
Nick..
Hope you have had a good weekend.

Hello Howard,

You have captured excellent details of this black swan! It's beak resembles shiny marble whilst its feathers have soft texture! The reflection in its eye gives it character. Expertly cropped.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hello Howard,
Very fine closeup shot of this Black Swan!
the image is sharp with great details!
very good eye contact!
well done
best regards
Tony

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2413 W: 132 N: 6649] (20861)
  • [2008-05-05 21:42]

Hello Howard,
A nice close-up portrait of a semi-feral Black Swan. The sharpness and details of the head are excellent and taken from a fine POV in pleasing composition.
TFS this beauty,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2935 W: 142 N: 4217] (13775)
  • [2008-05-06 0:28]

Hi Howard.
Nice portrait work, my friend. Cropping and framing of the image are great as well as the DOF. All bird image is in focus. However, I prefer use a flash in such cases. Without flash it is so difficult to show all details of the dark plumage. I think the using of fill flash would allow you to get sharper image too. My compliments and TFS.
Alexei.

Hello Howard,
Splendid portrait shot of a black swan! TFS. Regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2726 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-05-26 10:49]

Hello Howard

A lovely capture of this beautiful black swan.
The portrait is well done.
Excellent eye detail.
Nicely done.
TFS


Rob

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