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Extraordinary Beggar


Extraordinary Beggar
Photo Information
Copyright: Loot Eksteen (loot) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-10-16
Categories: Birds, Bushveld
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 HZ DG Macro, Digital ISO 100, UV 62mm Kenko
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Kruger National Park - 2006
Theme(s): _Fotos adicionadas por 5 ou mais membros, Birds of South Africa 1, Birds / Aves, Birds of Africa, !Loodzwaar, 5 favs. and up - PART 3, A study in Ornithology (birds) 1, 90-99 Puntos (chapter 1), Kruger National Park 1, sunbath, Nature's cutest [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-21 12:00
Viewed: 9056
Favorites: 5 [view]
Points: 99
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Grey Lourie - Corythaixoides concolor
Also known as the "Grey Go-away Bird".

One afternoon, during my recent visit to the Kruger Park, I was sitting on the cool veranda of our Satara bungalow to try and escape the extreme mid-day heat. The area in front of the bungalow were scattered with large shade trees. The serene and tranquil scene was augmented by the beautiful calls and sounds of the abundant birdlife. Lining the trees were yellow-billed hornbills, glossy starlings, buffalo weavers, blackeyed bulbuls, laughing doves, turtle doves, sparrows, and crested barbets. Closeby a little tree squirrel lay stretched out on the wall of the veranda, scrutinising every move I made.

Some birds were sitting on the ground right in front of the veranda and one brave glossy starling came and sat on the table right next to me. Shamelessly it started to beg for a morsel of food and I just could not resist those big yellow eyes staring at me pleadingly. I asked my wife to give me some whole-wheat bread which I broke up into small pieces and I started to feed the birds on the ground, but as quick as I could say, “Pink Hot Dog” the feeding frenzy began. The birds flocked down in such great numbers that it actually took me by surprise as I could not understand where so many birds came from so suddenly.

Soon it developed into a little game. I started to throw bigger pieces of bread at specific birds and watched how they would either catch it in mid-flight or how they would watch with sheepish bewilderment when some other bird snatched the piece of bread from right in front of their faces.

Amazingly, as fast as the feeding frenzy began, it stopped again and most of the birds departed while only a couple of die-hards remained to solicit more bread from me. That was when I noticed this Grey Go-away bird for the first time. It looked like it remained on the perimeter of all this activities and was patiently waiting for its turn to be fed. It approached me with a confident stride and stopped ±3m away from me. Then it stepped forward with its one leg while the other leg was stretched out backwards and it made a deep bow (anyway, that’s what it looked like to me) similar to what you would perform in front of a king.

Obviously (at this point) it had my complete attention (and that of my camera lens) as I could not believe my eyes. Its behaviour astounded me even more when this bird dropped down on to the ground, opened its wings, and spread its tail until it was totally flat on the ground. It was lying there while watching me with those big black eyes and I really did not know what to make of it at all. Later it stood up, came even closer, and gracefully accepted some bread I offered.

Apparently some birds lie down on the ground for dusting, anting, or sunning purposes, all in the interest of keeping its feathers healthy. Care of feathers is a top priority for all birds, as dependable flight is a matter of survival. More about this with my next post.

Post Processing was done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0.
dew77, pvs, horia, hester, RAP, pari_ali, Juyona, Signal-Womb, Janice, coasties, njmv79, Nephrotome2, sandpiper2, badar, scottevers7, keanhoon, Leace, greenpinkorange, valy67, jmp, manyee, jeanpaul, SkyF, FeatherBirdLady, PDP, pauljk, viv, uleko, peter_stoeckl, TAZ, marhowie, thistle, Dyker, Zeno, SelenE, Miss_Piggy, Debz, vmukherjee, Rehanna, betsie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To flagman: Hmm...loot 1 01-12 11:50
To PDP: Odd it isloot 4 11-27 08:02
To snowfalken: Changed customsloot 6 11-25 20:03
To jmp: Pavlovian conditioningloot 1 11-23 16:09
To greenpinkorange: Cracking uploot 1 11-23 16:01
To scottevers7: Fortunate timingloot 1 11-23 15:56
To sandpiper2: Setting the sceneloot 1 11-23 15:52
To claudine: Paradise for wild life watchersloot 1 11-23 15:50
To horia: Thanks 2 uloot 1 11-23 15:43
To Janice: Show offloot 2 11-22 00:33
To Evelynn: Curiosityloot 1 11-21 22:48
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2006-11-21 12:15]

Hello Loot,
Excellent note and capture.I liked POV,pose of bird,clear details,eye contact,framing and composition a lot.
TFS...:-)

Hi Loot,
Amazing shot.
And funny.
Well done...
No TOS problems too;-)
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2006-11-21 13:07]

Hi Loot,

A nice picture accompagnied by a funny note,well captured in indeed a total different pose,I like it,

Regards,
Paul

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2006-11-21 14:06]
  • [+]

Hi Loot

WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE CAPTURE!!!
The story you tell is indeed a very beautiful and interesting one - just like the behavior of this amazing bird.
The fact that you could get so close is also amazing, but that you actually got an impecable frame of this phenomenon...that all your merit! My hat's off to you!
Excellent POV, very nice sharp details, perfect fill-in work with the flash, lovely natural colors and a magical composition.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-11-21 14:18]

Hi Loot

Wonderful behaviour caprured here. I loved the story behind it. The bird was obviously awed in your presence. Wonderful POV and composition

TFS

Karan

  • Great 
  • odin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 177 W: 1 N: 209] (1169)
  • [2006-11-21 14:38]

very clear, sharps and good sand bath! This birds was like you it try to cool down, But each one had it own technic!
Sébastien

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-11-21 14:42]

Otra interesante presentación querido amigo con inusual captura por la postura del ave, muy bien retratada.
A pesar de la dificultad por el fondo obligatorio, la agudeza y colorido son realmente muy buenos, con apropiado encuadre ligeramente descentrado y una correcta iluminación para mostrar esta insólita escena.
La nota, detallada y completa, como de costumbre.
Mis mejores deseos... Ricardo

Another interesting presentation dear friend with unusual capture for the posture of the bird, very well depicted.
In spite of the difficulty for the obligatory bottom, the sharpness and coloring are really very good, with appropriate lightly uncentered alignment and a correct illumination to show this uncommon scene.
The notes, detailed and completes, as usual.
My best desires... Ricardo

wow love this picture I have heard the 'go away bird' never managed to see it though... I like the way you have shot it in all its glory, each shade and sheen captured. Lovely delicate colouring.
Regards
Pari

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2006-11-21 16:22]

Hola Loot, interesante captura y muy original, buenos detalles y encuadre excelente, saludos Victor

Brilliant capture indeed Loot, never seen the like of this! Good use of fill flash to soften the shadows and nice details seen here in the plumage. Point of focus is excellent covering the span of the wings, very well done.

I've never seen a pose like that before. Nice capture. Are these birds usually so bold...hence the name?
This is a well executed photo.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2006-11-21 21:29]
  • [+]

Hi Loot, we see sparrows have dust baths here, but this one was showing off for you I think - payment for the food! Beautifully spread out there on the dirt, like a ballerina.
And such a well told and interesting story too go with it. TFS
Janice

Hi Loot

Ha, ha... what a great pose! The note is fantastic.... a great read indeed. Love the shot! TFS.

Hello Loot,
amazing pose of your 'go away'!
I love Kruger, I've been twice and hope to come back soon.

Andrea

Hello Loot,
What a great story that goes with an amazing picture! It is the first time I see this specie of bird. It is a very interesting behavior. You caught EXCELLENT details on this beauty in an amazing POV and composition. I think that this bird is really nice and I really enjoyed reading your note. Kruger seems to be the paradise for wild life watchers… This is a very good post. Thanks,
Claudine

Hello Loot,
This is a very good shot, excellent detail and light, Great capture! Nice color and detail,
You've captured it with sharp details and good exposure and excellent composition. Well-done!
TFS,
Nelson

This pose is most probably the sunning purpose (one among those you mentioned)
Very nice capture.
TFS

Great story Loot, sets the scene very nicely for this extraordinary shot.
Although I've seen dusting birds before, this one is superbly captured by your rapidly evolving expertise.
Good use of the flash too.

Hi Loot,

A very nice shot of a beautiful bird. The flat pose is very funny. I also like the composition, the colors and the details in the plumage. Very well done! I'm looking forward to your next post!

Regards,
Eddie

Hi Loot
Congratulations, excellent capture of this bird, is a beautifull shot. All good.
Regards
Jorge

  • Great 
  • badar Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 0 N: 160] (785)
  • [2006-11-22 8:02]

Lovely behaviour & a informative note to go with it.
TFS
Badruddin Ali

Hi Loot,
Perfect timing. Being in the right spot at the right time also helps. Your fill flash exposure really did a great job balancing out the light. Great colors and tones across the entire range here. Nice sharp detail with DOF sufficent to keep it all tack sharp. The pose is superb. Very well done my friend!
Scott

Hi Loot,
Great experience. You notes reminded me on the famous wizardry movie. :-)
TFS
Regards,
Ken

Hi Loot,
that's marvelous, I've never seen such a wonderful bird, and also never in such a pose!
I love it and enjoy looking very much, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

I have never seen a bird act like this before! What a fantastic moment and pose from a bird! Haha! This cracked me up so much! Seems like it has a smile on its face! haha! Very good sharpness on its feathers! GOod to see nice details.
Natural throughout. Very good.
Steph

bonjour loot
je suppose que c'est l'heure de la toilette,j'aime beaucoup la position qu' a cet oiseau.
netteté et details impeccables.
laurent

Hello Loot !
Great picture but also great note, I loved your little story about birds. The pose of this one is really strange, I had never seen anything like this before. But it is beautiful. The details, colors, composition and POV are perfect, and the sand makes a beautiful BG on which the bird stqands out very nicely. Very well done !
valerie.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2006-11-23 15:13]
  • [+]

Hi Loot,
Incredible history told with the photo and with words in the same quality grade. It seems to me that Pavlovian conditioning has converted the original behaviour into this new one.
A wonderful post as usual coming from you!
Best regards,
José M.
PS. I'm looking foward to seeing and reading next chapter.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-11-23 15:55]

Hello Loot,
Greetings from Southern California!
My family and I came down for the Thanksgiving holiday and we got a chance to go to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Not quite Kruger Park, but we had an exciting time anyway. Taking pictures of animals in controlled situations has its own challenges, and I did not get that many good ones, but will post some when I get home.
Your bird is amazing. What a total ham! I have never seen nor heard of such behaviour.
You captured this extraordinary pose with a great POV and excellent light. The details are sharp and the expression on the bird is priceless.
I really enjoyed this post and am looking forward to learn more about and from your fantastic safari.
TFS and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your lovely family.

Bonjour Loot
Cette prise de vue est vraiment très spéciale avec la posture de cet oiseau.C"est la première fois que je vois un oiseau installé de cette manière.Félicitation pour cette belle présentation.
Merci et au revoir...JP

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 955 W: 0 N: 89] (7805)
  • [2006-11-23 16:51]

Hi Loot
Looks like he giving you a pose :) Good shot. Good colours, sharpnes, light, details and DOF. Also good note.
Well done mf

osse

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1457 W: 0 N: 1176] (6526)
  • [2006-11-23 19:22]

Hi Loot,
Amazing capture of this beautiful bird with funny pose, very interesting story.
Thanks for sharing my friend!
Chi

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2006-11-24 17:38]

Hi Loot,
now this is quite an interesting pose, but your note explains it very well. I guess this bird knows how it gets attention and the biggest piece of hand off. Great shot, excellent POV and details.
Sky

Magnificent modification of normal "anting" behavior. . .the idea of getting free food must be a "turn on" for this bird. I love Gray Go-Away Birds! :)

  •      
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2006-11-26 16:12]
  • [+]

Hi Loot, Interesting shot. Am I the only one here that thinks this photo looks a little odd? The entire bird is in the DOF and yet all the BG/mud isn't? I can't see the kind of boundary between feathers and earth that I would expect - The fore feathers on the bird's right wing have been altered/ are missing. It looks superimposed. Can you tell me what PP you have done here?

Hi Loot,
Long time between posts/critiques at my end! This is a cracker, just love the pose, looks knackered after running a marathon in the heat. Good clean composition with excellent use of fill flash.
Cheers
Paul

  • Great 
  • viv Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 292 W: 3 N: 653] (3317)
  • [2006-11-27 5:45]

Hi Loot,
Great shot, very special composition of this louri.
Amazing how they spread out their wings.
I like it lot.
TFS
Vivian

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2006-11-27 15:03]

Hello Loot,
I love your story, it sounds like paradise where you are! Interesting behaviour of this beautiful bird and you've caught the amazing spread of wings so beautifully - great focus and lovely colours. A real winner!
Thanks and regards, Ulla

Hello Loot,
a most unusual pose very well captured,
and very well told notes my friend.
You have made me very curious to see your next posting as well.
Thank you!
Best regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-12-01 1:22]

Hello Loot,
Great shot for a great pose. I also suppose that it was for cleaning, here I saw some Blackbird doing the same. Good sharpness and exposure with the fill-in flash. Interesting note...
Well seen and well done my friend.

Hello Loot.
I just dropped by to wish you & your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season.
And I really like this capture mf..
Very cool :)
Howard

Hello Loot,
I took a look at your gallery and this one catched my attention most. I really like the pose and overall look of the bird. The light and colours work perfectly creating an image lovely to look at.
Now ... the blur BG ... ;-)
I don't want to go back to our discussion (if you remember it) but this is the only think that spoils this image for me.I understand Paul because if you take a closer look it really is odd.
Anyway, apart from that I really like the picture! I like the story too.
VERY WELL DONE!

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2006-12-29 6:43]

Bonjour Loot!

Je suis un peu absent en se momment sur TN car,le soleil n'est jamais au rendez-vour ici au Quebec. J'aime bien capturer les oiseaux donc, pas de soleil pas de photos pour moi.
Votre prise est très intéréssante et amusante à la foi. J'aime bien l'éclairage et l'éclat sur le plumage de l'oiseau ceci est trrès joli.
Merci pour le commantaire et Bonne année à vous et vos proche.
Joseph

What a nice pose!
I like this capture, very nice colours and natural sharp details on its feathers, it looks as it was posing for you.
Great note too, TFS and happy new year.

An excellent note. The subject matter is charming but the photo has some strange qualities to it. The bird is quite sharp yet the surrounding ground is anything but. The light also looks strange/unnatural. I think this can be attributed to the fill in flash which hardly seems necessary on a sunny day.

Witaj Loot!
Przeczytalam z wielkom zaciekawieniem Twoje notatki o ptaku, ktory w moim jezyku nosi nazwe "HALASNIK SZARY". Fotka jest ostra i widac dokladnie szczegoly, a sylwetka ptaka dobrze kontrastuje z tlem. Wogole masz bardzo piekna galerie. Ciekawie opisana. Przydatna jest tez Twoja strona o Tobie i sprzecie. Dziekuje za Twoje staranne budowanie galerii.
Gratuluje i pozdrawiam - Roma

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 483 W: 0 N: 1345] (10867)
  • [2007-03-05 12:30]

Hi Loot,

This is an extraordinary shot of the grey lourie. I've seen this bird a lot when I visited Kruger in 2001 but never in this relaxed position.
TFS.

regards,
Zeno.

Fascinating shot of this wonderful Grey Lourie. Just really beautiful. This bird makes the most unusual of calls. It's really quite amazing to hear.

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 505 W: 0 N: 847] (3307)
  • [2008-04-15 2:03]

What a fantastic shot Loot and an amazing pose from this very attractive Grey Lourie! It certainly got your attention, it must be one of the most unusual photos I have ever seen. You captured it very well with a perfect pov, great focus and fine detail. It's a stunner. Great not too.
tfs
debz

  • Great 
  • buff (26)
  • [2009-01-12 10:57]

Hi Paul

Great shot, not every day they pose like that for the camera. Think this one whches too much dstv.

Cheers
Juan

Excellent and unique shot. The bird looks kind of funy in this pose. Your low pov makes this position stand out even more. Good composition too. Thanks for sharing.

Dear Loot
You really are a genius with a camera. This posting proofs once again that you are indeed a very talented photographer. What a striking bird in just as striking "begging" pose. Only one word can describe the detail captured here and that is breathtaking. Sharpness, composition and point of view are just a view of the many favourable features I want to point out. Just love the shine on the edges of the wings closest to the bottom frame and the pencil shaped charcaol beak. Everything is just perfect just as I could remember the day this manner of the bird occured. Thanks for sharing. Love.
Anna

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