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Royal Spoonbill
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Nicki Mora (greychick)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 53 W: 0 N: 98]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (585) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-05-11 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Exposure: f/4, 1/400 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-06-14 1:12 |
| Viewed: 369 |
| Points: 6 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Here is something I read online and the link to the page. After reading it I feel even more privalidged to have seen one.
http://nzbirds.com/birds/spoonbill.html
Kotuku-ngutupapa, the royal spoonbill
Like white herons, royal spoonbills are widespread in Australia. Only six spoonbill sightings were recorded in New Zealand prior to 1930. Since 1942, according to Oliver, birds have been seen every year and seem to have started breeding here from at least the 1950s. In the summer of 1949–50 a single pair of spoonbills bred alongside the white herons at Okarito. In the following years others joined them, building up the colony to a peak by 1970. Through the 1970s little nesting occurred although spoonbills were present each spring. In the 1980s there have usually been a dozen or more nests but very limited success in fledging chicks. The Okarito spoonbills build their nests in the exposed canopy of the tallest kahikatea trees and regularly lose all their eggs or chicks in storms. They have extended their range and now breed in a number of other places and numbers seem to be increasing every year.
At the end of the breeding season the spoonbills depart from Okarito but may be seen on the estuary of the Manawatu River where a fair number of them seem to gather for the winter. There are also very many to be seen at Maketu and occasionally on Ohiwa Harbour in the eastern Bay of Plenty. Indeed, I have watched a spoonbill feeding in the estuary of the Whakatane river while having lunch in one of the cafes on the waterfront there.
The spoonbill feeds on insects, shellfish, small fish and frogs. They are readily identified in the distance by the way they feed, walking and sweeping their spoon bill in an arc.
They were known to the Maori as kotuku ngutu papa, the board billed kotuku, so must have been visitors to New Zealand before European recordings.
Sadly the lighting was bad this day so it feels a little glarey. If I'd known that these bird are a little rare I think I might have taken more time to get a few more from a few different angles, you live and learn I guess. Also my faithful camera is a bit limited, I can't wait for my new one to arrive. |
LordPotty, iris, Janice has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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Hi Nicki,
I take it this was at the Blaketown Lagoon?
Shame it didn't urn round to face you ... if only you knew its mating call (wrong time of year anyway).
Your compositon is good and the exposure is ok considering the bad light.
I've been meaning to write to you with a bit more info about TN and TL so I'll do that now.
Cheers
Steve
(ps ... saw The Shed and your profile on Bebo)
- iris
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 389 W: 40 N: 729]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(2300) - [2008-06-14 1:47]
- [+]
Hi Nicki,
First of all congratulations on your new camera....I dont know whether you have started using it, but i sure did see the dicussion in the forum:)Believe me, i am in the same boat right now working with a P&S, but i have to finish certain projects before i settle down with an SLR.
I see you have a nice gallery building up here.This is a fine capture of the Royal Spoonbill.Nice composition done with a creative poV, the way you have caught it diagonally in the corner and the blue water stretching in front.The light falling on the bird is just perfect and the entire composition looks quite rich and warm creating a wonderful atmosphere.
Look forward to your future posts and thanks for sharing this.
Cheers
Hi Nicki,
a nice picture with nice colours.
The composition is pretty good, only the things in the right corner are a bit distracting and the POV is good.
You manage quite well with the exposure in difficult light,
but there is some white area around the bird, it seems like
you have try to brighten it up. Also some halos around the
sharp edges, it use to be a sign of a bit to much sharpen
but it could also appear on dark subject when you shot back-light shot, so I shell not mention it. ;-)
Well done.
/Gert
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1171 W: 145 N: 2709]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif){kind=small}