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Galapagos Penguin


Galapagos Penguin
Photo Information
Copyright: Selen Ediger (SelenE) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2425 W: 63 N: 3999] (12912)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-27
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/100 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of South America, Endangered, Penguins (Spheniscidae), Birds of Ecuador [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-05-15 8:45
Viewed: 746
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A Galapagos Penguin resting in the shaded rocks in Isabela Island- Tagus Cove. This is the largest island in the Galapagos. We were on a dinghy (a zodiac boat) ride along the shore when we saw these penguins. Pitty that it was windy and there were waves, plus these guys were under the shade with a complicated background for a decent exposure handling from a swinging boat.

Galapagos Penguin
Spheniscus mendiculus

-Endemic (found only in Galapagos)
-Endangered

The Galapagos Penguin, at just over 50 cm in lenght, but only some 35 cm tall when standing upright, is one of the world’s smallest penguins.

It is the only penguin to breed entirely within the tropics and the only one to be found in the Northern Hemisphere.

Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Humboldt Penguin.

Adults have black wings and upperparts and white underparts. There is an irregular dark band along the flanks and across the upper breast. The head is black with a white eye stripe extending round to the throat. The bill is dark. The immature bird is generally grey rather than black and does not have the distinctive head and body markings.

The Galapagos penguin is found mainly in the western islands where the water is cooler but has appeared recently to be widening its range and is regularly seen around the eastern Santiago, Floreana, and western Santa Cruz. It is not known whether it breeds in these areas or only on Fernandina and Isabela.

The total population is thought to number around 1000-1300 pairs.

Galapagos penguins may breed at any time of the year that the food supply is adequate. This generally means when the water temperature is below 23c. The nest is in a hole or crevice in the rocks close to the shore.

*The species is endangered, with an estimated population size of around 1,500 individuals in 2004, according to a survey by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The population underwent an alarming decline of 65% in the 1980s, but is slowly recovering. It is therefore the rarest penguin species (a status which is often falsely attributed to the Yellow-eyed penguin). Population levels are influenced by the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which reduces the availability of shoaling fish, leading to low reproduction or starvation. However, anthropogenic factors (e.g. oil pollution, fishing by-catch and competition) may be adding to the ongoing demise of this species. On Isabela Island, the introduced cats, dogs and rats may attack penguins and destroy their nests. (*from Wikipedia)

Source: Wildlife of the Galapagos
Julian Fitter,Daniel Fitter,David Hosking
Princeton Pocketguides, ISBN 0-691-10295-3

Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure Time: 1/100
F-Stop: f/5.6
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Focal Length: 190 mm
Date Taken: 2007-04-27 07:01
Metering Mode: Average
egeerhan, Jamesp, falke, nainnain, rousettus, Argus, ecem35, dew77, delic has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To egeerhan: kahveSelenE 1 05-15 15:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1303 W: 0 N: 5097] (15194)
  • [2007-05-15 8:49]

Hi Selen

Great capture - I love the beak, showing preening action. I remember Tagus cove well - the contast between the sunlit and shaded areas was harsh - so given that, you suceeded incredibly well - better than I did!!

James

  • Great 
  • falke Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 158 W: 17 N: 451] (1616)
  • [2007-05-15 9:02]

Another great specie from your Galapagos journey, Selen. I really envy you.... ;o)

It is fantastic to be able to see all these endemic species on these remote islands. We have been to the Seychelles a long time ago so I think that I understand a bit of it.

This is a great capture of such a rare and unique specie. It is very easy to ignore the bad photographical circumstances you were experiencing.

Thanks for sharing this/ Bengt

hello
bonne présentation, belle photo nette
bon travail net
bravo, merci
edith

Selen merhaba,
Galapagos adaları Biyolojide çok önemlidir. Oradaki pek çok tür dünya üzerinde sadece orada yaşamaktadır, yani endemik. Bu eşsiz türleri fotoğraflayıp bizimle paylamşmanız çok güzel. Yine güzel bir kompozisyon ve güzel bir çekim.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2765 W: 150 N: 7969] (24819)
  • [2007-05-15 11:35]

Hello Selen,
I think your Galapagos shots are great and this shot of the Galapagos Penguin is no exception. The preening action is well depicted in this well presented image. I also like the pattern of the rock that it is standing on.
TFS and best wishes,
Ivan

Paylaşımın ve bilgiler için teşekkür ederim,ellerine sağlık Selen.(Penguenlerle karşılıklı kahve içmek güzelmiş) o)))

Merhaba Selen Vücudundaki netlik ve ayakları ilginç olmuş tebrikler

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2007-05-16 10:05]

Merhaba Selen,
Çok hoş bir kare.Gagadaki hareketi gösteren fluluk fotografa ayrı bir değer katmış.Selamlar,ellerine sağlık...

merhaba Selen hanım,
son günlerde iş yoğunluğundan yorum yazamasam da her gün ziyaret ettim fotoğraflarınızı. yenileri göremeyi de sabırsızlıkla bekliyorum.
harika bir fotoğraf. her şey çok güzel. özellikle gaga hareketi fotoğrafı daha bir canlı yapmış. paylaşım için teşekkür ediyorum. ışığınız bol olsun.
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 530 W: 6 N: 340] (936)
  • [2007-05-17 17:41]

Merhaba Selen,
An unusual photo with the beak action. Great composition and I esp. like the way you captured the action. More of your excellent documentation...
Hosçakal,
Hakan

Hi Selen,
I like the actrion and movement in this picture is senn easily in the beak. A sepecies very similar to Magellanic penguin that lives in Argentina, my country.
Regards
Hernán

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