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Black-Billed Gull


Black-Billed Gull
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3815 W: 505 N: 8095] (27712)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-10-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 100, Hoya UV 77mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-10-10 4:51
Viewed: 926
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Black-Billed Gull

Black-billed Gulls are the most threatened of our gull species. They nest predominantly on gravel river beds or shingle coastline. Black-billed gulls have a somewhat asynchronous breeding season, stretching for perhaps 3-4 months from choosing of a site to its abandonment. This increases the chances of predation at the colonies by stoats, rats, ferrets or humans, as well as increasing the chance of flooding at a colony.

About half to three quarters of the world population of Black-billed gulls (they are endemic to New Zealand) nests on the river beds of the Southland region - the 4 major rivers being Waiau, Aparima, Oreti and Mataura. Southland ornithologists are keeping a close eye on these birds. Flights up these rivers in November determine the position of colonies and photographs taken from the plane allow the numbers of birds to be counted with incredible accuracy. From there, ground visits to colonies can be undertaken to band birds or make general observations.

Black-billed gull colonies can range from 50 birds right up to 40 000+. Large colonies occurred frequently in the past but recently there have been very few.

Nests measure about 20-30cm in diameter, and are spaced throughout the colony at about 50cm intervals. Colonies are noisy places, with all the gulls screeching in an attempt to ward off intruders from their territory.

Black-billed gulls are banded throughout the country. The Southland study has been running for two seasons now. We band juveniles at 2 colonies every season. Each colony has it's own individual colour combination. The gulls banded in Southland can be identified as to their colony and year banded - just by the colours. It seems all the other Black-billed gulls in New Zealand are simply banded with a regional colour. This means observations of Southland gulls in the field have a great importance.

The total number of Black-billed Gulls banded in Southland during 1997 and 1998 now numbers over 400. Of these, only a few have been seen or recovered so far.

The above obtained from http://members.tripod.com/larus/bbgull.html

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 11:58 a.m.
Date: 4th October 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/125
F-Stop: F/16
Focal Length: 400mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
Janice, sAner, carper, scottevers7, dew77, tiobibi, hummingbird24, red45, wallhalla15 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-10-10 5:06]

Hi Pam, these look more refined than our common red billed gulls. Are they? Nice close up portrait of this fellow. Your whites are good, and I see the glint in his eye. Well done.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-10-10 6:33]

Hi Pam,

Nice capture!! I do think the whites are slightly overexposed. The details are sharp and the composition is great. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

good head Pam,
very nice in pov, with good colours and a fantastic details in it, very good job,
gr. Jaap

Hi Pam,
Excellent portrait on this gull. Very sharp detail, and a great OOF backround. great supportive notes. TFS
Scott

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-10-10 7:49]

Hello Pam!
Wonderful portrait.Clear eyes,simple BG,details on white feathers and framing are excellent.TFS...:-)

Hi Pam,
Excellent photo of this Black-billed Gull. Very sharp detail, and a great DOF. great supportive notes. TFS

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2005-10-10 12:15]

Hello Pam,
Wonderful portrait,Perfect details and sharpness,The background does isolate the main object very well!
Well done, and TFS. : )

Beautiful eye on this lovely portrait, Pam.

Well done on the composition and details.

TFS.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-10-10 13:13]

Excellent work Pam! Gull is sharp, detailed and well exposured. I love its face and grey BG. Good to publish in nature book.

Nice portrait shot Pam, great sharpness and DOF, well captured too. thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • zakiwi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 154 W: 20 N: 274] (1309)
  • [2005-10-12 23:05]

Hey Pam,

Nice portrait !!! I love your exposure handling in this photo. I love the background, quite amazing. Well done.

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