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Cormorant Catch


Cormorant Catch
Photo Information
Copyright: Bill Houghton (poppygan59) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 237 W: 0 N: 344] (2516)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-01-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark 111, Canon EF300mm 4/L IS
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/3000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2012-01-16 16:57
Viewed: 3156
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Double-Crested Cormorant - Double-crested cormorants are dramatic, large aquatic birds with shiny black and bronze plumage. They don't have waterproof feathers like most aquatic birds and need to perch on rocks, sandbars, pilings, wires, trees or docks to dry off.

Habits and Habitat

Double-crested cormorants occupy many water habitats across North America, including coastlines, estuaries, lakes and ponds. Most spend winter in the southern United States, but many nest on the shores of the Great Lakes in spring and summer.

During the breeding season, cormorants are monogamous and live in large, social colonies. Cormorant couples work together raise their young, from building a nest and incubating the eggs to feeding chicks once they have hatched.

Cormorants are avid recyclers. They will sometimes revamp an old nest rather than start a new one from scratch. And when they find pieces of useful junk, like old bits of rope, net, or plastic, they will often incorporate them into their nests.

Presqu'ile Provincial Park in Ontario is home to the largest and most diverse bird colonies in the Great Lakes region. The park is an important staging area for many shorebirds, including Double-crested cormorants, and is recognized internationally as an Important Bird Area.

Prey

In the Great Lakes, the cormorants are voracious predators of the invasive round goby, a Eurasian fish that is causing great ecological damage. They also consume large numbers of alewives, another invasive species, as well as non-native sticklebacks and sea lampreys.

Cormorants help create nesting sites for Blue-herons, who like to nest in trees without leaves.
drchoneydew, jusninasirun, marius-secan, Miss_Piggy, jcoowanitwong, pegos, cobra112, vanda, buscape, maaciejka, Jakkals, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

WOW WHAT AN AMAZING CAPTURE..DANG..you should be thrilled to have this! My favorite today! thank you so much for sharing! WOOT WOOT!

Excellent timing in this shot, Bill. The big catch and the sharpness are brilliant with trailing droplets of water in the frame.
Thanks and well done.
Jusni

Hello Bill,
Spectacular capture of a lovely cormorant in flight. Perfect focus and very good clarity.
Wonderful contrast against the background.
It is a interesting species of birds with brilliant colors.
The composition and POV are outstanding.
Sorry I have no green smilles left.....
Marius.

Hello Bill,
Fantastic action with a successful hunt!
Regards
Lucja

Oh boy, what a catch!
Wow Bill, another great one. There is quite a number of things in this image to my liking. The movement of the water droplets, the impressive and most beautiful wingspan of the bird, the expression on the bird's face, the clarity and beautiful colour of the bird's eye, the clarity of the fish and most of all the "True to nature" feeling that one get looking at this scenery. This is a great image. Thanks for sharing. Best regards.
Anna

great scene moment, with excellent performance!
regards Bill
Nasos

Hello Bill,
Great skill in getting the moment so clearly. Nice pov and well composed. TFS,
JC

  • Great 
  • pegos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 222 W: 0 N: 356] (1982)
  • [2012-01-17 3:49]

Another splendid dynamic image, Bill!
Great timing and excellent sharpness; beautiful light and colours. A beauty!
Regards
Enrico

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
  • [2012-01-17 3:53]

Perfect timing - excellent action shot. Nice focus on the eye and slight blur on the feathers conveying motion.

James

  • Great 
  • tcr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 158 W: 8 N: 538] (3384)
  • [2012-01-17 4:03]

Hello.
Successful in-flight photography.
Timing and point of view are spot on.
Accurate exposure and beautiful colour.
Greetings.

Ciao Bill. Great time here! And top quality MF.

Roberto

Excellent in-flight photo, perfectly frozen, good timing.
Excellent detail, nicely composed.
regards yiannis

  • Great 
  • vanda Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 338 W: 25 N: 754] (3673)
  • [2012-01-17 6:40]

Hi Bill!
Great capture of bird in action: congratulations on your timing!
The image is perfectly clear, with very godd details.
The water droplets are very nice!
Very well composed: congratulations.
ciao! Vanda

  • Great 
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1618 W: 106 N: 3208] (15166)
  • [2012-01-17 7:05]

Hi, Great catch, for you and for the cormorant, beautiful image..tfs.
nagraj.v

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2012-01-17 7:16]

Hello Bill,
Fantastic photo of this cormorant with fish in flight. Superb sharpness, details and that all in splendid warm light and colours. Great pose, perfect timing. The background is gorgeous.
Regards,
Peter

Another fantastic action photo Bill! Perfect timing, excellent composition, wonderful colors and impressive sharpness!
Regards,
Christodoulos

Hello Bill,
great capture of this fishing Cormorant with good sharpness and fine details. I also like the beautiful colours and your perfect timing.
Best wishes,
Helmut

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2012-01-17 9:01]

HI Bill,fantastic capture!! What a timing and what a quality of details,a very professional work another time!Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Hi Bill,
perfect situation. Very good timing. Excellent point of view. Amazing colours.
Thanks for sharing,
Maciek

Hello Bill,
A Truly once in a lifetime capture I believe! Brilliant sharpness and details, perfect POV of course, and beautiful coloured BG. Excellent work my friend!!
Best regards,
Carl

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2012-01-17 11:01]

Hi Bill.
Superb in-flight shot. All is perfect. Wingspread of the bird, water drops behind it, prey in the beak, amazing smooth BG and perfect details of the main subject. Well done and kind wishes.
Alexei.

Hello Bill,
Excellent sharpness and contrast, great photography, great POV. What timing!
Congratulations and thanks for sharing
Hello Vanni

Hello Bill,
A great in flight capture, excellent timing and beautiful natural colours for this image. Well done!
Regards,
Mircea

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2012-01-17 18:13]

Awesome capture Bill!!
With a fish this size I would imagine the time lapse between meals would be rather long. Excellent technique in obtaining such an eye catching image of such fine quality. Well done!!
Ron

Fantastic shot Mr.Bill!
The action is perfectly freezed with good details & great sharpness.
Very well done & TFS.
KApil

great double capture Bill, congratulations for the picture, excellent moment and very lovely light and details in your picture,

ciao, tino

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