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Flying Oystercatchers


Flying Oystercatchers
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 505 N: 8088] (27696)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-19
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
Travelogue: South Island Winter Holiday 2005
Theme(s): Interacting birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-09-03 4:12
Viewed: 1608
Points: 15
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
How Do Birds Fly?

If a bird is just gliding (or "soaring"), that is, not flapping its wings, it flies in pretty much the same way that an airplane flies. The wings push air down, so by Newton's third law the air must push them up. Partly, the push comes from the angle the wings are held at and partly from the curvature of the wings. The air travels faster above the bird's wing than it does below, and this makes the pressure lower above the wing. Here's a nice page about such airfoils.

Birds are more complicated than that, and so are airplanes. Some energy source is required to overcome the unavoidable drag of pushing through the air, to lift the bird or airplane up to flying height, and to give the bird or airplane kinetic energy. Airplanes use propellers or jet engines. Birds use strong muscles in their breasts to flap their wings. In addition, bird wings are hinged, while airplane wings are riged and fixed. The bird uses its strong muscles to push its wings downwards, pushing air downwards, generating lift, and, if the wings are angled properly, also thrust. The big problem then becomes not pushing air back upwards when the bird moves its wings up for the return stroke.

This is accomplished with the hinged wings. On the downstroke, the wing is fully extended, offering its full surface area for pushing air downwards. On the upstroke, the wing folds up, presenting less area. It is a lot like rowing with oars. The oar pushes the water behind the boat on the power stroke, but must be removed from the water and, ideally, turned 90 degrees so it does not push air or water forwards on the return stroke.

Birds have a lot of adaptations for flight. Their bones are hollow and light, but strong, They have light feathers which catch the air. They can fold up their wings when they are not in use. Their lungs are extra efficient at extracting oxygen from the air (we huff and puff when running, and flying is much harder!). They eat huge amounts of high-energy food, relative to their body weight.

The above obtained from http://van.hep.uiuc.edu/van/qa/section/Everything_Else/Humans_and_Animals/20020927181155.htm

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 11:44 a.m.
Date: 19th August 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/350
F-Stop: F/6.7
Focal Length: 400mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
Eko, dew77, marhowie, wallhalla15, chouette, odin has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Eko Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 187 W: 10 N: 38] (121)
  • [2005-09-03 5:20]

Hello Pam!
Very nice action capture.I liked details,POV,lighting and composition very much.Thanks for posting

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-09-03 9:15]

Hello Pam!
Wonderful action capture.Sharpness,colors,POV,lighting,blue sky and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

Nice inflight Pam with good details and interest. This is composed well with the sky a great shade of blue IMO. Excellent note - Well done.

Pam, very beautiful composition... a great moment... an excellent shot... very well done

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1494 W: 0 N: 1175] (6494)
  • [2005-09-03 21:03]

Hi Pam,
Excellent action shot!
Very good timing, and very nice background.
TFS!

Hi Pam,
This is a great action shot! Nice details and beautiful colors. TFS
Helene

  • Good 
  • ridfa Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 89 W: 0 N: 376] (4111)
  • [2005-09-04 1:19]

Très belle photo, Pam. J'ai pourtant pas mal voyagé mais je n'ai jamais pu observer de "Bec en Ciseau". Cela viendra sans doute un jour.

Merci pour le partage.

Ridfa

Hi Pam,
You captured the flight of these birds beautifully, and have managed to keep the detail so well. The composition is excellent and the colours are nice too, especially the blue tones and orange beaks. Well done!
Claudia

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