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Shimmerings Of Iridescence


Shimmerings Of Iridescence
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3749 W: 483 N: 8155] (28054)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 200, Hoya UV 77mm
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-03-08 2:16
Viewed: 3751
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Although the sexes look very similar, they do show some subtle differences. The male tends to be larger, more iridescent, and have longer throat feathers, but some females can be larger, more glossy, and have longer feathers than some males. During breeding when they have yellow bills, the base of a male's lower mandible is blue-gray, while the female's is pinkish. The male's eyes are a uniform deep brown, but the female has a narrow, lighter colored ring around the outer edge. In confusing cases, some males four years old or older can develop a faint ring in the eye, and some older females can lose it.

A female European Starling may try to lay an egg in the nest of another female. A female that tries this parasitic tactic often is one that could not get a mate early in the breeding season. The best females find mates and start laying early. The longer it takes to get started, the lower the probability of a nest's success. Those parasitic females may be trying to enhance their own breeding efforts during the time that they cannot breed on their own.


Size: 20-23 cm (8-9 in)
Wingspan: 31-40 cm (12-16 in)
Weight: 60-96 g (2.12-3.39 ounces)
Shape: Stocky, black bird, Short,
Tail: square-tipped tail
Wings: Pointed, triangular wings.
Bill: Long pointed bill, yellow in breeding season.
Plumage: Shimmering green and purple feathers in spring.
Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Head and body black with purple and green sheen. Some buff spotting on back and undersides. Bill yellow.
Winter (Basic) Plumage: Feathers glossy black heavily spotted with cream or white spots on tips. Bill dark gray-brown or black.

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 15:58 p.m.
Date: 17th November 2006
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/1000
F-Stop: F/6.3
Focal Length: 400mm
ISO: 200
Support: Hand Held
Original file type: Digital Raw
dew77, GLEM, stevkds, shal, paulsballs, Finland_in_Eton, JORAPAVI, Tamrock, prmsantos, SelenE, fartash, Argus, jaycee, scottevers7, lgfoto, sgo has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

bravo pour c très beau portrait
belle netteté et couleur
Nad

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-03-08 2:40]

Hi Pam,

Great capture of this starling ,excellen sharpness and I like the shiny colortones of the starling,well captured and TFS

Paul

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2007-03-08 2:44]

Lovely colors you have caught on this starling, Pam.
I also really like these flowers that many of your birds seem to stand on.
Those plants make beautiful perches and add interest to the shots.
Beautiful composition.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2007-03-08 2:46]

Hello Pam,
Wonderful starling capture.POV,colors,details,simple BG and composition are excellent.
TFS..:-)

Excellent composition Pam.

Very pretty shot. Well done. tfs. Stev

Good to see a familiar bird from the other side of the world! Nice sheen, nice pose and a good crop.

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 256 W: 64 N: 481] (2140)
  • [2007-03-08 3:19]

Hi Pam,
lovely colours and composition along with good details,
lovely post,
Cheers :D

Hola Pam
Un buen retrato de este "tordo" que es como los conocemos en España.
Y no es que sea de las aves fácil de retratar debido a ese plumaje negro.
Un saludo

hi pam,
nice capture of starling, liked the sharp image with metalic colour tones, well composed shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 867 W: 24 N: 1008] (5507)
  • [2007-03-08 3:59]

Bonjour Pam, sobre composition and beautiful reflects on the plumage. Well captured and interesting pose of the Starling, congratulations, Didier.

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 540 W: 87 N: 750] (10)
  • [2007-03-08 4:00]

salut Pam,
belle image, avec une composition recherchée. Les détails du plumage sont très fins, jolies couleurs. Je perçois un peu de bruit, surtout en bas de l'image.

tfs

Beautiful capture of one of my favorite birds. They are such clever creatures.. and quite opportunistic.. and in the right light their colors shimmer.

Lovely composition, very nice POV good DOF. Good clarity. I would have used a small radius with the sharpen tool and picked out the light in the eye a little more, it looks a bit dull in what is otherwise a very nice photo. TFS

This is really cool shot. I really like this guy in his, what to say proud pose. Well presented with beautiful colours and details.
TFS
Ralf

Hola Pam,
Magnífica toma, muy nítida y clara, con lo difícil que es sacarlos bien estos pajaros por su plumaje obscuro. Un cordial saludo

Hi Pam,

Beautiful shot, very well framed and composed. Nice pose, tones and detail.

Hi Pam,
Great capture of this sterling!
I like so much all the colors got on their plumage.
Very good DOF to put away the other branches at background.
It's excellent the composition made with the help of the busy branch along the diagonal.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2007-03-08 8:42]

Hi Pam,
The iridescent colors on the plumage look beautiful. I liked your POV, and the confident pose of the starling. Very good composition and presentation. TFS
Selen

Hello Pam
Very nice shot of this Starling,
Perfect composition and colors,
Great POV and BG,Welldone.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 729 W: 98 N: 1707] (5458)
  • [2007-03-08 9:50]

they really are so much prettier when they're captured on their own like this -- the details get lost in the flocks, don't they!
Fabulous composition, colours and details
TFS
Silke

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2007-03-08 11:09]

Hello Pam,
This is an impressive capture of the Common Starling showing the irridescence of its breeding plumage. This is sharp and well composed. The cloudiness of the eye suggests that it blinked when you took this shot, but this does not detract from the quality of the shot.
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2007-03-08 11:18]

Hi Pam,

Absolutely beautiful shot of the Starling. The pose, colors, details and setting are all wonderful.

Jane

Hi Pam,
An excellent shot on this Starling. You caught the light angle perfectly to show the iridescent colors. Nice sharp detail. The composition is perfect. Great job!
Scott

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-03-08 21:26]

Hello Pam

Great job of taking a common bird and makiing it beautiful.The composition is stellar,and the starling's colours are wonderful.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • lgfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 13 N: 279] (1536)
  • [2007-03-09 10:33]

Great shot and composition Pam.Play of colour is fascinating.TFS

  • Great 
  • sgo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 137 W: 32 N: 239] (718)
  • [2007-03-09 23:42]

Hi Pam,
A quick greeting in admiration of your outstanding sterling Starling! Beautiful composition, harmonious lines with a maginificent motif ruling the scene! TFS
With best regards,
Goran

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2007-03-20 2:40]

Hello Pam,
What a superb portrait for this lovely Starling. I notice that you change your frame like me ;-)
The "+++++" : subject, smart composition, sharpness, DOF, nice blurred BG, colors, light & exposuren note...
The "-" : nothing...
Congratulations my friend and thanks for sharing your talent.

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