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Mute Swan


Mute Swan
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: 2005-11-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 100, Hoya UV 77mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-12-04 3:59
Viewed: 1015
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

Habitat: The mute swan, an introduced species, can be found in freshwater ponds and inland lakes.

Weight: 25 pounds on average

Length: Wingspan: seven to eight feet
Food: Over 95% of the diet is aquatic vegetation. Occasionally, mute swans will also feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Identification: The mute swan is a large, all-white swan recognized by its orange bill which is black at its base. There is also a prominent black knob at the base of its bill. Another distinctive characteristic is the graceful curved neck held in an S-shape with the bill pointed downward while the bird is swimming. The male mute swan, or cob, is usually larger in size with a more prominent knob on his forehead but is otherwise identical to the female, or pen. Young swans, called cygnets, are usually white, but gray-colored cygnets are not uncommon.

Reproduction: Most mute swans breed at age three and remain with the same mate for life. Courtship display begins in late February and each pair vigorously defends a territory (four to 10 acres in size) from other swans. The nest, constructed in late March or early April, is typically a large (4' x 4'), somewhat circular pile of aquatic plants built on an island or in clumps of cattails or grasses along the edge of the water. Flooding is a common cause of nest failure. If a nest is lost, renesting may occur until late spring. An average of four to six eggs are laid in a three to four-inch depression in the nest center and incubated by the pen for 36 to 38 days. The cob becomes most aggressive when defending the incubating pen or young cygnets and will chase and even attack other wildlife and people nearby. Before leaving the nest, young cygnets may be subject to chilling during rainy periods and can die from exposure. After leaving the nest, the cygnets are sometimes preyed upon until they are about 40 days old. Most cygnets have fledged by early fall but will remain with their parents until late fall. Survival after fledging is high and 50 percent of the young can expect to survive through age seven. Mute swans are long-lived (20 to 30 years) and can breed every year after age three. However, the reproductive rate drops considerably after age 20.

The above obtained from http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factshts/mtswan.htm

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 11:29 a.m.
Date: 20th November 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/320
F-Stop: F/8
Focal Length: 400mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
Janice, fiyo, red45, Nico, marhowie, Toni, wallhalla15, duckpond, livios, scottevers7, Dave, dew77, gerhardt, chouette, tiobibi 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)
  • [2005-12-04 4:25]

Hi Pam, friendly looking guy here - but looks are deceiving, eh?
I love the waterdrop on his beak, well caught. He's nice and sharp and the colours are perfectly natural. Good job.
Did you have a good weekend? What super weather we had. Hurrah!

Great shot Pam!
You did very well on the exposure. Framing is perfect too and the drop on the beak is nice bonus.
I like it very much.
WELL DONE & TFS

Hi pam,
Very nice portrait!
The details and colours are excellent,
great sharpness and very nice frame.
TFS!

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2005-12-04 5:45]

Hello Pam,
Wonderful capture.POV,colors,sharpness and composition are excellent.TFS

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-12-04 6:26]

Hi Pam!

Mr. Swan, young rebel ;-) I like its hairdo and face. Quality very good as always. What about colours? Could they be more saturated maybe?

  • Great 
  • Nico Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 209 W: 1 N: 332] (1313)
  • [2005-12-04 7:13]

Good portrait shot. I like the drop on the tip of the beak, it adds a lot toe the photgraph.

Very nice drip action Pam :-) Excellent profile capture with very good exposure, sharpness and DOF. Nice catchlight also. Excellent note, Very well done! Thank you.

You kept the exposure in check and got some excellent detail in the feathers, nice work.

Greg

  • Great 
  • Toni Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 403 W: 2 N: 316] (2034)
  • [2005-12-04 14:45]

Hi Pam
Very sharp shot of this swan. I like the droplet of water about to drip off his beak. Great exposure and contrasts.
Regards Toni

Hello Pam, pose is excellent, good work. Very good sharpness, details, colours and composition. Thanks for sharing.

Nice shot of the swan. Excellent composition and good moment with the drop of water ready to drop of the end of its beek (spelling?)...

Great note and TFS

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-12-04 16:36]

Pam, another very beautiful shot by.

Excellent sharpness (as usual), pov and composition.

A very nice moment with great dof highlighting the bird.

Congratulations on this lovely image.

Hi Pam,
An outstanding portrait on this Mute Swan. The exposure is right on the money. Very fine detail in the whites, and the colors are perfect. Compo. and framing look great. Nice work!
Scott

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2005-12-04 21:25]

The drop on the tip of the beak really makes this shot for me Pam!
Excellent portrait!
Thanks for sharing,
Dave

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-12-05 11:45]

Hello Pam!
Very nice portrait.Colors,POV,framing,details and composition are wonderful.TFS...:-)

Very nice detail in this wonderful composed image of the mute swan with nice lighting. :)

Great capture Pam! Details are stunning! We can even see the drop falling! Excellent sharpness, great POV and DOF. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Very nice, Pam. Great portrait. That drop makes it for me. Well done.

  • Great 
  • RII Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 485 W: 0 N: 884] (2812)
  • [2005-12-09 23:53]

Hi Pam.
Very nice close-up, is excellente colors and details, very good composition.
Saludos...RICARDO.

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