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Windy Eagle


Windy Eagle
Photo Information
Copyright: Callie de Wet (Callie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1101 W: 95 N: 2610] (7555)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-09-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, Sigma 120-300 F2.8
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Predaceous birds - Aves predadoras, African Raptors [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-11-29 15:27
Viewed: 5205
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is one of the most beautiful eagles in the world, not my picture, and not this individual, but this specie. So, why this claim for so drab a bird? This is a juvenile or sub-adult Bateleur. Gerhard has posted a beautiful mug shot of an adult, with a lot of specie info too. There is, as yet, no colour anywhere in its plumage. This is a young male – note the wing – it has three distinct layers, whereas the female has four. Once they are adults, the back is chestnut, the shoulders and the top part of the wing is grey-white, the body black and the underside of the wings white and black, the female showing black only on the edges of the primaries. They have very short, rufus tails, the red feet extending behind the tail when flying. The juvenile has a distinct green cast to the face, which later turns bright red.
They are the past masters of the skies, and may cover 300 kms in a day foraging for food or prey, effortless, by just dipping the tip of a wing. When flying, they cant from side to side like a tight rope walker, a diagnostic flying pattern. For this reason they were given their French name of Bateleur, which means acrobat. They are not above eating carrion, hence they are often poisoned and therefore they are found mostly in the larger national parks. They love bathing, and one may often encounter them sitting in water pans. Mostly, they are just a beautiful black and white V-shape drifting through the skies above one’s head.
This youngster was sitting in quite a wind, thus the strange hairdo. This time, the barber was innocent. This is a dark subject against a light BG, and I always battle to get the exposure right under these conditions. I played a lot with the camera settings, but PS CS did the magic to get the underexposed original up to posting standard.
SHOOTING DETAILS
Venue – Kruger National Park
Date 25th September 2004
Time - 16h43
Camera - Nikon D70
ISO 250; -1 EV
Sigma 120-300 F2.8 APO USM & 2X converter
Filter – None
Focal length - 550 mm
Exposure mode - Shutter Priority – 1/500 @ F10
Flash – None
Support – Wimberley Head on Camsteady window support
Some cropping above head; Shadow/highlights; levels; hue/ saturation; Some USM, , reduced to Site size.
PDP, Luc, gerhardt, thistle, extramundi, RAP, christophe, Lourens, Esox has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Robbrown: ThanksCallie 2 11-29 22:45
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-11-29 15:32]

Too many beans? Oh, not that sort of wind!

Very good work Callie the pose is quite menacing and the wind looks good through his feathers. Excellent work.

Good one Callie.
I like the pose, very sharp photo !
Great catch. well done

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 301 N: 4287] (14767)
  • [2004-11-29 15:44]

I like very much your note, Callie. For the birder that I am, it is very interesting.
A great Eagle, this Bateleur.
Good gestion of the blacks and whites.
Thanx

Unbelievable note. I would never have said it's a young Bateleur. The composition is outstanding and the pose exceptional. Always nice to see you work and play Callie.

This is a very good work, Callie. The quality if the shot is very good, and the pose and coposition outstanding. Very well managed the difficult light this time. Splendid note too. Thanks very much.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-11-29 16:48]

Excelente nitidez con gran detalle sobre las plumas del ave.
Agradable composicion con buen encuadre.
Interesante y completa nota.

Excellent clearness with great detail on the pens of the bird.
Pleasant composition with good frame.
Interesting and it completes note.

Very nice Callie, I seem to rember you posting a couple of very nice adults in your early days on TE.
this is very nice with the bird looking into the light giving a very nice highlight.

Great Callie.
Very nice pose and good sharpness.
Great note too.
S/H are a very useful tool , soon RAW ?
Great work.

Very nice shot great pose and good note.
Well done

  • Great 
  • willie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1023 W: 61 N: 648] (2083)
  • [2004-11-30 11:29]

Excellent job Callie. The Eagle looks very good with the wind effect. Good detail and good notes. Worth 10 points

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-11-30 14:19]

I like this composition a lot and the sharpness is excellent. Excellent note too. Very well done.

Thanks for posting

great note an very great shot Callie

Very nice shot, Callie. I found it rather difficult getting good shots of birds in the Kruger. This shot of yours is very good.

nice shot!good colours and details on the feithers are good too.
composition is good, good sharpness, well done!

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 239 W: 20 N: 344] (972)
  • [2004-12-01 15:15]

A wondeful shot with a superb note!
Very good composition, nice sharpness and colours.
I hope all is well for you.
Very good work.

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