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~White face Heron~


~White face Heron~
Photo Information
Copyright: Debbie Linkevics (deblink) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 338 W: 8 N: 383] (1256)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 400D Digital Rebel XTi, Canon Ef 90-300mm 1:4.5-5.6
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-14 19:48
Viewed: 733
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is another image I took at Breakwater Wetlands near my sisters last weekend. I realise I had the wrong ISO which was a mistake I made whilst trying to get to know my camera. People have helped by recognising this in another of my images on the same day. There may be some noise in the image. The camera was hand held. I have trouble seeing it on my monitor or it may be my eyes. Anyway I like it, that's what counts and I thought I would share it with you. I think it is a young Heron because I read in someone elses notes yesterday that the young have yellow legs, which this one appears to have.

White-faced Heron
Scientific name: Egretta novaehollandiae
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Ciconiiformes

Facts and figures
Minimum size: 60 cm
Maximum size: 70 cm
Average size: 65 cm
Breeding season: October to December
Clutch size: 3 to 4 (occasionally up to 7)

Description
The White-faced Heron is mostly light blue-grey in colour, with a characteristic white face. In flight, the dark flight feathers of the wing contrast with the paler grey plumage, making this bird easily identifiable when viewed from below. It has a long, slim neck and a pointed grey-black bill. The legs are long and dull yellow in colour. Sexes are similar. When breeding, the birds have long feathers (nuptial plumes) on the head, neck and back. The White-faced Heron has a slow bouncing flight. Young White-faced Herons are similar in appearance to the non-breeding adults (no nuptial plumes), but are duller, with little or no white on the face. They often have a reddish colour on the underparts.

Distribution
White-faced Herons are the most commonly seen herons in Australia. They are found throughout the mainland and Tasmania, and most coastal islands. They also occur in Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Habitat
White-faced Herons can be found anywhere where there is water, from tidal mudflats and coastal reefs to moist grasslands and gardens.

Feeding
The White-faced Heron feeds on a wide variety of prey, including fish, insects and amphibians. Food is obtained in a variety of ways, such as walking and disturbing prey, searching among damp crevices or simply standing in the water and watching for movement.

Breeding
White-faced Herons may breed outside the breeding season in response to rainfall. Both sexes share the building of the nest, incubation of the eggs and care of the young. The nest is an untidy structure of sticks, placed in a tree. Normally only one brood of young is raised in a year.

References
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Pringle, J.D. 1985. The Waterbirds of Australia. Angus and Robertson/National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife, Sydney.
Schodde, R. and Tideman, S.C. (eds) 1990. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds (2nd Edition). Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney.
http://birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=83

Cheers,
Debbie
Proframe, gypsygirl58, blakitan, loot, Jamesp, cjcampbell, jaycee, scottevers7, JPlumb, bobair, rousettus has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To bobair: Hi Bobdeblink 2 07-05 19:53
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Debbie,
Wonderful plumage on the bird.
Looks like he's been to the hairdresser specially for this occasion.
Sharpness, exposure and clarity are great.
Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards, Harry

Hi Deb,
Great image of this Heron! The sharpness and details on the plumage are excellent! I love the way the feathers are all standing up, lovely colours and the eye stands out really well too! Well done and TFS
Cheers Tina :-)

Hi Debbie,
Pretty bird, superbly captured.
Sharp with clearly visible details of the feathers.
Great shot.

BL

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3651] (10033)
  • [2007-06-15 2:08]
  • [2]

Hi Debbie

You have actually managed this shot quite well and even though you expressed some nits yourself the result is pleasing and very little noise is visible (maybe just a bit in the BG vegetation). Actually I must say that I am rather impressed since the 400D's sensor picked up very little noise at ISO1600.

This juvenile heron is looking great and the composition looks good. Maybe you could have cropped a little more off the right just so the bird was not so centrally placed, but in this case it is probably just a matter of taste. The details are nice and sharp and it does show the plumage very well. The exposure was well handled and the OOF BG and surrounding green grass makes the bird stand out nicely.

Good work and TFS.
Regards
Loot

Magnifique, impressionnat ce grand oiseau si net et clair.
Bravo
Marie

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2007-06-15 9:48]

Hi Debbie

A wonderful posting. The feathers look wonderful. The POV is great - as are th colours.

James

I don't think the image is too noisy at all. Some additional noise may have been introduced in sharpening -- but you know, 1/800 at f/5.6 is about as slow a shutter speed you want anyway. Plus, the lens was already near full open. So this might be the ISO you needed to get the shot.

He posed very nicely for you.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-06-15 11:41]

Hi Debbie,

Lovely shot of this heron who looks all dressed up and ready to party. The details of his plummage and face are wonderful. Beautiful colors and a beautiful setting.

Jane

Hello Debbie , excellent comp. sharpness and details , you captured very strange posture , TFS and good luck.

Hi Debbie, splendid heron with wonderful colors and great sharpness, very well done, have a nice week end, ciao Silvio

Hi Debbie,
Great thing about Canon cameras is how well they handle noise at high ISO settings. I think this turned out well. Nice colors and sharp detail indicate a good exposure. Well composed and framed shot of this beautiful White faced Heron.
Scott

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 637 W: 166 N: 889] (2884)
  • [2007-06-16 21:17]

Hi Debbie, I have never seen one of these guys so "fluffed up". This is awesome. Exposure, detail and colour are very good. The shot is sharp throughout.

Thanks, John

Hello Debbie,
They are so great!
Should think they spent hours at the hairdresser every day...
Image is well composed, and the bird is captured with fine details and natural colours, awesome expression in the face!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Debbie,
wrong iso or not this is a very good capture of this bird.About the iso you could of used iso 400 and reduced the graininess somewhat but as it is this photo has great details,colour and focus going for it and that bird sure is a looker.Tfs. Bob

Hi Debbie,
Very nice capture with nice detailed feathers. Timing and POV great. Sharpness and focus great. so good notes. TFS.
best wishes. Ahmet

Lovely and very sharp. Stopped long enough for a nice pose, as if he knew you were shooting!
Cheers
Otto

Beautiful shot of the heron Debbie.
Looks like you are learning fast with your new camera!
Good focus and lighting.

Cheers,
Richard

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