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Blue-faced “elegance”


Blue-faced “elegance”
Photo Information
Copyright: Richard Cridland (rcrick) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 710 W: 36 N: 1542] (4971)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-06-16
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Sigma 50-500mm 4.6-6.3 APO DG HSM, SanDisk Ultra II 1GB, Hoya 86mm UV
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): My Backyard Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-06-18 3:26
Viewed: 679
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I’ve been trying to catch one of these Blue-faced Honey Eaters in the grevillea “elegance” for a while now, I thought the combination of colours on a sunny morning would look pretty good but it seemed every time I grabbed the camera they would head for the hills.

Finally on Tuesday morning things fell into place, we had a cloudless sky, a beautiful sunny morning, and I managed to grab a couple of shots of this elusive little bird.

It feeds mostly on insects and other invertebrates, but also eats nectar and fruit from native and exotic plants. It forages in pairs or noisy flocks of up to seven birds (occasionally many more) on the bark and limbs of trees, as well as on flowers and foliage.

These flocks tend to exclude other birds from the feeding area, at present in the garden they are having a thing with the resident Friarbirds; but they do feed in association with other species such as Yellow-throated Miners and Little Friarbirds.

Thanks for stopping by, as always it’s appreciated, and hopefully this three day weekend will fine, and I’ll get out and take some pictures at last :)

Shot Raw and converted to Jpeg, cropped slightly and re-sized and sharpened for posting.

File Name IMG_0054.CR2
Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Shooting Date/Time 16/06/2009 7:38:45 AM
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/500
Av( Aperture Value ) 6.3
Metering Mode Spot Metering
Exposure Compensation +1/3
ISO Speed 640
Lens 50-500mm
Focal Length 500.0 mm
Image Size 555x800
Image Quality JPEG
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Custom
AF Mode One-Shot AF
Picture Style User Defined 1(Neutral)
Sharpness 5
Contrast 1
Saturation 2
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Long exposure noise reduction 2:Enable
High ISO speed noise reduction 1:Enable
Highlight tone priority 0:Disable
File Size 173 KB
Drive Mode High-speed continuous shooting
zetu, ramthakur, thor68, eqshannon, nglen, goldyrs, Argus, boreocypriensis, jpdenk, Noisette, jaycee, nasokoun has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1561] (6085)
  • [2009-06-18 3:53]

Hello Richard
Wonderful capture with beautiful composition, vivid colors and great details. Well done.
Regards
Razvan

A very handsome bird, this Blue-faced Honey Eater, Richard.
Together with lovely pink flowers, you have created an image of great charm and beauty.
The bird is very well captured with remarkable focus and finest details. I like that dab of blue around the eye.
Well done and thanks for sharing this superb image.
Ram

yeah, what a pretty bird! :-) i would like to capture one of those once, but australia is unfortunately far away...
terrific shot, love the pose and the colors, and of course the interesting bush with the pink blossoms. well done & best wishes, thor.

The combination of colours is almost as effortless a breathing....it just IS! Wow! This one I had to erase a fav for..since I can only have so many..I could not resist..it is way too good of a shot...super job!
Bob

I like a lot this picture. The composition is perfect. Subjects have wonderfull colours and the bokeh is lovely.
I didn't know this Sigma lens at 500mm can have a picture so sharp.
Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2860 W: 34 N: 8481] (31692)
  • [2009-06-18 12:17]

Hi Richard. Congrats on getting this beautiful bird andtaking a first class close up. You have taken it with fine detail and bright colours. I like it so much with the birds head turned and the sun light jut catching the body feathers. A nice pose in the tree with the red flowers. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hello Richard,

Fantastic capture of this beautiful bird.
Colours,light and definition are excellent.
Good notes.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2009-06-18 15:13]

What a superb shot!
Very, very sharp.
Great clarity.
Excellent composition.
Nice colours.

Well done,

Joe

WOW! i don't even understand the purpose of half the equipment you've used, mate!
But whatever the effort, it's paid off very well!
a superb shot!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3748 W: 186 N: 11161] (34473)
  • [2009-06-18 22:13]

Hello Rick,
This shot of a Blue-faced Honeyeater is a real beaut! The colours, lighting and composition among the Grevillea flowers are excellent and the POV and pose of the Honey add class. I wish I could have taken as good a shot as this of this species when we were in Aussie.
Thanks for posting this delight,
Cheers,
Ivan

Hi Rick, a delightful capture of this blue-faced beauty with lovely pose, great details and fine composition.
TFS and cheers MF!
Bayram

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2959 W: 162 N: 817] (2429)
  • [2009-06-19 8:16]

Hello Rick,
You certainly caught this beautiful Honey-eater at the right moment! I love its pose and the beautiful morning light. Lovely details and beautiful colours too and it does look really good up the Grevillea.
TFS and have a nice weekend, Ulla

Hello Rick,

Quite a combination of colors, very attractive, and a nice composition. Tough lighting situation though, bright sun and apparently fairly dark shadow, lost just a bit in the highlights on the bird's left leg, but still a beauty.

John

Hello Richard
this picture is wonderful, this Blue-faced Honey Eaters is so beautiful, the decor is superb, i like his nice pose, the amazing ciolors and crisp clear sharpness
very well done and have a great WE
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-06-19 17:29]

Hi Rick,

I don't think I have seen a Blue-faced Honey Eater before. A beautiful shot of this beautiful bird - lucky you to finally capture one. I love the pose as he studies the pretty flowers. Excellent colors and details of the face, fantastic eye, wings and plumage. A lovely setting and composition.

Jane

hello Richard
marvellously scene and photo
TFS
Nasos

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