A Bird Shot. . .

[gahspidy]

Shot of a bird that was in the same enviroment as some Carmine Bee eaters. I like the carmine bee eaters alot but none of the shots of them came out to my liking. I wish I could remember the name of this bird. This is a cool looking bird,
Your thoughts on this. . .
Thanks

[ACArmstrong]

Cool bird -

I don't really have anything in the way of a negative feeling over this pic. Great DOF the bird is crisp and sharp all the way through and the background is nice and blurred. Your composition is really nice.

Great job. I would'nt change a thing.

[bobbythebandit]

I agree with AC. and as i have said before, when it comes to bird shots, you're the man !!!!

[Lava Lamp]

Shot of a bird that was in the same enviroment as some Carmine Bee eaters. I like the carmine bee eaters alot but none of the shots of them came out to my liking. I wish I could remember the name of this bird. This is a cool looking bird,
Your thoughts on this. . .
Thanks

This is really a portfolio quality shot. If I had to pick a flaw or two, I'd say that the feathers at right are sharper than the eye, when you want that reversed and that the framing is a little tight (claws cut off at bottom.)

[Irish]

Very nice shot - great detail and colours - DOF works well with the important things in focus.

Improvements?? Just a tad less crop to top and bottom of image. It appears the top feathers have been chopped a little too close for my liking.

What kit do you use??

[CaraRose]

Nothing negative I could say. DOF and composure are great. I really love this picture. What a cool looking bird.

[gahspidy]

Very nice shot - great detail and colours - DOF works well with the important things in focus.

Improvements?? Just a tad less crop to top and bottom of image. It appears the top feathers have been chopped a little too close for my liking.

What kit do you use??

Thanks all for the time to comment. I would agree that the eye could have been sharper. And I also feel it was cropped a bit too tightly as others pointed out. Nothing I can do as that was the original shot. Here is another shot of the same bird, but alot further out. What a cool looking bird. Paulnj, where are you??

I am shooting film with a Canon Elan 7, and Tamron lenses. This one being the 70-300 macro zoom

[paulnj]

WELL..It's captive..so that's my comment ;)

As for ID.. iI HAVE NO CLUE! The rollers you mention are from AFRICA(Sengal I think)

I know a few non US species, butI specialize in the fact I can POSITIVELY ID 98 % of birds that come to or live in NORTH AMERICA

AFRICA has an OBSENE AMOUNT OF AVIAN SPECIES BTW

WHICH zoo was it.... and I will get you an ID if I can

[gahspidy]

Thanks for replying. This was taken at the Bronx Zoo Bird House. This was the first exhibit. These birds along with Carmine Bee Eaters were in a open enviroment but would not fly away as it had all there needs and wants to keep them happy and felt no need to leave. The Bronx Zoo's bird exhibits are beautiful. I was very impressed. I will be back there again soon, and must remember to record all info as I shoot. BTW, I believe the Bee eaters are also in South America

[villenadecorte]

Great shot- cant believe that was at a zoo. Those feathers are captivating. Looks like you can reach over and ruffle them.
I prefer the original shot- I dont think its cropped too close.
Second shot is great too.
I agree about the eye sharpness.

VillenaDeCorte

Thanks for replying. This was taken at the Bronx Zoo Bird House. This was the first exhibit. These birds along with Carmine Bee Eaters were in a open enviroment but would not fly away as it had all there needs and wants to keep them happy and felt no need to leave. The Bronx Zoo's bird exhibits are beautiful. I was very impressed. I will be back there again soon, and must remember to record all info as I shoot. BTW, I believe the Bee eaters are also in South America

[paulnj]

these(carmine bee eaters) ARE AFRICAN BIRDS

FEEDING TIMES ARE... http://www.bronxzoo.com/bz-plan_your_visit/bz-feedings

and I can't ID this bird, though I have seen images of them SOMEWHERE???

BTW bee eaters are distributed into 3 genuses with 26 species ;) they live in AFRICA, AUSTRALIA and EURASIA.... none in the "americas"

It's closest "relative" that hits the "americas" are Cerylid type Kingfishers ;) as in belted, ringed and green kingfishers ;)

[gahspidy]

Yes, you are right about the Bee Eaters. I have them in one of my son's nature videos ( he has so many videos, that I confused the location of the one that featuresd these bee eaters).
I was hoping the Bronx Zoos Website was as good as their Zoo itself, but oh well. I was hoping they had an index of all their exhibits with some pic and description. . .but I guess that would be extensive.
Will wait till I get back there, soon, and will record everything I snap.
Thanks Paul

[jcharris]

Hi Gary ,

These are two great shots of these birds . I do not have any comments to add here .
I tried to look for that species in some of our guides here but could not find one of those at the Southern Part of Africa . Maybe in the northern part of Africa ?
Anyway here is a inetesting link for you on some of the South-African bird species .

http://www.birdlife.org.za/

Regards
james

[gahspidy]

Thanks James . . .

[stripesnspots]

It must not be a very common bird. I have the Smithsonian Institution's Animal and it wasn't anywhere on the 102 pages devoted to birds. There wasn't even anything close. I like both pictures. The close up one feels like you could reach out and touch it, and I love the ruffled look. I also like the second one because of the long tail and the shape of the branches.

[Chunk]

Shot of a bird that was in the same enviroment as some Carmine Bee eaters. I like the carmine bee eaters alot but none of the shots of them came out to my liking. I wish I could remember the name of this bird. This is a cool looking bird,
Your thoughts on this. . .
Thanks

Gary, I think this may actually be a midwestern Leghorn Hen that has changed somewhat since going to live in New York. I've noticed similar effects on other midwesterners who have made the move to the big apple.

Seriously You've done a nice job in capturing this guy. I like this up close and personal version a little better than the wider shot.

[gahspidy]

Gary, I think this may actually be a midwestern Leghorn Hen that has changed somewhat since going to live in New York. I've noticed similar effects on other midwesterners who have made the move to the big apple.

Seriously You've done a nice job in capturing this guy. I like this up close and personal version a little better than the wider shot.

LOL, yes. . this bird seems to have a crazy look about him now. . .why with all the lawyers, activists, politicians and emergency sirens wailing. . just might like to be a plain old hen again. Thanks for the time to look.
I will find out who this one is as it is starting to become a bit of a mystery.

[gahspidy]

Found out the name of this bird after having gone back to the Zoo with my son. They moved it out from the environment it was in when i saw it last and put them in an enclosed habitat.
It is a Guira Cuckoo , found in SouthEastern Bolivia and Uruguay.

[paulnj]

WHICH explains why I couldn't find it in any reference for AFRICA ;)

to be honest. the only thing CUCKOO about it is the body shape and tail.

I have seen EVERY cuckoo in the US and none have a head/ beak like that ;)

[gahspidy]

WHICH explains why I couldn't find it in any reference for AFRICA ;)

to be honest. the only thing CUCKOO about it is the body shape and tail.

I have seen EVERY cuckoo in the US and none have a head/ beak like that ;)

Agreed, none of the cuckoos in my North american Reference book resemble this bird at all. When I saw them again, these birds were very social, at least amongst themselevs. Two of them were "grooming " eachother and seemed to be intimate. Was trying to get a shot of that but they were off in the distance with theiur backs to me. they are very active and lively birds. . . .fun to watch.