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Poetry in Motion


Poetry in Motion
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3282 W: 268 N: 7782] (33214)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-21
Categories: Nature, Transportation
Camera: Canon EOS 30D, Canon 70-300mm DO IS USM
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/2500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-25 0:52
Viewed: 471
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Australasian Gannet
Morus serrator
Maori Name: Takapu


This wasn’t an easy photo to take, but I was thrilled to get a couple of ‘not so bad’ shots of the gannets in flight.

The Australasian Gannet is a large seabird of about 89cm and weighing nearly 2.5 kg. It is mainly white, with a buff yellow head, and black flight feathers.

The juvenile is spotted above [grey/brown] with brownish streaks below.

The adult plumage takes 3-5 years to develop.

Gannets feed mainly on small fish and some squid taken from deep waters or harbours and estuaries. These birds are plunge divers - they dive vertically from heights of up to 30m entering the water at tremendous speed. They have inflatable air sacs beneath the skin on the lower neck and breast that act as shock absorbers as they enter the water.

Gannets range widely in NZ seas during winter but return to their breeding sites around June/July.

The nests are made within close proximity of other nests, out of seaweed and guano. They usually lay just one egg, incubated for 44 days by both sexes.

The chicks fledge at between 13-17 weeks old where they will fly across the Tasman Sea to Australian waters. They remain there until 3-7 years old when they will return to their breeding site and will breed for the first time at about 5 years old.

There is a lot of chattering in the gannet colony but away from the breeding site the birds are normally silent. Muriwai, in West Auckland, is the mainland colony closest to Auckland.

http://www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/Fauna/GannetAustralasian.htm

JohnTulip, kiwi_explorer, GreenBaron, OWO, WMcK, Silke, toucan1967, eqshannon, chrisJ, Refugee, eosnut, MLINES, Dingo has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Dawn: You can!Janice 1 02-28 00:24
To eqshannon: Me tooJanice 1 02-25 22:27
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Jan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 434 W: 123 N: 728] (4867)
  • [2008-02-25 0:54]

WOOW, janice! What a sharp shot of this flying bird!!! I even don't see his feet??!!
A great compliment of this one!! Great colours and very sharp!

Well done!
Janneke

Lets hope Takapu is not going to commit Seppuku
:-)
Good shot f/9.0, 1/2500 seconds with the Canon 70-300mm DO IS USM
Same lens I have
Welldone Jan
TFS
John

Wow, Perfect sharp action shot, dear Janice.
Best flying bird picture ever seen!
Congratulations with this beautiful result.
Regards from Jan

Good morning/evening Janice

My dear friend this is absolutely delightful. So graceful this beautiful bird is really floating on air here. You captured the flight at the perfect moment with wonderful sharpness and details. A really splendid posting here Janice well done I love it.

TFS regards helen

Hi Janice,
impressive image, great work!!!
Beautifull details and colours,
it's so clear and strong, bravo!!!
TFS

Have a ncie week!

Igor

Congratulations Janice!

This is indeed 'poetry in motion'. Apt title.

Sharp detail and colours, the POV is good with the lighting.
TFS,

Martyn

Hi Janice,
Well timed dynamic shot to capture this Gannet in full flight. Very good image and color quality with fine details. Excellent work! tfs
Cheers,
Renier

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1791 W: 128 N: 3006] (16617)
  • [2008-02-25 1:41]

Hi Janice,

Wonderful shot!!!! Gosh, is soooo sharp and clear, great details and colours.. superb shot my friend,

Cheers,
Sweety

Hi Janice,
This gannet looks like a jet fighter, great capture in flight; so sharp it's perfect! Excellent positioned too, a wonderful bird well presented!
Kia ora
Hans

  • Great 
  • OWO Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 169 W: 68 N: 327] (2335)
  • [2008-02-25 2:55]

Hi Janice,

Great shot of this beautiful Gannet. I,ve seen the colony myself in NZ, stunning place.
Razor sharp photo and great colors. Well done on the tight composition showing the Gannet full face, I,ve not been that good in my Gannet shot.

Best regards,

Edwin

  • Great 
  • WMcK Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 663 W: 11 N: 1718] (6837)
  • [2008-02-25 4:40]

Stunning Janice, just stunning. Not a single bit of blur from the motion on it. Love the light, colour and positioning in the frame, of this beauty. Just a perfectly timed, awesome capture. Congratulations.
Regards
Wanda

This is a great shot Janice! Something not easy to do and you realized it perfectly! Composition, exposure and details are just superb. You chose excellent shutter speed and used perfect aperture. You must have had good lightning that day to use those setups :) Congratulations!
Claudine
PS, this title is much appropriated :)

wow what a wonderful capture. Very sharp image and well detailed , I like birds Spreading the wings like this, it is really amazing.

cheers
cris(",)

Hi Janice,
Great capture, nicely frozen with good sharpness and feather details, nice colours and a good note too.
Well done
Regards Andy

light well managed, excellent sharpness, great action capture :))
regards
jo

This is the better of teh two I have seen today from you....but that is just my own personal observation....I hope folks here enjoy it as much as I do!
Bob

  • Great 
  • chrisJ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4269 W: 414 N: 6836] (42744)
  • [2008-02-26 2:15]

Hi Janice

Fantastic sharpness, dof & framing, with wonderful colour & good graphism & lighting contrasts. Tfs!

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2847 W: 263 N: 5949] (23594)
  • [2008-02-26 4:12]

The title is truly perfect, Janice!
Superb composition and outstanding capture!
I cannot say enough -- it really wows me when someone catches a bird in flight with such fine details
TFS
silke
**

Wonderful Janice. Lovely detail and good colour with the catchlight in the eye showing nicely. TFS,
David

  • Great 
  • Dawn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1134 W: 100 N: 3364] (17540)
  • [2008-02-27 23:56]
  • [+]

Fantastic shot my friend... (another honours here I am sure!) these birds are so photogenic arent they... wow.. if I could only capture a bird in flight like this I would be happy.

Excellent work Janice.

Cheers
Dawn

  • Great 
  • eosnut Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 588 W: 165 N: 1406] (10181)
  • [2008-02-29 23:09]

Hi Janice,
Just stunning, I bet you are pleased with this one...you should be.
Good note too.
Pete.

Hi Janice, Beautiful streamlined bird, well captured on the wing. This is as good as any flying compositions as regard the clarity and presentation. I've tried this on several occasions and never been 5% of this beauty. TFS. Murray.

  • Great 
  • Dingo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2743 W: 372 N: 2625] (11952)
  • [2008-03-04 12:45]

I absolutely agree with that title, Ms. nature photographer ;o). I love this extreme sharpness and the DoF that is large enough to capture the whole of the bird equally sharp. Nice work on the panning technique, Janice... my respects!
Besides all this, it's a beautiful bird as well.
TFS

  • Great 
  • Mitra Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1254 W: 75 N: 902] (7908)
  • [2008-04-13 6:30]

Perfect sharp action shot, dear Janice. Best flying bird picture. Well done.
Mitra

Oh, Janice,
Wow! What an incredible shot of this gannet in flight! Perfect composition, stunning light, and marvelous detail. To get such a clear shot of its eye and it in full flight is just awesome. Man, that is just.... shoot, awesome. :)) Fantastic shot! Many thanks,
Shelly

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