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Shelduck


Shelduck
Photo Information
Copyright: Pekka Valo (pekkavalo1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 389 W: 53 N: 1545] (4971)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-24
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Canon EF 400mm f4.0 DO IS USM, RAW ISO 800, Canon EF 2x Extender II
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/320 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-26 4:52
Viewed: 480
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A female (Common) Shelduck at RSPB Elmley Marshes nature reserve.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is a widespread and common duck of the Genus Tadorna. Fossil bones from Dorkovo (Bulgaria) described as Balcanas pliocaenica may actually belong to this species. More likely, they are an extinct species of Tadorna (if not a distinct genus) due to their Early Pliocene age; the present species is not unequivocally attested from the fossil record until some 2-3 million years later (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene.
Tadorna comes from Celtic roots and means "pied waterfowl", essentially the same as the English "shelduck".

Description
The gooselike Common Shelduck is a striking bird with its red bill, white and chestnut body, dark green head and neck. Sexes are similar, but the female is duller. The male has a swollen red bill knob in the breeding season.
The call is a loud honk.

Distribution and habitat
This is a bird which breeds in temperate Eurasia. Most populations migrate to subtropical areas in winter, but this species is largely resident in westernmost Europe, apart from movements to favoured moulting grounds, such as the Wadden Sea on the north German coast.
The Common Shelduck is common around the coastline of Great Britain (where it is simply known as Shelduck), where it frequents salt marshes and estuaries.
Behaviour
Moulting flocks can be very large (100,000 on the Wadden Sea), since most pairs leave their partially grown young in a crèche with just one or two adults.
This species is mainly associated with lakes and rivers in open country, breeding in rabbit burrows, tree holes, haystacks or similar. In winter it is common on suitable estuaries and tidal mudflats as well.
This bird is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies
haraprasan, nglen, Maite, eng55, jaycee, Gert-Paassen, gracious, vanderschelden, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Pekka,
A lovely capture of this beautiful duck. Superb details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2129 W: 9 N: 5957] (22516)
  • [2008-05-26 6:14]

Hi Pekka. A good picture of this fine looking duch with good detail and colours. I like the natural poses in the field . Its markings show up so well . TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1005 W: 64 N: 1242] (5082)
  • [2008-05-26 7:28]

Hello Pekka
Excellent capture of this beautiful duck! I can't remember having seen it before. Excellent focus with good depth and beautiful colors and details.
Congratulations and TFS
Greetings
Maite

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 468 W: 3 N: 473] (1469)
  • [2008-05-26 7:31]

Hi Pekka,
Lovely capture of this shelduck.Framing,details,colors and composition are excellent.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1902 W: 8 N: 4957] (16017)
  • [2008-05-26 9:30]

Hi Pekka,

I'll never understand why they use the word Common on such lovely birds. Species are common is some places and never seen in others. A beautiful Shelduck with wonderful colors and sharp details. She is posing nicely for you and looks great against the green.

Jane

Hello Pekka,

A nice capture of these duck and a good pov.
For a few weeks ago i posted also these duck.
Your picture looks overexposed in the white feathers, well good detail in the black and the eye.
I know this is a difficult one to potograph.

Gert

Hello Pekka,
Good pose on the Shelduck, and I loved the colour pattern on the plummage, beautiful!
image is sharp with nice colour and details
many thanks for sharing and the notes
cheers
Tony

Excellent shot, Pekka!
Very nice POV!
Cheers!
Goldy

Hello Pekka,
Very colorful for a female bird.
Well done
TFS
Annick

hello Pekka

great shot of the Shelduck, with very fine POV, DOF and framing,
i love the POV of your image and the way the duck is framed on it,
excellent sharpness and details of the foreground, TFS

Asbed

Hello Pekka,

Excellent picture of this duck. Good composition. Excellent sharpness and great colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1874 W: 245 N: 6145] (21884)
  • [2008-05-27 4:32]

Another excellent capture, Pekka!
Very sharp and crisp.
Wonderful colours and great lighting.
Superb DOF and a decent BG.

Very well done,

Joe

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-05-31 19:57]

Hello Pekka

A lovely capture of this shelduck.
The plumage markings show well.
Well focused with excellent details.
You have managed very good eye contact.
It looks similar to a small goose.
Well composed.
TFS

Rob

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