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Bye Bye Blackbird


Bye Bye Blackbird
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3982 W: 521 N: 8174] (27512)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-22
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): Dedications at Trek Nature [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-12-14 4:08
Viewed: 1152
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I dedicate this photo to a dear friend who lost his long battle with cancer on 12th December 2005 at 9:05 p.m. Gone but not forgotten: Rest In Peace Richard.

Blackbird ( Turdus merula )

Introduced from Europe in the 1860’s and 1870’s and now considered the most widespread species within New Zealand, especially in gardens, parks, orchards, farmlands, scrub and forest.

The male blackbird as the name suggests is black with a bright orange bill whereas the female is dark brown with a pale throat and smudgy mottled breast with a dull orange and brown bill. The song is a loud, clear melodious warble. The alarm call is a persistent sharp “chink – chink”.

Blackbirds feed mainly on the ground and eat insects, spiders and a wide variety of fruits from both native podocarps and shrubs and introduced shrubs and weeds. They cause damage to orchards and despite helping to disperse seeds of fleshy – fruited understorey plants in native forests they also spread weed seeds into native forests and crops.

Usually they breed from late August to early January and 2 – 3 broods a year are raised, sometimes in the same nest. A substantial nest of twigs, grass, roots and moss, fortified with mud and roughly lined with grass and leaf skeletons holds 2 – 6 eggs which are bluish green to greenish brown, freckled with reddish brown. The female incubates for 13 – 14 days and both parents feed the chicks which fledge at 13 – 15 days.

Vital Statistics

Conservation Status: Abundant European Introduction
Mainland Status: Widespread and abundant
Size: 25cm, 90g
Life Span: 15 years possibly
Breeding: August - January
Diet: Mixture of invertebrates and fruit

The above obtained from http://www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/Fauna/Blackbird.htm

Bye Bye Blackbird

Pack up all my cares and woe, here I go, singing low,
Bye-bye Blackbird.
Where somebody waits for me, sugar's sweet, so is she,
Bye-bye Blackbird.
No one here can love and understand me.
Oh -- what hard-luck stories they all hand me.
Make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight,
Blackbird, Bye-bye.

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 2:07 p.m.
Date: 22nd August 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/250
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 260mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
gerhardt, dew77, jmouche, Xplorator, EOSF1, PDP, deud, Dave, wallhalla15, liquidsunshine has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3073 W: 232 N: 5866] (19730)
  • [2005-12-14 4:12]

I am sorry about the loss of your friend, Pam. It is a beautiful capture of this black bird, and I think your friend would be pleased. Thank you for sharing this special dedication.

Wonderful photo, composition and technically wise! Thanks for sharing - Xplorator Radu

Hello Pam!
great title and frame making your photo unusual nad great!
Sorry about your friend :-(

Hi Pam,
I am sorry about your friend.
This is very beautiful picture,
very nice frame.
Thank you!

Very nice capture.POV,framing and composition are wonderful.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-12-14 6:37]

Hello Pam!
I'm sorry about your fiend.Very nice picture,details on black feathers,POV,framing,colors and composition are wonderful.TFS...:-)

Sorry to hear of your loss, always a sad time; but this is a nice way to remember your friend.
Its a great shot, almost perfect exposure. Great composition and sharpness.

Sorry about your loss Pam.

It's a beautifull well suited capture.

My condolences on your loss, Pam. I like the picture, no nits as far as I am concerned. Thanks for sharing this.

Jan-Hendrik

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
  • [2005-12-14 9:13]

Hi Pam, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. It's a nice tribute.


Well done.

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 500 W: 2 N: 466] (2121)
  • [2005-12-14 9:18]

perfect image. very wel timing and exposure to show us all his black beauty. great focus on subject. tfs

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 47 N: 669] (2157)
  • [2005-12-14 9:25]

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your friend Pam. This is a touching tribute.
Well done!
Regards,
Dave

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1331 W: 107 N: 4825] (21400)
  • [2005-12-14 9:53]

Very subtle tones of blacks and greys on the bird. Very well exposed. Thanks.

Mario

Very sad to hear the loss of a friend Pam :(
Your picture is well composed with an excellent exposure. Well done. :)

A lovely tribute Pam. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your Friend.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11878)
  • [2005-12-14 17:27]

Bonjour Pam!

Belle composition et superbes couleurs. L'éclairage fait bien ressortir les détails et les couleurs du plumage. Félicitations j'aime bien cette photo et cet oiseau est en plus très joli.

Merci!

Hi Pam,
I am sorry about the loss of your friend.
It's beautiful picure.
The exposure and details are very good.
Well composed and nice colours.
Great work.

Hello Pam.
Beautiful natural shot - very clear and colorful. Great composition and great details. Well done & TFS.

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2005-12-15 16:43]

Good shot but BG a bit busy, maybe a shallower DOF would have helped.
Regards,
Gabi

A super shot of a manificent but simple bird. Top marks....

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