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young Pine Grosbeak


young Pine Grosbeak
Photo Information
Copyright: jeanpaul Bolduc (jeanpaul) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 99 N: 3252] (14117)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Pentax *ist D, 70-300mm f4-5.6
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-04-24 6:35
Viewed: 705
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
Pine Grosbeak
(Pinicola enucleator)

Cool fact: Pine Grosbeaks have the reputation of being very tame and approachable, especially in winter. They tend to stay hidden within foliage when alarmed, rather than flushing. Their deliberate movements and tendency toward long periods of stationary rest earned them the Newfoundland colloquial name "mope."
adult male Pine Grosbeak




This large, robin-sized finch (approximately 8 to 10 inches in length) has an extremely wide distribution, occurring in northern forests in northern Europe, Russia, and North America. In North America, it occurs from northwest and central Alaska south through the Cascades and Rocky Mountains to Washington and British Columbia, across the Yukon and Northwest Territories through northern Manitoba to Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland, and south to northern Maine and New Hampshire. Pine Grosbeaks also occur in the higher altitudes in the Sierra Nevada, eastern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. Pine Grosbeak habitat includes the borders of open places in coniferous woods, pond and stream edges, and the edges of open fields and marshes. There, they build a bulky nest in a shrub or coniferous tree.

Pine Grosbeaks forage in trees, or they may come to the ground to forage for fallen seeds and fruit. They eat the buds of many trees, including maple, birch, apple, mountain ash, poplar, and willow. Favorite foods include the fruits of crabapple, bittersweet, barberry, and mountain ash, and the seeds of birch, pine, and spruce trees. In addition, they eat grass and weed seeds and various insects (which make up to 15 percent of their diet in summer). Outside of the breeding season, these grosbeaks are often found in flocks numbering up to 100 birds, which settle in one tree and feed on one food at length.

Pine Grosbeaks may irrupt, or move irregularly southward, in winter, probably in response to reduced food supplies. Some years, few individuals leave the summer range, but in irruption years, whole populations move far south in search of food. In the eastern United States, Pine Grosbeaks have visited the New England States and as far south as Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. In the West, where they may associate with Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks may reach Oregon and northwest Idaho, western Nebraska, southwest New Mexico, and northwest Texas. Winter habitat tends to include open mixed and deciduous woods or hillsides with cedar or juniper, and they may visit the edges of cultivated areas where they will take advantage of persistent berries and fruit. Particularly in the western United States, they have been observed taking sunflower seeds from feeders.

The Pine Grosbeak's short, musical song is reminiscent of the Purple Finch's song, but it varies more in pitch and has more distinct, less-slurred notes. The song varies from a clear, loud carol full of trills to a soft, flowing warble. The call sounds somewhat like a Greater Yellowlegs's call, consisting of a whistled teu, teu, teu, with the middle note higher. Both call and song may be given during the Pine Grosbeak's undulating flight.

Description: The Pine Grosbeak is a plump, stocky bird, about the size of an American Robin but more robust. They have long, slightly forked tails, which may help distinguish them in flight from Evening Grosbeaks. Their short, thick, slightly hooked conical bills are dark and strongly curved. Adult males are deep rose red on the head, face, rump, and underparts. The back and scapulars are pinkish mottled with black. The wings and tail are black-the wings with two distinct white wing bars and white edges on the tertial feathers. The lower belly is whitish, and the thighs, undertail coverts, and flanks, to some extent, are gray. Their legs and feet are dark brown or black.
Alex99, jaycee, ramthakur, SkyF, Luis52, MommaMiaX3, uleko, loot, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Salut Jean-Paul,
C'est une autre espèce qui me rend jalouse... J'adore ces couleurs, cette prise de vue originale et les beaux détails. J'aurais peut-être éclairci la photo un tout petit peu mais c'est bien réusssi car ce n'est pas évident de calibrer avec la neige. J'aime bien la neige sur son petit bec :-) Bravo!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5672] (18539)
  • [2007-04-24 7:45]

Hi Jean Paul.
Charming and funny a bit character you have pictured. Its snowy beak and glance are simply wonderful as well as the excellent reproduction of colours (both of bird and snow) and bird details. Shot is exposed perfectly. Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-04-24 10:52]

Hi Jeanpaul,

Poor little thing looks like he may get buried in the snow. Lovely grosbeak - as always wonderful colors and sharp details. I love the snow on his nose!

Jane

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3821 W: 190 N: 11376] (35063)
  • [2007-04-24 12:13]

Hello Jean-Paul,
Fine capture of a young Pine Grosbeak in the snow. Excellent colour exposure, sharpness and fine composition with a POV that shows many aspects of the bird at once.
TFS and best wishes,
Ivan

Extremelt beautiful capture of this lovely bird foraging around in the snow, JP.
This is an unusual point of view but utterly suited here. It gives a fine view of the bird's plumage top side up right from head to tail.
Thanks and take care.
Ram

Hi Jeanpaul, lovely little bird in the snow with splendid colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2007-04-24 16:54]

Salut JeanPaul,
beautiful little bird, its quite colorful. Your POV and the snow as the BG does show off the details and colors very well. Nice sharpness and lovely composition.
Sky

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2007-04-24 23:21]

Hola Jeanpaul.- Bella foto, muy hermosos colores de este pequeño. Como es posible que puedan vivir en el invierno con tanto frio. Luis52.

Hello Jeanpaul, :)

A lovely little bird for us today! Nice POV, and he appears so cute with the snow flakes on his beak. Rich colours, balanced out so well in the snow. Well done, thank you for sharing.

Ange

mais il est tout mignon...
très bien réussi,
beau cadrage,
Nad

Très belle photo avec la neige sur le bec et cette prise de vue en plongée es très belle.
Bravo
Marie

This little fellow is so colorful. I think I'd like to see him a little off center in the frame. Nice sharpness and twinkle in his eye.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2997 W: 162 N: 968] (2839)
  • [2007-04-29 11:13]

Hello Jean-Paul,
What a cute and colourful little bird in the snow. Excellent focus, sharp details and lovely colours. I like the snow on his beak!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3651] (10033)
  • [2007-04-30 21:37]
  • [2]

Hi JeanPaul

Looks like this youngster took a nose-dive into the snow. Probably it was still struggling to find its wings. Fortunately the snow must have been a pretty "soft" yet coldish landing.

I like the composition with the slightly top-down and oblique angled POV. This way you got much more bird into the picture than just a frontal, side, or top view. The colours are fresh, the details are well defined, and the exposure was well managed. This is all the more evident in the amount of details and contrasts captured in the pure-white snow.

Well done MF and TFS.
Regards
Loot

Bonjour Jean-Paul,

Une belle image de cet oiseau, la photo a une bonne composition, netteté et de jolies couleurs. Bonne journée.

Pierre

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