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Mating Dance


Mating Dance
Photo Information
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3100 W: 234 N: 5930] (20016)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-03-31
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Exposure: f/4, 1/1600 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): 40 - 49 points (Chapter 10), 50-59 points Chapter 7 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-01 10:33
Viewed: 591
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
It's that time of the year again! The rookery in the palm trees is bustling with activity. Egrets (both snowy and great) and herons (the black crowned night herons) are fighting over sticks on the ground to bring back to their mates awaiting in their nesting spots.There is much screeching and wing flapping to defend "their" special branch. Mating plumage and behaviors are ubiquitous. It is indeed a celebration of life.

Snowy Egret
Egretta thula

Aigrette neigeuse (French)
Garceta pie-dorado, Garza chusmita, Garza nivea (Spanish)

These delicate, agile birds often feed by sprinting rapidly through shallow water, chasing schools of minnows and shrimp. This habit makes them easy to identify without seeing their bills and feet. Often several Snowies will be found feeding together, and it is thought that their white color, visible at great distances, lets other birds know where the feeding is good; the sprinting behavior also attracts other birds that then join in the feast. There is evidence that members of a pair of Snowy Egrets, like other large waders, cannot recognize one another except at the nest. Even there, a bird arriving to relieve its mate must perform an elaborate greeting ceremony in order to avoid being attacked as an intruder. During this display the plumes on the head are raised and the incoming bird bows to the one that is sitting. Appeased by this display, the sitting bird leaves and the other takes over.

Description 20-27" (51-69 cm). W. 3'2" (97 cm). A small, delicate white heron with a slender black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. In breeding season, it has long lacy plumes on its head, neck, and back. Immature bird similar to adult, but lacks plumes and has yellow stripe up back of leg. Adult Cattle Egret has pale bill, legs, and feet; immature has dark bill, legs, and feet. Much larger Great Egret has yellow bill and black legs and feet. Similar to immature of less common Little Blue Heron, but that species has a stouter, bluish-gray bill, greenish-yellow legs and feet, no yellow skin between eyes and base of bill.

Source
cicindela, Argus, jaycee, uleko, greenpinkorange, star74, Silvio2006, Adanac, jrubiocasado, Altair, Raptorman, glazzaro, smitha, coasties has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2765 W: 150 N: 7969] (24819)
  • [2007-04-01 10:43]

Hello Manyee,
What a fine pose this showy Snowy Egret has and what a fine capture of it you have made!
This is sharp and well composed to show the plumes.
This shows why these plumes were so sought after for ladies' hats a hundred years ago!
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1909 W: 8 N: 4974] (16081)
  • [2007-04-01 10:49]

Hi Manyee,

Wow! Marvelous pose and perfect capture.

Jane

great
beautiful picture with good focus etc
but perhaps a little more contrast will be better
;)

aleks

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1883 W: 245 N: 6168] (21966)
  • [2007-04-01 10:55]

Very impressive bird Manyee!
Brilliant pose and well composed.
Good POV and perfect lighting.
Well done,
Joey

hi manyee,
very nice capture, liked the dancing of the bird, well composed shot, nice pov, sharp image , the darg surroundings are in good contrast with the bird,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Manyee,
Wonderful picture, the dark BG has highlighted the bird in action well.
TFS
Anil

HAha.. this picture is pretty hilarious.
It looks frantic. The color of the eyes are good and the focus is perfect. Great action shot, clear too because the details are sharp.

Also, its pose is perfect. TFS

STeph

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 475 W: 0 N: 926] (7979)
  • [2007-04-01 11:55]

Hi Manyee,

Really impressive sight.I like the sharpness and the colors. All the attention is drawn to the eye. Also magnificent pose.

regards,
Zeno.

  • Great 
  • star74 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 294 W: 5 N: 619] (2466)
  • [2007-04-01 13:11]

Hi Manyee,
Great moment of this capture.
Nice clear details in the feathers.
Great work.

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1480 W: 18 N: 3033] (11122)
  • [2007-04-01 13:40]

Wonderful pose, great timing on this one. Nice exposure and framing as well. Lovely capture

TFS

Karan

Hi Manyee,

And they say it doesn't snow that much in California, only difference is you have the big pretty flakes down there. A beautiful image of the Snowy Egret, the plumage is nicely exposed showing very fine detail. :)

Hi Manyee, splendid dance with a lovely egretta, great focus, amazing details, wonderful composition, very well done, ciao Silvio

This is really lovely, ManYee. I love the softness of the light. The pose is dramatic and the wispy feathers are wonderful. Very nice work.

Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15130)
  • [2007-04-01 21:08]

Hello Manyee,
Just simply phenominal capture, great camera work in all aspects, thanks for sharing.
Rick

Hola Manyee
Te felicito por la toma, me parece espectacular en todos los aspectos.
Un saludo
Jorge

Hello Manyee!
Thanks for showing this amazing bird species. Timing of this picture is just perfect, colours and DOF very good, and the note very informative.
Best regards,
Radomir

Hello Manyee,

A nice capture with fine lighting and great sharpness! Very well done!

Regards, Peter

Hello Manyee,
This is excellent. The white plumage is well shown. The dance is exotic. Thanks for sharing this spring ritual.
JC

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2582 W: 170 N: 7867] (24879)
  • [2007-04-02 6:43]

Hello Manyee,
This is really a delightful and well-timed capture. Excellent management of the white plumage and very sharp. Looks great against the dark background. I'd love to witness this kind of behaviour of this beautiful bird!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

Amazing photo Manyee. Excellent coloured presentation. Picture is good arrected. Well done. tfs. stev

Hello Manyee , perfect sharpness , very good comp. and colors , TFS.

Beautiful exposure in the whites, love the detail in the plumage, this is some excellent camera work!

Greg

Hello Manyee.

Excellent picture, nice composition and colors.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

  • Great 
  • smitha Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 285 W: 77 N: 920] (3485)
  • [2007-04-02 21:59]

Hi Manyee,
Lovely pose anf good details.
TFS, Smitha.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2340] (8406)
  • [2007-04-03 17:41]

Hi Manyee,
Great pose and excellent exposure and sharpness.
TFS, José M.

Hi Manyee

Congrats on a fantastic shot. Well captured with good timing. TFS.

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