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Long-legged Elegance


Long-legged Elegance
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5104 W: 178 N: 12503] (34135)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-21
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D-5000, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX DG APO HSM, @ ISO 400
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/200 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds from the Middle East and Europe, CeltickRanger's favorite Bird photos -5- [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-08-12 0:56
Viewed: 455
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 66
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Ciconia ciconia (White Stork) [in Turk. Leylek, Ak Leylek]

Today another capture from the vicinity of the Porsuk lake, but a different elegant beauty, a white stork. I loved her walking style resembling a beauty in the contest of best model of the world :)

TFL and Cheers,

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

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

White Storks are tall (1 m., 2.3-4.4 kg) long-necked wading birds with long bare red legs and a straight pointed red bill. The white plumage of the head, neck, and body contrasts with the black wing feathers highlighted with a sheen of purple and green iridescence. The contour feathers of the lower neck and chest are elongated to form a fluffy ruff that can be erected during courtship displays. A small patch of bare black skin surrounds their brown eyes. Sexes are similar in appearance, though males are slightly larger.

Juvenile birds are duller in coloration than adults. The black primaries are tinged with brown. Their blackish bills and dull brown legs slowly acquire the red color of the adults as they mature. Though storks are considered to be largely silent birds, most species perform some variety of a bill-clattering display. This display reaches its most advanced form in the White Stork. They begin by throwing their heads straight back to create an amplifying resonance box in the gular pouch of the lower neck. As they clatter their upper and lower mandibles together rapidly they produce a loud machine-gun-like rattle that rises and falls in pace.

Storks are large birds that rely heavily on energy efficient soaring flight during migration. Soaring requires the presence of thermal air currents that are not found over water. White Storks are therefore reluctant to fly across large bodies of water such as the Mediterranean Sea to reach their wintering grounds in tropical Africa (C. ciconia ciconia). They solve this problem by having the bulk of the European population split into two distinct migratory routes. Western birds cross the Mediterranean at the Straits of Gibraltar, while most of the eastern birds cross the Bosporus and circle around the Mediterranean through the Middle East. Migration is highly synchronized and flocks contain as many as 11,000 individuals. Birds migrating from Denmark to South Africa and back again may cover a total distance of 20,000 km. Small numbers of birds cross the Mediterranean directly by flying south from the southern tips of Italy and Greece. Some western European White Storks join the Asiatic subspecies C. ciconia asiatica to winter in India. Wintering birds may congregate in large numbers as they utilize a locally abundant food source such as locust or grasshopper swarms. One hundred thousand white storks were reported in one 25 km2 area in Tanzania during a severe infestation of army-worms. These wintering birds occupy dry savannahs and open grasslands but tend to congregate around lakes, ponds, and rivers. Breeding White Storks prefer lowland open habitats of wet pastures, flooded meadows, and shallow lakes and marshes with scattered trees for roosting and nesting. They have adapted to nest on man-made structures and forage in freshly plowed fields.

White Storks are highly opportunistic feeders who will consume a wide variety of prey items including insects, frogs, toads, tadpoles, fish, rodents, snakes, lizards, earthworms, mollusks, crustaceans, and, rarely, the chicks or eggs of ground-nesting birds. Foraging storks search for prey visually while walking deliberately with bill pointed toward the ground. When prey is spotted, they cock their necks back, then jab the bill forward to grasp their victim. Wintering birds in Africa will congregate around the edges of grass-fires to capture small prey fleeing the flames.

White Storks form loose informal colonies while breeding. Several pairs may nest closely together within sight and sound of one another while appearing completely oblivious to their neighbors. Nine pairs have shared one rooftop in Spain. Though storks form monogamous pairs for the duration of the breeding season, they do not migrate or over-winter together. If the same pair reforms in successive years it is largely due to their strong attachment to their nest site. Males usually arrive at the nest-site first. A male will greet a newly arriving female with the Head-Shaking Crouch display, as he lowers himself on the nest into the incubating posture, erects his neck ruff and shakes his head from side to side. If the male accepts the new arrival as his mate they will cement their pair bond with an Up-Down display. In this display the birds hold their wings away from their sides and pump their heads up and down. This is often accompanied by bill-clattering. Shorter courtships may indicate that the male and female were paired in previous years. The female usually lays 3-5 eggs, more rarely up to seven. Parents share incubation duties for 33-34 days. Young chicks are covered with white down and have black bills. Both parents feed the young on the nest until they fledge at 8-9 weeks of age. Fledglings may continue to return to the nest site each evening to beg for food from their parents. Young birds reach sexual maturity in their fourth year. Banding records indicate that wild birds can live and reproduce successfully past 30 years of age.

References:

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. Smithsonian National Zoological Park.
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To Raptorman: :)boreocypriensis 1 08-12 05:28
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Critiques [Translate]

Bayram hocam gerçek bir zerafet:) uzun bacakları ve özellikle sol bacağın öne doğru hareketi ile çok hoş bir poz olmuş. Detaylar, alan derinliği ve kompozisyon sıradışı güzellikte.
Emeğinize sağlık.
Deniz

Deniz'in benzetmesi çok yerinde olmuş Bayram hocam.
Gerçekten zarif duran güzel kuşlarımızdan biri. Elinize sağlık.
Kıbrıs'tan selamlar ve saygılar.
Nazım

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 94 N: 5564] (17694)
  • [2009-08-12 1:43]

Hello Bayram,
Last sunday my wife and I made a bicycle tour and we saw five of them. All a bit far away. Last year a White Stork walked for the window of my classroom. A great biological lesson for the children.
This is a beautiful close photo taken from a very good low POV. Good sharp details and natural colours. Nice environment.
Regards,
Peter

Haha:) dayi tam bir best model! cok guzel pozda yakalamissin. Dogal ortamiyla harika bir kompozisyon olmus. Ben bu guzele asik oldum:)
Eline saglik. selamlar.
Merih

  • Great 
  • Tabib Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 147 W: 5 N: 151] (720)
  • [2009-08-12 2:31]

Yes, I like the way you captured the catwalk moment.
Nice background with small yellow flowers.
TFS and best reards.
/Redzlan/.

hello Bayram
Great picture super sharpness and beautiful colours
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3825 W: 190 N: 11396] (35111)
  • [2009-08-12 3:16]

Hello bayram,
A fine capture of a White Stork taken with fine timing and from a POV that shows its elegance. The composition against the natural BG highlights the beauty of this image.
Well done Dostum and TFS!
Cheers,
Ivan

Bayram merhaba,
Klasik leylek ayak hareketlerinden birini çok hoş kadrajla çekmişsin.Renkler,netlik ve duruş çok güzel.Eline emeğine sağlık.
Selamlar,
Dûrzan

Bayram merhaba ,
Güzel bir " Long-legged " fotoğrafı olmuş .
Eline sağlık .

Great picture my friend, sharp details, excellent colors and light,
thanks for sharing,
regards,
Nikos.

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 71 N: 758] (4689)
  • [2009-08-12 4:55]

Hello Bayram,
I took few shots of stork and know how hard to get good result, fine pose and perfect light. Your stork is perfect and BG is also very nice.
Regards, Pawel

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 414 W: 0 N: 1030] (5550)
  • [2009-08-12 5:11]

Very good photo of this Stork! By us, the Migration of this species is begin!

Bayram. cok guzel bir leylek fotografi olmus... Civardaki renkler de kompozisyona ayri bir hava vermis...
Ellerine saglik... Kocaman kucakliyorum....
Leyla..

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3001 W: 162 N: 989] (2897)
  • [2009-08-12 6:58]

Hello Bayram,
I love these elegant birds and this is a lovely capture of it striding along. Great sharpness and colours and a nice background.
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1382 W: 56 N: 4768] (16394)
  • [2009-08-12 7:29]

Hello MF Bayram.
Excellent image clarity and sharpness.Professinal shot of these lovely birds, Color tones is also very good. Well captured and composed.Best regards Siggi

Merhaba Bayram hocam,

Çok güzel bir leylek görüntüsü. Kocaman gövdesini tutan kırmızı renkli incecik iki uzun ayak ile yeşil zemin üzerinde zarif yürüyüş sergilemesi gözümün önüne geldi üstadım. Kompozisyon ve çekim kalitesi de çok başarılı. Elinize ve emeğinize sağlık.

Saygı ve selamlarımla.
Mehmet

Salam Bayram,

This is a great close capture of this White Stork with a beautiful POV, coloration, sharpness & details. Well done MF & TFS.

Regards

Umar

Indeed, a very elegant;y captured shot, Big Bro!
I love the sharp details and the natural environment you've put on display so well!
Bravo!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 15 N: 1629] (6333)
  • [2009-08-12 8:21]

Hello Bayram
Wonderful capture taken with vivid colors and excellent details
regards
Razvan

Kanka harika çekmişsin valla. Gerçekten güzel bir model.
Eline sağlık.
Gökhan

Tertemiz ve harika bir çekim olmuş hocam. Dilber sizi beğenmişe benziyor:)
Elinize sağlık.
Bahadır

Hi Bayram Barea,
Wonderful shot. A symphony of long legs. :) Like Hungarian gals. :) I really like Your photo, great sharpness, nice exposure and bg. Pleasant to the eyes.
Best wishes, László

Hello Bayram,
What a beauty! It is always elegant, marching or flying. The colours and sharpness are excellent. You have the chance to seem them in the wild in Turkey. Here in Belgium, there are only one natural wild nest for the whole country. Best regards,
Catherine

Hi little bro Bayram,

I am missing the baby.
In the Netherlands the Stork brings the little children by the mum and dad.

good pov, sharpness with fine colours.

Gert

Hey Bayram!

Magnificent three-tiered approach, we can say that perfect. Technically very well done this picture. Thanks for the note, as always is very well documented.

Additional Congratulations, selected the perfect angle for the photo!

Regards,

Jesús

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16524)
  • [2009-08-12 23:38]

Hello Little Brother

A wonderful shot - again. The detail is great and I like the slight blur on the leg - very effective.

James

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1066 W: 0 N: 162] (870)
  • [2009-08-13 5:20]

Bir başka güzel ve harika bir bakış açısından nefis bir kare.
Emeğinize sağlık. Saygılar.
Mehmet

Hello Bayram,
Beautiful photo of this elegant White stork,very natural colours
Well done
Albert

Hi Bayram ,

this is a lovely capture of the beautiful bird with a great sharpness. Very neatly focused and framed. This white stork is lovely1

TFS,
Kedar

Merhaba Bayram
Storks are the symbol of Alsace, the part of France where i live, so i like ths birds very much and you have taken this one with very great details and wonderful colors, i like the side view and the composition

Merhaba Hocam,
Çok güzel bir leylek karesi olmuş, elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla, Naşit

hello Bayram

i consider this as one of your best photos
and you gived a very appropriate title,
excellent and beautiful photo of the White Stork
with very fine POV, DOF and framing, fine focus
with excellent sharpness and details,
beautifully blurred background, TFS

Asbed

Çok net ve model gibi poz vermiş bir Leylek karesi Bayram hocam. Sanırım Türkiyede gezmediğiniz yer, görmediğiniz hayvan kalmamıştır:)
Elinize sağlık...
Saygılarımla,
Özgür

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