<< Previous Next >>

Royal Spoonbill


Royal Spoonbill
Photo Information
Copyright: Steve Reekie (LordPotty) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1449 W: 146 N: 3764] (12035)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-28
Categories: Birds
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/200 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-12-02 17:30
Viewed: 636
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Another look at the Royal Spoonbill that was frequenting the tidal lagoons near the mouth of the Grey River a few weeks ago.
They seem to have become established in New Zealand from about the 1940's. Here follows the story ....

Kotuku-ngutupapa
Royal Spoonbill

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornithidae (plataleidae)
Genera: Platalea
Species: regia
Sub Species:

Description: Native bird, 77 cm., 1700g., white bird with long black spoon shaped bill and black legs.
In breeding plumage drooping plumes at the back of head.
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.
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.

(from:nzbirds.com)
pekkavalo1, eqshannon, Gert-Paassen, Argus, marhowie, horia, Evelynn, bobcat08, jconceicao, bahadir has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hi Steve,
Excellent picture of Royal Spoonbill. POV and composition are good, details are sharp, BG natural habitat. The picture is very well displaying what these birds are doing most of the time.
TFS
Pekka

This is where the term "unusual duck" came from! Fine capture..and perhaps a bit lucky as well...in 1940...the word was in turmoil and didn't even know...this was an escape!
Bob

Hi Steve,

good capture from a bird that also breeding in the Netherlands.
nice placed in the frame and the bird in his natural habitat.
Personally maybe the bg what lighter so that the black colours are comming better out.
Overall good picture.

Gert

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2008-12-02 23:00]

Hi Steve,
Wonderful shot of this Royal Spoonbill in its natural habitat. Very neat and sharp image with great handling of lighting and exposure levels. Excellent POV and composition.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2008-12-02 23:27]

Hello Steve,
Fine capture of a Royal Spoonbill taken in subdued light with fine sharpness. It looks great in this light and the features are well seen from this POV.
I have seen them in Australia but have not been able to take as close a shot as this. Your note is interesting: I wonder if their appearance in your country has had any human help.
Thanks for this goodie,
Cheers,
Ivan

Hi Steve,
Great shot of this Royal Spoonbill in the wild.
I like the POV and framing, perhaps a bit dark?
I did a quick workshop, adjusting curves.
TFS!
Howard

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2173 W: 220 N: 4384] (14904)
  • [2008-12-03 10:40]

Hi Steve

This is a very nice shot of this Royal Spoonbill you have here!
I like the "in action" feel of the photo here...it looks very focused on catching a meal and totally uninterested in your presence.
The details are good and the composition - with plenty of room in front of the bird - excellent.
I do feel its a bit dark, though. Howard's ws. helps a bit however i think its best if you only tweak the shadows and leave the highlights as they are.
Anyway, nice work!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hi Steve,

A beautiful shot from this Royal Spoonbill. Sharp, colorful with a nice reflection in the water and a drop of water to the beak. I'm agree with the last sin from Gert that the BG pushed up a little bit lighter. POV, DOF are oké.

Have a nice day and TFS BOB

Hello Steve,

Great capture.
Nice colours with excellent details.
Lighting,sharpness and definition are fantastic.
Good notes.

Hello again Steve, lovely and splendid shot of this cute fellow. TFS.
Greetings,
Bahadır

Hello Steve,
Very good pose of the royal spoonbill.felt that the picture could have been cropped a little bit though.overall a very good collection.
TFS,
mukundh

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2008-12-04 13:32]

Hi Steve,
another great shot of a Royal Spoonbill.
Sharp with good detail.
Excellent composition.
Slightly dark but Howards sorted that out :-)

Well done,
Joe

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF