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Thread: Ground Hornbill

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Default Ground Hornbill

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    These large birds scavenge across the bush and will eat anything from frogs, lizards, smaller snakes, and Ive seen one eat a tortoise. They will also break open elephant dung looking for bugs. They dont have long legs like a stork, as can be seen in the next pane. Taken in the Kruger National Park last year Oct. Overcast conditions

    Canon 50D
    100-400 @ 400mm
    1/500
    F/5.6
    ISO 640

    Exp Comp +0.33
    Hand held from inside the car.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Here is an image showing their height.

  3. #3
    Ken Watkins
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    Stuart,

    Truly wonderful, amazing detail in what looks to me like perfect light (i.e. no glare from the lighter parts of the bill) A bird of tremendous character.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Stuart:

    The soft light really helped with rich colors and no shadows from the eye lashes!
    Great eye contact. Wish the nictitating membrane was fully open.

    Sharp, well exposed.

    Is there any sexual dimorphism in this species?

    Cheers

    Randy
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    This is a great portrait of the Ground Hornbill. You captured tremendous detail and color and made a "not so pretty" bird dramatic and eye-catching!

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    I bet these bird a real fun to watch foraging about the bush. They look like characters. The eyelashes really grab my attention. I can see them in the second photo doing their job of protecting the eye while the bird does its job. The bill looks like it had some serious use.

    The soft light has given this photo a lovely smooth feel.

  7. #7
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Stout View Post
    Stuart:



    Is there any sexual dimorphism in this species?
    Thanks Randy. The female has a blue patch on her throat. Unfortunately, I dont have an image to show.

    Ken, Nancy, Chris, thanks for your feedback too.

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    Beautiful portrait with amazing detail - you definitely chose the right lighting conditions for this shot. Even at 400mm you must have been very close.

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    Very nice Stuart. An image like this really brings out the character in a species that may not otherwise be appreciated. Not only a great image but a good demonstration of the ability of that lens!

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    Great image Stuart! I like the sharpness and detail.

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    Tack sharp & great colours. Well done Stu!

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    Thats another cool portrait of this beauty Bhai... loved the details and those eye lashes look cool...

  13. #13
    Roman Kurywczak
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    Just a super portrait of this species Stuart! Great job!!!

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    This portrait blows me away. The clarity and the stupendous character. Really a stunner. Great example of how overcast conditions can be great for bird photography.

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    BPN Viewer Pieter de Waal's Avatar
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    Hi Stuart , excellent detail and colour rendition, your exposure was perfect. Don't know how you got this guy to stand still, they allways seem to be on the move with me.

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    Beautiful shot Stuart. I especially like the red details you captured around the eye and the black feathers look great.

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    superb close up and lovely details displayed . The red skin on the throat looks like a leather boxing glove.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Thank you all so much for the kind words and feedback.

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    I'm wondering why you reported the "overcast conditions." Was it to say that the lighting was optimal for what you were trying to achieve? Because that's obviously the case. In so many of your and the other South Africans' shots, I see a battle with the bright sun. But not here. You used the lighting to record nearly perfectly the texture of the hornbill's head--especially the bill.

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