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For Arfer - Pop Goes the Weasel


For Arfer - Pop Goes the Weasel
Photo Information
Copyright: Karan Little (hester) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-01
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100 - 400 L IS USM
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/200 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): !!! FARE thee well... [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-03-02 1:05
Viewed: 15277
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 84
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Some time ago Rob (Arfer) dedicated one of his wonderful deer shots to me. I have been looking for a suitable shot to dedicate to him. I love Robs shots. I adore mammals and Rob take some amazing mammal shots. A while back Rob posted a shot called "Pop goes the Mink" and included the rhyme

Round and round the cobbler's bench
The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun
Pop! Goes the weasel.

A penny for a spool of thread
A penny for a needle,
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

A half a pound of tupenny rice,
A half a pound of treacle.
Mix it up and make it nice,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

Up and down the London road,
In and out of the Eagle,
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

I've no time to plead and pine,
I've no time to wheedle,
Kiss me quick and then I'm gone
Pop! Goes the weasel.

Well here is the weasel to match the rhyme

-------------------------------------------------------

Weasel: Mustela nivalis

Distribution: throughout England, Scotland and Wales but absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and most smaller islands. Found widely in rest of Europe and in much of Asia, North Africa and parts of the United States. Introduced to New Zealand.

Habitat: woodland, hedgerows, farmland, moorland and mountains.

Description: long, slim; short furry tail. Reddish-brown upperparts separated from white underparts by a wavy flank line.

Length: male - head & body
21.5cm - 28.5cm. Female is smaller.

Height: to shoulder, 4 - 6cm.

Weight: males, up to 115g. Females, up to 59g.

Life-span: 1 - 2 years in the wild. Up to 10 years in captivity.

Food: mainly mice and voles but also rats, moles, small birds, birdsŐ eggs, rabbits.

The weasel is Britains smallest carnivore and belongs to the same family as the stoat and otter. It is a fierce hunter and is usually only spotted as a long, thin tan-coloured streak as it dashes across a road or woodland path.


Weasel Habits

Territory. Each weasel has a territory of 4 - 8 hectares (1 hectare = 2 football pitches). MalesŐ territories are larger than femalesŐ and they may overlap with one another. The size of the territory depends on the food supply; where there is plenty there is no need to hunt for food far and wide. The individual territories are marked with strong-smelling secretions from the anal scent glands. Females stay in their territory throughout the year, but during the mating season, males may travel long distances outside their normal range to find a mate. Weasels do not make themselves any kind of permanent burrow - they usually use the tunnel or burrow of one of the animals they have eaten!

Hunting. A weasel hunts mainly by scent and investigates every likely hole and crevice it comes across. It is small enough to follow its favourite prey - voles and mice - down into their underground runs. The victim is killed with a sharp bite to the back of the neck. Prey is usually taken on the ground, but weasels can climb well and sometimes raid a birdŐs nest box. Weasels are good swimmers too and will chase water voles through the water.

Hunting is done mainly at night, although weasels often hunt during the day too. The favourite food is the field vole and when voles are plentiful there will be a high weasel population. Vole populations fluctuate and when they are low, the weasels do not breed and their populations decrease in turn.

A weasel eats about 28g of food a day - about 25 per cent of its own body weight.

Breeding. Weasels mate in the spring and this is the only time males and females associate with each other. After a 5 week gestation period (the time between mating and birth) a litter of 3 - 8 babies (kittens) is born, in April or May. There may be a second litter in July or August. The kittens are born in a nest of leaves or grass in a hole or crevice. Their eyes open when they are about three weeks old and they are weaned at 4 - 5 weeks. The family often goes out hunting together until the youngsters can kill for themselves at 8 weeks. At 12 weeks the mother drives her offspring away to find territories of their own. Young weasels, born early in the year, are capable of breeding themselves during their first summer, unlike other British carnivores which do not breed until their second year.

Taken at the BWC
boreocypriensis, nardophoto, mariki, matatur, Dee_eS, lgfoto, SelenE, uleko, jaycee, CeltickRanger, marhowie, horia, PaulH, jusninasirun, nglen, Tobias__Ortmann, Debz, cataclysta, NinaM, Alex99, SkyF, oscarromulus, oanaotilia, cicindela, siggi has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To joey: Dark BGhester 1 03-02 04:26
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Critiques [Translate]

Amazing shot! Excelent light, POV and colors. Great detail.
TFS
Angelo

Hello Karan
What a beautiful Weasel:) Lovely indeed. Perfect and lovely capture my friend! Excelent composition, nice colours and sharpnes!
TFS and Regards,

Bayram

Nice weasel...very nice weasel...lovely DoF and good focus/detail to the fur....great info as well...TFS

Hello Karan,

Excellent shot of this weasel. Wonderful composition. Very good sharpness. Superb pose of the animal. Wonderful colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

Great shot!
Congratulations!

TFS,
Luca

Oh WOW! I'm jealous ... that is a super shot.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-03-02 2:08]

Hello Karan

Wow it is a beauty.
The clarity and sharpness is wonderful,I love the catch light in the eye.
It looks super against the dark BG,very well done on the POV and DOF.
I am honoured that you would dedicate such a lovely image to me.I really like mustelids.
The lighting is wonderful and you have certainly captured rich,natural colours.
Thanks again

Rob

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 483 W: 0 N: 1345] (10867)
  • [2008-03-02 2:12]

Hi Karen,

This is a lovely composition. This animal is really posing for you. I like the satured colors.

regards,
Zeno.

Aaah, this one is really a perfect close-up from all known photographic and aesthetic viewpoints Karan, I congragulate you and thank you for sharing this beauty with us my friend. Wish I could give more than one smiley...
Cheers,
Mehmet

Beautiful shot, in one word: perfect!
TFS
Daniel

Bonjour Karan
Superbe prise, netteté et couleurs, trčs belle attitude du sujet, bon détachement du fond, sujet trčs difficile ŕ approcher. Mes félicitations,
amicalement Robi

Hi Karan,

you did well with this one, good detail with natural colour, just enough DoF too. Nice work and TFS.

Regards
Terry.

Wonderfull shot Karan, very clean and well composed with good contrast to BG.TFS

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2008-03-02 3:47]
  • [+]

Wooooooow! What a stunning capture Karan!
That black BG is superb! How did you get it?
Very good clarity and detail.
Brilliant composition as well.
The lighting is perfect!
Rob is very lucky to have such an excellent shot dedicated to him!
Very well done,

Joe

Hi Karan

Very good shot of this attractive weasel. Curiosly, I think this is the first one I ever seen.
Great sharpness and details. Well exposed and stands out well againmst teh black background. Good composition.

Chris

Hi Karan,
This look like a studio shot! What a great capture, very sharp with excellent composition and exposure. They are wonderful animals :) This is also nice dedication :) Well done!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2008-03-02 5:18]

Hi Karan,
I liked the composition, colors, pose you captured and the POV a lot. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

Karan,

Wonderful image of this weasel,
Great job,

fototab

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-03-02 7:30]

Hello Karan,
Terrific capture of this cute little Weasel. I love the way it is posing for you and the fine light has brought out the colour of its fur very nicely. Very well composed too!
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2008-03-02 8:51]

Hello Karan, that's a wonderful shot of this great mammmal. The pose is great, the details are pin sharp and the exposure is fantastic, what a lovely capture, well done, thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-03-02 9:37]

Hi Karan,

No way could there be a better Weasel picture than this one. The pose and the facial expression are priceless. Fantastic colors, super details, beautiful background - Wonderful, wonderful.

Jane

Hello my friend Karan,
A top quality shot for the dedication to our friend Rob!
just perfect to me in everything far beyong words!
my special compliment to this excellent photo!
you are a good and talented photographer!
regards
Tony

amazing pic! TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2008-03-02 11:30]

Hi Karan,
A top quality photo for its pose, pov, colours, light, background and composition. Congratulations!
TFS and best regards, José M.

Mucha elegancia Karan, con un fondo muy bien trabajado. Llamativo color , siendo una fotografía muy atractiva.

Saludos.

hello Karan

very beautiful shot of this cute animal, the excellent luminosity
of the foreground and the darkness of the background
are doing a great contrast, i love at tje level of the subject
your low POV, sharpness and details are excellent, TFS

Asbed

Karan - I'm trying to get back to all those kind people as yourself..Who love photography as I do. Kindred spirits we are.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post BTW..
I've looked at your weasel for quite a long time. I can say this image reflects your passion with superb results.
Excellent work.
Howard

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2008-03-03 1:14]

Hi Karan

How kind of this weasel to go right on top and sit and pose there for you :)
The result is really wonderful and, as you've explained Joe, that distant and shadowed BG worked superbly here in isolating and bringing out the subject even more.
Great overall sharpness and beautiful colors, too!
A very nice dedication fo Rob!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2008-03-03 4:42]

Hi Karan,
never heard the full rhyme before, thanks!
Superb shot, it really is, congratulations.
Paul

Hi Karan, splendid portrait of lovely creature in nice pose, wonderful colors, good details and excellent sharpness, beautiful contrast against dark BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Karan. This is so flawless like a studio shot with studio lightings. Immaculate sharpness and details in perfectly exposed body with a pose so stunning against the clear dark background. Even the whiskers shine like some back lit image. Very well done for first class image. Brilliant!!!! Regards. Jusni

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2008-03-03 10:46]

Hi karen. Well you know this is a good shot and i will confirm its fantastic. You have mastered the new kit so well. very good detail in the fur and eye. with rich but still natural looking colours. a very good pose from the Weasel with a nice POV/DOF. very well doneand a nice dedication to Rob.

very well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi karan
fantstic potrait shot of this
weasel perfect focused very good contrast and perfect sharpness
YOPu couldnt do something better
very well done
TOba

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 505 W: 0 N: 847] (3307)
  • [2008-03-04 1:48]

This shot is magnificent Karan, fantastic pov with excellent detail on this beautiful Weasel, top quality here. Very well composed and the Weasel looks great against the dark background. I love it.
tfs
debz

Hi Karan
Another beauty. Perfect sharpness, great contrast and fantastic black background. Very good job
TFS
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer [C: 773 W: 3 N: 1157] (4077)
  • [2008-03-04 17:04]

This picture not only is a kind dedication to Rob but it is also up to his talent. The light on the little animal with the dark background, the beautiful coat of the weasel and its cutiness so well captured, all this combine into a real jewel, a treasure of a picture. Thanks!

Francine

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-03-05 10:22]

Hi Karan.
My congratulations on so wonderful picture of the amazing animal.
I cannot imagine betters scene and image. Fantastic splendid colours, ultimate details and sharpness of the animal and old stump. Exposure and composition are outstanding too. Bravo.
Alexei.

Hi Karan,
fabulous composition, the dark BG and the pose of the little critter look super.
As usual the sharpness and the detail are amazing.
Great work.
Sky

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer [C: 207 W: 0 N: 605] (2855)
  • [2008-03-06 17:06]

Hi Karan,

Wow, amazing shot, what a fantastic light on the weasel giving such a beautiful colour to the fur.
Perfectly exposed and taken with excellent sharpness.
I really love the composition, he stands so well against this dark black background!

Lise

Karan,
It is BEAUTIFUL.
HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE.
Loved your notes too.
Mario.

Hello Karan
Just marking and sincerely TFS
Oana

Hello Karan!
What a capture! You were very lucky to see this cute creaure so nice posed :) Lovely details and composition, Weasel is here a really top model! ;)
All the best!
Radomir

Hi Karan

What a wonderful portrait of the weasel. It is really beautiful. Such a clear and sharp picture. I found that they simply ran around too much for me to get many shots that were worth it... Beautiful pose and that dark green background of the enclosure works really well.

TFS
Emma

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2009-01-11 6:40]

Hi Karan,
beautiful portrait of lovely weasel in nice pose, wonderful colors, good details and excellent sharpness, beautiful contrast against dark BG, Best regards Siggi

Hi Karan.
A very cute animal. I appreciated the rhyme as well. I haven't heard it since I was a kid. Very rich colours in this guy. You've got great exposure. Just a lovely animal. TFS Trevor

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