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Female Red-backed Shrike


Female Red-backed Shrike
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5089 W: 178 N: 12407] (33873)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D-5000, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX DG APO HSM, @ ISO 400
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds from the Middle East and Europe, Small bird, big World [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-08-06 0:27
Viewed: 427
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lanius collurio (Red-backed shrike) [in Turk. Kızılsırtlı Örümcekkuşu] (Female)

I uploaded a handsome male Red-backed Shrike approx. two month ago from an Eastern Anatolian province, Malatya and today I am posting this beautiful female caught a bush cricket from Tuzluca (Iğdır province) which I captured it during our last trip to the region.

TFL and Have a nice day!
Cheers,

©Bayram GÖÇMEN, Ege University, Faculty of Science. All Rights Reserved.

*****************************

The Red-backed Shrike is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family Laniidae and it is slightly larger than a house sparrow, measuring 17 cm in length. Males are easily recognisable by their striking appearance. They have a bluish-grey head, black eye mask, chestnut coloured back, black tail framed with white, salmon pink underparts and a hooked black bill. Females and juveniles do not have the black eye mask of the male and are dull brown; juveniles also have bars on their back. The voice includes a harsh 'chack chack' alarm call, and males produce a sustained warble in which the songs of other bird species are copied.

The red-backed shrike breeds throughout most of Europe except for most of the northern areas, central and southern Iberia and many Mediterranean islands. It migrates via south-east Europe to tropical and southern Africa and north-west India for the winter.

When hunting, shrikes sit in prominent positions such as on fence posts in order to spot potential prey. They take a range of prey and use a variety of hunting methods. They swiftly drop onto beetles and other invertebrates dwelling on the ground, but can also chase after flying insects and catch them on the wing. Small birds, mammals, lizards and frogs are also taken, and are killed with a sharp peck to the back of the head. Prey items are often impaled on thorns in order to build up a food supply for periods of bad weather.

The cup-like nest is built from plant stems, roots and grass, is lined with moss and hair and is located low down in dense thorny bushes. Eggs are laid between the end of May and late July; only one clutch consisting of 3-6 eggs is produced each year.

Reference:

1. Perrins, C. & Attenborough, D. (1987). Collins New Generation Guide to the BIRDS of Britain and Europe. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, 320 pp.
2. Wikipedia.
2. ARKive.
parasbhalla, yasemin, nkasot, cypturk, cirano, SMYRNA, xTauruSx, nazirbadar, goatman04, goldyrs, Gert-Paassen, bahadir, zulfu, Luis52, jaycee, eqshannon, albert, jpdenk, Noisette, uleko, KRALKOBRA, montivipera, anemone has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To lousat: Hiboreocypriensis 1 08-06 21:06
To cirano: Selam Dostumboreocypriensis 2 08-06 03:00
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Critiques [Translate]

Selam Bayram,

Another wonderful closeup shot from a adorable beauty! The Red-Backed Shrike looks awesome and has very pleasing and soft colors. The great moment while carrying an insect is well captured indeed. The sharpness and POV are just perfect with wonderfully controlled DOF. The blurred BG is simply nice. Great work!

Thanks for sharing.

regards,
Paras Bhalla

Hi Brother...
Very pretty bird..Excellent picture with great pose and sharpness perfect...Have a nice day.
Take care..
Leyla.

Günaydın Bayram hocam, düz grimsi arka zeminde ön plana çıkan harika bir dişi örümcekkuşu karesi. Üzerine konduğu çiçeğin oluşturduğu kompozisyon, detaylar, poz ve ağzındaki çekirge avıyla her açıdan güzel bir çekim.
Emeğinize sağlık.
Nazım

Hi dayi, a perfect shot of this elegant looking shrike with its prey on her mouth. Very impressive catch! Beautiful colours and excellent details. I liked the natural surrounding here too.
Warm regards,
Merih

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 407 W: 0 N: 1011] (5460)
  • [2009-08-06 1:37]

Very good colors, sharpness and composition!

Bayram merhaba,
Ağzında yemi ile bu sevimli kızılsırtlı örümcek kuşunu ne güzel bir pozda yakalamışsın.Çiçekler kadraj içine baharı sokmuş.Renkler,netlik ve detaylar harika.Eline emeğine sağlık.
Dûrzan

great capture, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 190 N: 11348] (34987)
  • [2009-08-06 3:46]

Hello Bayram Dostum,
This is a fine capture of a female red-backed Shrike. I like the pose with the captured bush-cricket and your POV is excellent and taken with fine sharpness and colours. A beautiful composition with the wild parsley flowers against a pleasing neutral Bg
Well done MF and have a great day!
Cheers,
Ivan

Kanka çok güzel bir çekim. Kuş adeta sanatsal poz vermiş sana:). Renkler ve uyumları harika.
Eline sağlık.
Gökhan

Çok güzel bir pozda yakalamışsınız hocam.
Ağzındakini sanki birşey aşırtan ve yakalanınca da
utanan bir çocuk gibi tutmuş:)
Elinize sağlık.
Deniz

hello Bayram
nice composition with good details and good light
greeting lou

Hello Bayram,
A great shot.The timing of taking picture is amazing.Excellent work.
Regards
Nazir

Merhaba Bayram,

This is an excellent capture of this female Red-backed Shrike with such beautiful coloration, sharpness & lovely details. I like the pose on a slightly bent Dill plant with that green cricket in her beak. Very well done & TFS.

Salam & Best Regards

Umar

An amazing shot of this shrike with fodder, Big Bro!
Very well timed and framed!
Bravo!
Goldy

Ülkenin diğer ucundan nefis bir güzellik hocam.
Emeğinize sağlık.
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1057 W: 0 N: 162] (868)
  • [2009-08-06 12:52]

Süper bir kuş karesi daha Bayram hocam. Renkler çok etkileyici.
Elinize ve emeğinize sağlık.
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2009-08-06 14:43]

Hello Bayram

A wonderful pose - excellent composition and timing - well seen and captured.

James

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2009-08-06 15:33]

Hola Bayram.
Just Beuatiful Photo is what I can say. Great work Bayram.
Saludos
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-08-06 16:18]
  • [+]

Hi Bayram,very very nice portrait of this little bird.I like a lot the perfect sharpness and these stranges colors,you take the pic in the early morning? Excellent work as usual,have a nice day my friend! Luciano

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-08-06 16:28]

Hi LBB,

It doesn't matter what your subject is - your images are always wonderful with excellent clarity. This female Shrike is lovely as she poses with her meal in her beak. A delightful pose on the tree with the pretty flowers. A beautiful setting and diagonal composition.

Jane

This image comes from you, a man of gentle nature surrounded by fightings in neighboring countries, yet able to continue to focus on the love of your life...amazing!
Bob

Selam Bayram,

Absolutely fantastic! Very nice image of this bird with a pray in his mouth. Its sat on a very nice green branch having some yellow flowers. This is amazing capture with OOF BG and a sharp image

TFS,
Kedar

Hello Bayram,
Considering the cloudy day it's a great exposure,I like the pose of this little bird with the cricket in the beak
TFS
Have a good W-E
Albert

Hi Bayram,

A really beautiful composition with a wonderful out-of-focus background and a subject in perfect, sharp focus. The colors work together to make a painting-like image. Reminds me of some of Marhowie's bird shots, which were some of the best images on TN.

John

Merhaba Bayram
superb and sharp shot of this lovely bird with a bush cricket in his beak
I ike the diagonal composition and his nice pose
Have a great WE
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2992 W: 162 N: 950] (2789)
  • [2009-08-09 8:22]

Hello Bayram,
A very lovely close capture of this beautiful bird carrying food for its young.
A very fine composition with the bird sharply in focus and the colours are lovely!
TFS and cheers, Ulla

Selamalr,
Çok güzel bir zamanlama, elinize sağlık.

Sevgiler

Merhaba Hocam,
Zamanlama iyi olmuş, elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla, Naşit

Günaydın Bayram hocam. süper bir fotoğraf. Aviyla birlikte güzel posz vermiş. Elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla,
Özgür

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