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Coot


Coot
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-09-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 30d, Tamron 28-300 XR
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-09-10 20:57
Viewed: 1025
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Australian Coot
Fulica atra australis

Australian Coots (self-introduced from Australia to New Zealand) have been breeding in New Zealand since the late 1950s and today are found throughout the country. It is now considered a New Zealand native.

The Coot is described as having a distinctive all-over grey-black colouring and greyish-white frontal shield and bill.

In New Zealand, eggs are laid from August to February and often two broods are raised. The nest is a large mass of water weeds, piled together among rushes or raupo in the water or on the margin, and not infrequently contains as many as ten eggs.

The young, when first hatched, are beautiful little creatures, clothed in jet-black down, with their heads of a bright orange-scarlet, varied with purplish-blue. This brilliant colouring is soon lost, and they begin to assume the almost uniform sooty-black plumage which is worn for the rest of their life; but a characteristic of the adult is a bare patch or callosity on the forehead, which being nearly white gives rise to the epithet bald often prefixed to the birds name.

Coots can fly long distances between lakes at night. They dive to feed on underwater plants, worms, little eels, small fish, and little bugs that live around the lake environment.

They can stay under water for up to 15 seconds at a time.

It has a very noisy call: 'krark krark'. I have always found them hard to photograph because they never seem to stay still in the water.
blakitan, kedavis, annagrace, marhowie, scottevers7, pablominto, wallhalla15, Argus, Hil, dew77, manyee has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To manyee: ThxJanice 1 09-12 05:39
To wallhalla15: ThxJanice 1 09-11 06:23
To marhowie: Thanks MFJanice 1 09-11 03:56
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Janice,
Love to see this cute little bird, swimming on wavy and clear water. Very nicely captured. Sharp and neat image.
Excellent shot.

Ben Lakitan

Hi Janice
Very nice little fellow you have captured. From your notes, I would love to see a hatchling. Good job and a difficult subject.
Best Regards,
Kathy

Good capture of an active bird, Janice! The rear view is kind of funny.

Hope you have a great upcoming week,

Alli

Hello Janice,
Did someone say it was going to be easy? ;)
Great detail, exposure and colors. Very good note on this Aussie coot as well mf.
Well done & TFS!

Janice,
Besides the bird even the water seems alive. I "feel" the depth of the water.
This is a piece of work that only a TRUE artist can produce.
Best regards,
Mario.

Hi Janice,
A nice shot on this Australian Coot. Nice colors and detail in the plumage. Wonderful red eye color. Great notes to top it off.
Scott

Beautiful, Janice.
I love the fluffiness of his feathers, though he is in the water.
Also the nuances of black - gray - brown on his plumage are exquisite.
Great POV and fantastic red eye!
Kia Ora, and TFS. : )

Hi Janice,
A cute little birdy with this fluffy feather coat!
Well captured with good textures and fine details...
The water adds to the beauty of this image!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Janice,
that´s very interesting. Your Australian Coot (Fulica atra australis) looks like the Bläßhuhn (Fulica atra). Here a german Link:
http://www.andreasholgerklein.de/Serie/zeigeBlaesshuhn.html
This is a great picture. Great sharpness, details and exposure. Very nice colours, great composition and note too. Thank you for posting. Have a great week my friend.
Gr.
Heinz

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3831 W: 190 N: 11410] (35161)
  • [2006-09-11 10:15]

Hello Janice,
Fine clear capture and interesting POV of this sub-species of the Eurasian Coot. I especially like the light on the water and the eye.
TFS,
Regards, Ivan

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405] (5027)
  • [2006-09-11 13:25]

Hi Janice,

Great capture, nice composition and pose, the detail is excellent with lovely feather detail, and great colours. I can not manage to get a shot of these birds, everytime I visit the Swans I take some shots of the Coots and every single one comes out blurred, so well done for capturing one so perfectly.

TFS Hilary :)

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-09-11 15:33]

Hello Janice,
Wonderful capture.Details on black feathers,red eyes,lighting,framing and composition are excellent.
TFS...:-)

Happy coincidence! One day ago I watched The life of birds by sir David Attenborough and yours picture recolected me all coments about this good swimer. More over your shot is perfect!

Hi Janice,
It is the first time for me that I see this specie. I think you caught it well with good lightning and details. I also like the waves in the water that add to composition. Well done,
Claudine

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