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Pied Fantail


Pied Fantail
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3815 W: 505 N: 8096] (27714)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-05-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 200, Hoya UV 77mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-05-28 3:55
Viewed: 1362
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Pied Fantail

This aptly named species is one that has been able to adapt itself very satisfactorily to an environment that has been greatly changed since European settlement. Originally a bird of open native forests and scrub, it is now also to be found in the forests of introduced pines, in orchards, and in and around the botanic gardens of our largest cities. At times it may appear far from any large stands of shrubs or trees and has an altitudinal range that extends from sea level to the snow line. Its geographical range is very wide within New Zealand, though it does not occur on our sub-Antarctic islands, nor on the Kermadecs.

Three subspecies are recognised – one on the North Island and its off-lying islands, one on the South Island, Stewart Island, and their nearby outliers, and one on the Chathams. The differences between the subspecies are small ones of plumage pattern and size. Except for the Chatham Islands race, the species is dimorphic; that is, two colour phases exist. In addition to the usual pied, or black and white form, there is a black one. This is relatively common in the south-western part of the South Island and is not infrequently met with in other parts of this island and on Stewart Island but is rare in the North Island, though it has been reported from a wide area. Pied and black forms readily breed together to give both black and pied offspring, and matings between two black birds have been reported to yield both black and pied young.

Sexes are alike, though males are slightly larger than females. The common call is a sharp and repeated chirp, the song a series of high-pitched twitterings. Feeding is usually carried out during the characteristic and erratic batlike flight, and food consists entirely of small insects. Fantails will readily enter houses in search of prey.

The breeding season extends mainly from September to January, and a cone-shaped nest of moss, hair, and grass bound with cobwebs is frequently sited in vegetation near or actually overhanging water, presumably because of the abundance of insects in such a situation. Three to four creamy eggs with light-brown markings at their larger ends comprise the usual clutch. Incubation is shared and takes about 14 days. Two or three broods may be raised in one season.

The scientific name for the species is Rhipidura fuliginosa.

The above obtained from http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/F/Fantail/Fantail/en

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 4:37 p.m.
Date: 20th May 2006
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/100
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 400mm
ISO: 200
Original file type: Digital Raw
TAZ, metcher, Snoops, Zeno, timonejoon, cecilia, liquidsunshine, marhowie, christophe, ramthakur, klemmg, firelord has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Pam,
such a cute and lovely bird.
You had very good light and a pretty background.
Very well done, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-05-28 4:23]

What a lovely and interesting bird that you have well captured ! Composition, colors, POV, DOF, details and sharpness are very good ! I like its glance ;-) I also appreciate the complementary note... Congratulations Pam and thanks for sharing.

Hi Pam,
Great quality shot! Very sharp and clear, excellent POV and nice framing.
Thanks for sharing!

Hi, Pam.
Beautiful, cute bird. Excellent sharpness and composition. Nice framing.

wonderful sharp capture Pam :)
hes certainly a cutie,
i think i would like some area under the bird as well maybe..
thanks for sharing :)

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 451 W: 0 N: 975] (8383)
  • [2006-05-28 6:10]

Hi Pam,

This is an interesting, to me unknown, bird. The background colours are wonderful and also sharpness, POV and DOF are very good.

regards,
Zeno.

Hi Pam,

Excellent shot.
Details, sharp, colors POV, DOF and composition are very good. I like its glance :-)
Great work and well done!

TFS :-)
Norbert

Hi pam

So cute, alone, sad...ah...very well captured, evrything is perfect, POV, DOF, BG, wow. it is great shot.
well done

TFS
regards
timone

You have captured the colour and detail so well,looks great...

Hello pam, Great Job, here, perfcet details, BG, POV, DOF is perfcet great JOB< TFS Kyle

Excellent capture Pam,
Good detail, colours and sharpness. exposure and lighting are good. Good POV and composition.

Thanks for posting, enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Great capture Pam,
Very sharp, detailed, with excellent exposure..POV and composition in your closeup are very nice as well.
Very well done.

Hi Pam
Excellent details and sharpness
Regards Christophe

Bonjour Pam


Félicitation pour cette superbe composition. La pose de l'oiseau est parfaite sur cette branche et la netteté est très bonne.Tu as très bien su capter son regard.

Merci pour l'envoie er bravo....JP

Beautiful image of the Fantail!
The exhaustive note furnishes great information about this cute bird.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2006-05-28 15:02]

Hi Pam,
Wonderful capture of this little fellow with excellent detail and colour. I like the diagonal composition you chose, and the eye-contact with catch-light gives it great impact.
Regards,
Gabi

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3066 W: 231 N: 6160] (21048)
  • [2006-05-29 1:37]

Hi Pam,
I like the pose and POV of this cute little bird.
Very sharp details and perfect exposure, resulting in beautiful colors.
My only nit is that it is cropped a little tight on the bottom.
A lovely composition otherwise.
TFS. : )

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