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Cattle Egret


Cattle Egret
Photo Information
Copyright: Tom Conzemius (pirate) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 799 W: 152 N: 1186] (7474)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-30
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/2500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-14 6:22
Viewed: 5987
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 76
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Cattle Egret in flight just before sunset
The cattle egret, due to its great range expansion in association with cattle ranching, has become a true 'cosmopolitan' species. It occurs in North America, generally not in the west or far north; and Eurasia, though usually not in the east. It also inhabits Africa, Australia and parts of South America. Cattle egret are native to Africa and southern Spain.
The cattle egret is the most terrestrial heron, being well-adapted to many diverse terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Though it does not depend on aquatic habitats to survive, it does make frequent use of them, even when they are not close to livestock-grazing areas. It is also well-adapted to urban areas. In its breeding range, which is similar to its winter range, it often nests in heronries established by native ardeids.
It has been calculated that an individual cattle egret can obtain up to 50% more food and use only two-thirds as much energy catching it by associating with cattle, as well as with other large ungulate species. Thus it is a very opportunistic and non-competitive feeder. It commonly associates with livestock, wild buffalo, rhino, elephant, hippo, zebra, giraffe, eland, and waterbuck. Due to their practice of perching on these animals' backs, cattle egrets are often grouped incorrectly with 'tick-birds.' In Australia, they have also been observed to associate with horses, pigs, sheep, fowls, geese, and kangaroos. In the Carribean they even follow the plough, capturing exposed earthworms. The cattle egret's major prey is active insects which are disturbed by the grazing activities of the cattle egret's host animals. It eats mostly grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, flies, frogs, and noctuid moths. It is a very active forager, usually feeding in loose aggregations of small or large flocks of mixed sex and age, varying from tens to hundreds of individuals. It may forage in smaller groups or singly. When feeding, it usually walks in a steady strut, followed by a short dart forward, and a quick stab. If they prey animal is small, it is immediately swallowed. If it is larger, it may be jabbed or dipped in water a few times, but it is not dismembered.
from: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Bubulcus_ibis.html
Alex99, pvs, kjpweb, Hil, uleko, fartash, falke, horia, Royaldevon, Adanac, Juyona, cecilia, MMM, metcher, XOTAELE, livios, tiklod, wingle, PaulH, Tamrock, rousettus, thiv56 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To claudine: space on the rightpirate 1 10-14 06:54
To pvs: space on the rightpirate 1 10-14 06:53
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2007-10-14 6:25]

Hi Tom.
What can I say? It is wonderful. Great in-flight shot, Amazing POV and pose of the bird, fine richly coloured and nicely blurred BG, excellent sharpness of the bird and blameless framing and composition, Bravo and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-10-14 6:37]
  • [+]

Hi Tom,

An excellent capture with good sharpness and colors,the oof BG is great,the only thing what would have improved this capture would be some more space on the right side,anyway I like it a lot and I must confess I havent made these superb inflight shots (Yet),tfs

Paul

Hello Tom,
This is a beautiful and perfect in-flight capture of this nice bird. You controlled exposure very well. Details and POV are wonderful! I might have let a little more space in front of the bird but I'm being picky here :) Well done with excellent tones of colors. Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 368 W: 0 N: 172] (2441)
  • [2007-10-14 6:53]

Wonderful captured moment! Good sharp and detail. Well done! Bravo!

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2007-10-14 7:07]

Hello Tom,
Superb in-flight capture of a Cattle Egret. This is nice and sharp and I especially like the lighting that emphasises the egret without OE against a fine blurred natural BG.
Well done and thanks,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 696 W: 13 N: 1407] (5035)
  • [2007-10-14 7:13]

Hi Tom,

Great in-flight shot of the Egret, well composed and a superb pose, good details and the bird is nicely isolated from the OOF BG, I really like the warm evening light.

Hilary :o)

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2007-10-14 7:23]

Hello Tom,
Brilliant capture of this beautiful bird in flight. Fantastic light and beautiful background that makes it stand out. Great exposure and lovely colours too.
Many thanks, Ulla

Excellent in flight capture. Beautiful light and detail! Kudos! Cheers, Klaus

Hello Tom
Very nice flight shot of this Cattle Egret,Perfect focusing,lighting and DOF,
Superb shot,Welldone.

Good Luck
Fartash

  • Great 
  • falke Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 153 W: 18 N: 479] (1863)
  • [2007-10-14 8:02]

Beautiful photo, Tom! Lovely pose and a perfect exposure and sharpness! I love the brown BG as well.

Best regards/Bengt

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2007-10-14 8:09]

Hi Tom

What a beautiful in-flight capture of this elegant and gracefull egret.
I really love the spot-on exposure here as well as the lovely contrast created between the subject and the BG.
The sharpness is also a strong point of the photo, with impressive details on the entire subject.
Charming colors and nice presentation, too.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hello Tom,

I enjoyed your notes vey much.

This is a very sharp photograph, especially since the bird is in flight! I like the details of the wings and the good use of the light.

Good composition and how well it stands out against the b/g!

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2007-10-14 10:03]

Hello Tom,
Great lighting and your splendid camera work combine to make this an excellent image with sharp details even in the white plummage. Great job Tom.
Rick

hi tom,

this is a splendid picture imaging the liberty of these animals.it is a luck being able to fly.excellent picture technically spoken and also artistic spoken.great colours,even the white one,and lovely BG.
great!
tfs
caroline

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 344 W: 51 N: 520] (2242)
  • [2007-10-14 10:36]

Great shot, the sharpness is magnificent, perfect exposure... Beautiful photo
Regards, Dejan

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-10-14 10:37]

Hello Tom,
Wonderful photo of this Egret. The details in the whites are amazing. Very good POV, composition and BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Tom,
This is a very good in-flight capture!
Excellent light from the best possible angle gives great details in th plumage, the colours are attractive too...
Composition wise maybe the bird should be given more space to fly into, but that's minor minor in a fine image like this!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2007-10-14 12:37]

Hola Tom,
sensacional captura,
bella imagen y magnífico foco,
saludos

Wow!,great inflight shot, the quality, colour and detail are amazing...
Brilliantly done...
Cecilia

Splendid Job, Tom.

Hi Tom
Superb shot
Perfect moment when
everything is just right
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2007-10-15 6:36]

Hi Tom
Excellent in flight capture.Very sharp image whit great details.The BG is also excellent.You had manage the white colors very well.

  • Great 
  • Ena Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 324 W: 61 N: 594] (2454)
  • [2007-10-15 8:16]

Beautiful photo, the sharpness is great and so are the colors! Magnificent shot!

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-10-15 9:21]

Wow ! Tom that's one of the best in-flight shot for a long time ! Rasor sharp, great light and exposure and perfectly captured ! Thanks my friend !

Mario

Hi, Tom.
Not so easy shot in evening light. But result is excellent. Very sharp, beautiful light and exposure is also very good.

Hola Tom.
Una imagen sensacional.
Bella captura con estupenda nitidez quedando el bg de forma difusa...perfecta.
Saludos y tfs, JL.

PS. Buena nota.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-10-15 11:31]

Hello Tom

You have captured this cattle egret in flight very well.The POV and DOF are excellent and the plumage detail is very good.The white plumage is well exposed .You managed wonderful eye detail and contact.The OOF BG is lovely.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2150 W: 319 N: 4263] (16942)
  • [2007-10-15 12:10]

Tom, this is very beautiful.

Excellent exposure, sharpness, composition and pov.

Excellent and beautiful blurred bg.

Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • arunk Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 26 W: 0 N: 19] (272)
  • [2007-10-15 21:10]

Hi

It is a great picture no doubt ... sharpness and composition is amazing


Regards
Arun krishnaiah

Hi Tom,
Beautiful inflight capture! Perfect exposure of white plummage, superb focus and POV. I would have like to see more "breathing room" in front of the heron :) But with that said, still a SUPERB photo! TFS
Regards,
Wing

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2007-10-17 4:31]

Hi Tom,
sorry i missed this one. Your shots just seem to be getting better and better. Exceptional exposure managment here, with a lovely clarity and sharpness that's hard to achieve. Very fine work and great notes,
Paul

Hi Tom,
Excellent catch on fly! Focus is perfect. Nice details and contrast on white feathers. Lovely BG.
Regards,

Claude

hi tom!
great capture with good sharpness
and a very fine background!
well done!

  • Great 
  • joelo Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 40 W: 10 N: 37] (148)
  • [2007-10-17 18:37]

Hi Tom,
Great capture. I appreciate how difficult it to get that much detail in the feathers of a white bird, evne when standind still. that much tougher in flight.
TFS, Joel

salut tom,
an impressive shot in flight !
outstanding sharpness and clarity.
you caught a fantastic warm lighting in here !
excellent :) a perfect and powerful composition.
TFS carole

Hi Tom,
Internet very slow and it doesnt work good in Cypus. So I cant write your last posts. Sorry. This is perfect capture of egret with excellent sharpness and details, great composition and POV/DOF, superb colors. BG and eye contact excellent. TFS, best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer [C: 207 W: 0 N: 605] (2855)
  • [2007-10-26 14:03]

Beautiful image Tom, very sharp shot and I love the light on the egret, always great to be able to capture them early morning or late afternoon!!

Very well done!

Lise

Hello Tom!

Great shot of this beautiful egret! TFS.

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