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Little Shag


Little Shag
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: 2005-11-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 200, Hoya UV 77mm
Exposure: f/8, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-11-05 3:33
Viewed: 1072
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Cormorants, Shags

Section: Animals with Backbones
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Relatives: Diving birds

Diving birds must pursue and catch their prey while under water. They do this by propelling themselves by their feet. Special built-in “goggles” (nictitating membranes) enable them to see whilst under water. They have non-waterproof feathers that decreases buoyancy, while some species even swallow rocks before foraging to further decrease their buoyancy. They must dry their feathers while on land and do this by stretching out their wings. Because they are efficient foragers they are able to live in most regions on earth, including marine and freshwater environments.

Group size range: 600mm-800mm

To be a member of this club you need:

* To have a long neck and hook-tipped bill.
* Short, stout legs that are used in swimming underwater.
* Non-waterproof feathers that decrease your buoyancy in the water.
* An oil gland that is used to help shed water while on land.
* A membrane that protects the eye underwater (nictitating membrane).
* An efficient lung capacity that enables prolonged dive time.

What do they look like?

The body shape of diving birds is hydrodynamic, streamlined so that it can be propelled easily through the water. They have long necks with hook-tipped bills. Their legs are used to swim underwater and are thus short, stout and strong, with webbed feet. Their tails are long with hard, almost spiky feather shafts. Black and white are the main plumage colours in these birds, with patterns including pied and full black.

Diving birds are communal birds and are usually found with birds of the same species (conspecifics). However, during nesting they may associate with a number of different species. Many species of diving birds nest on the fringes of ibis or heron colonies, while others may share their habitat with marine mammals (eg. fur seals).

The above obtained from http://www.reef.edu.au/asp_pages/secb.asp?FormNo=58

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 08:45 a.m.
Date: 5th November 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/250
F-Stop: F/8
Focal Length: 100mm
ISO: 200
Original file type: Digital Raw
mjdundee, marhowie, Tommysugar, scottevers7, radz, pompey, wallhalla15, cecilia, TAZ, hummingbird24, sgo has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3065 W: 231 N: 6160] (21048)
  • [2005-11-05 3:36]

Excellent exposure on the black feathers, Pam. Very sharp details and fantastic POV. Congratulations and TFS. : )

Hello Pam,
I like Shags although there are many people who hate them as competitors in fishing.
Your shot shows every feather spread and is really very well composed. Very comprehensive note as expected. TFS. Thomas

Hi Pam,
Very good sharpness, detail and DOF. Very nice POV and the cormorant looks great posed on this deadwood branch. Well composed with excellent exposure. Top shot :-) Thank You.

Hi Pam
Excellent shot on this comorant. he spread wing pose is great. Colors and detail look perfect. Excellent notes.
Scott

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12250)
  • [2005-11-05 8:10]

La pose est superbe et la netteté excellente.

Félicitations pour l'éclairage cette belle composition.

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2005-11-05 9:22]

Nice composition,exposure is spot on.DOF&POV are very nice.

  • Great 
  • pompey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 146 W: 4 N: 745] (2768)
  • [2005-11-05 10:12]

Lovely capture Pam, a classic pose.
Great exposure control, colours and note.
Thanks for sharing.
Michael.

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

Beautiful wings...Lovely capture, crisp and sharp, love it...
Cesie

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-11-06 5:23]

Beautiful and interesting shot that you have well done ! Congratulation Pam and thanks for sharing.

" the Life is so rare in the universe and the Nature so precious, take care of them! " Christian...

La lumière est superbe et fait briller les plumes. La tête tournée vers la gauche est un atout pour une excellente composition. Les détails sont superbes, bravo!

What lovely feather details on this interesting bird Pam!

Well captured and composed.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

  • Great 
  • sgo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 137 W: 32 N: 239] (718)
  • [2005-11-12 2:15]

Hi Pam,
Very good and appealing picture of this primordial looking bird which always fascinates whenever I get to see one; we have them along the coast in Sweden too but they are not always well seen since they live in colonies and "steal" the fish from the fishermen and kill trees and shrubs because of the conglomerations of their droppings.
Goran

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