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Great Crested Grebe


Great Crested Grebe
Photo Information
Copyright: Deborah Kelleher (Debz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 505 W: 0 N: 847] (3307)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 350D, Canon EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, 58mm U.V. filter
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Red Eyed Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-08-24 5:54
Viewed: 6005
Points: 70
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This shot was taken way back in May of this year. Weather has been so poor here, and I haven't been around much lately, I have pulled this one out. I do miss TN when not here and thank you all for your kind and instructive comments.

This Grebe is one of a pair who have been very successful in breeding 2 broods this year. The male had been teaching the 1st brood to fish whilst the female sat on a second clutch of eggs that have now hatched.

Great Crested Grebe
(Podiceps cristatus)

Small to medium-sized water birds, characterised by their pointed bills (long and dagger-like in larger species), round bodies, tiny tails and legs set far back on the body.

The legs are flattened and the toes have broad, leaf-like lobes, so that the forward stroke underwater has minimum drag but the backward stroke can exert maximum pressure for forward movement.

They are expert swimmers and divers but unable to walk on dry land. They build floating nests anchored to aquatic vegetation. Many other species are found almost worldwide.

Overview
A delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies. They have an elaborate courtship display in which they rise out of the water and shake their heads. Very young grebes often ride on their parents' backs.

Where to see them
Lowland lakes, gravel pits, reservoirs and rivers. Also found along coasts in winter.

When to see them
All year round

What they eat
Mainly fish

Estimated numbers
Europe UK breeding* UK wintering* UK passage*
- 9,400 adults 11,800 birds -

from RSPB
uleko, earthtraveler, fartash, nglen, Royaldevon, MMM, dB_grafix, Argus, hester, marhowie, Tamrock, peter_stoeckl, Kathleen, snowfalken, bobair has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To bobair: My Themebobair 2 12-14 06:52
To Necipp: Great Crested GrebeDebz 1 08-29 03:31
To hester: Great Crested GrebeDebz 1 08-28 03:12
To Mariol: Great Crested GrebeDebz 1 08-28 03:09
To uleko: Great Crested GrebeDebz 1 08-24 10:49
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Deborah,
Good reflections, excellent colours, nice lighting...
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2007-08-24 6:48]
  • [+]

Hello Deborah,
What a fine capture of the Great Crested Grebe, a bird I never seem to get close too!
I would have used a higher speed here as it is obviously moving quite fast. Lovely colours and reflections.
TFS and enjoy your weekend, Ulla

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-08-24 7:17]

Hi Deborah,

A nice capture of this grebe and it mystic reflection,well captured with nice POV and colors,well done and TFS

Paul

Hi Deborah,
Very nice Grebe image. Good color and lovely reflection.
Nice capture of it's red eye.
TFS
Richard

Hello Deborah,

Nice capture with good colors and sharpness, well done
Greeting
Jean-Michel

Hi Deborah,

A very nice shot of the grebe. You had very good light. Well done.

Jan-Hendrik

Hello Deborah
Very intersting shot of this Great Crested Grebe,Perfect focusing,lighting and composition, Superb shot, Welldone.

Good Luck
Fartash

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2007-08-24 11:12]

Hi Debz. Nice to see you posting again.a good shot of the Grebe.good colours and detail . the eye has caught the light well. . a nice POV.and refection in the water, well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..
Have a nice weekend.

Hi Deborah,
I thought you had lost your camera or something. I love this picture. The oily surface of the water makes it so smooth. Good reflection, plenty of definition and colour. Sharp and a nice picture to look at.
Well done,
Regards,
Peter

Hello Deborah,

Really nice picture and I love the reflection. A beutiful bird and you have really done it justice.

tfs

Mike

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-08-24 11:45]

Hi Deborah,
A beautiful looking Grebe and its fantastic reflection. Superb lighting and you have captured a fine swimming pose. Very neat image and I like its crest. Excellent POV to portray it and very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Deborah,

I just love this! What a marvellous reflection!
The grebe look to have 2 heads! I've never seen this happen before! You can almost always see part of the body refected in the water as well as the head!

Great colours and composition.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2007-08-24 14:25]

Hi Deborah
Excellent capture of thst Grebe.POV and sharpness are very good.I like the detaisl in the plumage of the bird.I also like that lovely reflextion in the water.
TFS Michel

Yay... I am glad to finally see something from you.Not only an interesting looking grebe, but the reflection you captured in this is fantastic.Gives a real sense of motion. Great focus on eye and bill.
Thanks for sharing and your comments. Be good.
D

Hello Deborah,
Good action capture of this fine bird!
Attractive colours have been captured, good detqils in the plumage...
Pleasant composition with an interesting distorted reflection!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2007-08-25 7:17]

Hello Debz,
How did I miss this one?
Great capture of a Great Crested Grebe with superb lighting and reflection in the water. The sharpness is excellent so we can see the red (monday morning!) eye and the central composition works here to show the back-wash.
Nice shot!
TFS and enjoy your weekend!
Ivan

Hi Deborah,
A beautiful capture of this grebe. Totally a new bird for me. Nice details and excellent composition.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2007-08-25 14:26]
  • [+]

Hi Debz

Nice to see you back again. I know all about the poor weather! I'm glad you posted this as the refection is stunning, the POV great and the colours lovely.

I hope you are enjoying the nice weather today

TFS

Karan

Hello Debz Nice to see you are bk as always lovely work the colours and contrast is very nice good sharpness and smoothness where necessary tfs rgds Necip.

Hi Deborah,
Absolutely beautiful bird! Your picture shows it very well. Do not tell me you have them in Hyde Park!
Regards, Mario

bonjour deborah
le piqué est tres bon sur la tête de l'oiseauavec aussi de belles couleurs,la surface de l'eau me semble comme adouci,avez vous utilisé un logiciel pour cela ou est ce naturel?
laurent

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-08-31 10:08]

Hello Deborah, it's a real beauty you captured there. The bird is sharp, the colors and exposition are real good and the water/background is fantastic. Well done,

Mario

Hi Deborah,
The shimmering reflection here makes the shot..
Well exposed, great color/details also.
Well done!
Howard

hi deborah!
this bird is very beautiful and
you show it in a very nice way!
good work!

Hi Debz,
very artistic, aesthetical image. Elegant capture in motion. Lovely colour contrasts, beautifully smooth reflections.
Thank you! With best regards,
Peter

Hi Deborah

Quel belle photo de ce grèbe avec cette superbe composition
les couleurs chaudes du sujet sur les couleurs froides du fond ,la composition est très belle.
Merci et au revoir...JP

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-09-06 20:59]

Hello Deborah

I really like these birds,but the ones here always avoid me LOL.The shot is wonderfully sharp and well focused.The colours and reflections are beautiful.The POV is super and the shot is well composed.TFS


Rob

Hi Deborah.
Wonderful image. Beautiful colours and great detail of the Grebe. Amazing patterns in the water around him with awesome colours and reflection.

Kathleen

Hello Deborah,

How beautiful! A lovely shot with brilliant and warm colors. This bird has red eyes in the picture even when the flash wasn't used! (chuckle) The composition is excellent and I really like the way you used the reflections in the water as a compositional element. The well distributed empty space creates a balanced image. I love the softness in the water ripples and small waves. The scene was well exposed and shows great details in both shadows and highlights. Thank you for posting!

With Friendly Regards,
Eddie

Lovely! This such a beautiful capture! I love all the elements in this picture: reflection, colors, details, centered composition, exposure, etc. This is a beautiful portrait of a very nice specie. Congratulations!
Claudine

Hi Deborah,
this is a very good looking capture of the grebe.This year I have been lucky to get photos of four different types but none in their showier breeding plumage.In this photo you have good focus,colour and composition.The thing that I really like best is that wonderful red eye and there are a fair number of waterfowl that sport red eyes,one of these days I might do a theme of all red eyed birds and I'll include your birdie in it.Tfs. Bob

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2007-09-17 2:07]

This fellow reminds me of a punk rocker!!
Super capture and I can see him looking right at you too. The colours and details are great, well done
Janice

bonjour
je reviens sur celle-ci que je n' ai pas vu, dommage car elle est superbe, belles couleurs nettes, bon bg et j' aime ce reflet dans l' eau
bien vu, merci a toi
edith

Hi Deborah,
This is a fantastic shot of this beautiful avian subject, my favorite of the grebes. I just love their coloration and their crested attribute that really makes them so distinguised. I really like the fact that these parents tote their kiddies on their backs. TFS. :)

Hi Deb, great reflections and splendid colors in this lovely composition with a wonnderful Grebe, very well done, ciao Silvio

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