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My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

There are only about 2 [large noticeable ] birds that don't leave Alberta [Northern Manitoba] in the winter. The Raven and the Whiskey Jack (Grey Jay). [To avoid be corrected over and over - I was wrong - more than 2

]

There are some that migrate south (Snowy Owls) and some that migrate north (loons), but the Ravens stay with us all winter and summer and they are really smart and precocious. That is why the First Nations peoples call them the "Trickster".

Today, the sky was flat and as a consolation prize, I took these pictures of some ravens. But Ravens are tough in the winter - black on white.

1-4 of 4

Comments and feedback are appreciated. Scott

Canon EOS R8 RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens 200mm f/8.0 1/200s 160 ISO +1.3 EV

Canon EOS R8 RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens 225mm f/8.0 1/320s 250 ISO +1.3 EV

Canon EOS R8 RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens 214mm f/8.0 1/320s 320 ISO +1.3 EV

Canon EOS R5 EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXT lens 372mm f/5.6 1/400s 800 ISO -0.3 EV

Edited on Feb 14, 2024 at 09:51 AM · View previous versions

Feb 14, 2024 at 12:31 AM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Great captures of very clever birds, and birds that crows hate because ravens will take crow chicks right of our their nests despite being mobbed by several crows.

Scott Stoness wrote:
There are only about 2 birds that don't leave Alberta in the winter. The Raven and the Whiskey Jack (Grey Jay).

I would have thought that number would be closer to 50:

https://inaturalist.ca/guides/14810?view=grid.

Tony

Feb 14, 2024 at 01:03 AM

douter
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

A mighty fine set, Scott!
Douglas

Feb 14, 2024 at 07:32 AM

morris
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Superb detail in on the tricky to expose subjects Scott.

Morris

Feb 14, 2024 at 08:03 AM

n.v.m.
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Scott Stoness wrote:
There are only about 2 birds that don't leave Alberta in the winter. The Raven and the Whiskey Jack (Grey Jay).

Comments and feedback are appreciated. Scott

2? i find that hard to believe.

Feb 14, 2024 at 08:14 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Imagemaster wrote:
Great captures of very clever birds, and birds that crows hate because ravens will take crow chicks right of our their nests despite being mobbed by several crows.

I would have thought that number would be closer to 50:

https://inaturalist.ca/guides/14810?view=grid.

Tony

Thanks Tony. I grew up in just short of the tree line in Northern Manitoba and I did not see any of these birds on the list in the winter on my trapline at -45c. But you are right, they are here in Southern Canada in the winter, with many of them being migratory.

Glad you keep me honest and you like the captures of my non rare common ravens.

Thanks for the feedback. Scott

------------------------------

In my failed defence:

Perhaps up to 8 in northern Manitoba that stayed all year and did not migrate.

From bird advisor - There are some birds that stay all year in Manitoba but many migrate in or out in the spring and fall. These lists give you the most common birds recorded in checklists by bird watchers in summer or winter on ebird.

Winter Birds Manitoba: from Bird

Black-capped Chickadee 62.83% ? maybe
White-breasted Nuthatch 38.57% ? - don't think so
Common Raven 35.66% yes
Blue Jay 33.80% yes
Downy Woodpecker 32.03% [Not where I lived]
Hairy Woodpecker 31.64% [Not where I lived]
House Sparrow 30.20% [Not where I lived]
Common Redpoll 26.49% [Not where I lived]
Black-billed Magpie 19.84% [Don't think so]
Pine Grosbeak 15.55% [Don't think so]
American Crow 14.35% [Not where I lived]
Red-breasted Nuthatch 11.21% [Not where I lived]
Rock Pigeon 10.19%. [Not where I lived]
House Finch 8.06% [Not where I lived]
Snow Bunting 7.84% [maybe]
Ptarmigan [Yes - where I lived]

Edited on Feb 14, 2024 at 10:09 AM · View previous versions

Feb 14, 2024 at 09:44 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

douter: Glad you like the set. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

morris: Glad you like the detail in the ravens. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

n.v.m.: Yup. I was wrong. When I think of Ravens, I always transport myself back to Northern Manitoba on my trapline because the Ravens and the Whiskey Jack's (and Ptarmigans too -so I was wrong there too) were my only companions I remember. Thanks for keeping me honest. Much appreciated. Scott

Feb 14, 2024 at 09:49 AM

OwlsEyes
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

I share your admiration of ravens. While they are often considered nuisance birds, they are so very important to the recycling of nutrients in the environment. Furthermore, they are a nature photographer's friend as they happily point out the location of wolves, coyotes, and owls.
I love how you processed this image. In the last two years I've been obsessed with strong contrasting tones in nature, and your choices in composition and post-processing amplify the the animal's form against its stark landscape.

cheers,
bruce

Feb 14, 2024 at 09:57 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

OwlsEyes wrote:
I share your admiration of ravens. While they are often considered nuisance birds, they are so very important to the recycling of nutrients in the environment. Furthermore, they are a nature photographer's friend as they happily point out the location of wolves, coyotes, and owls.
I love how you processed this image. In the last two years I've been obsessed with strong contrasting tones in nature, and your choices in composition and post-processing amplify the the animal's form against its stark landscape.

cheers,
bruce

Ravens are special. Smart, tough, good with the cold, very social and communicative and family orientated. And as you say they are recyclers and are a great indicator of dead animals (and a nuisance on my old teenager trapline).

Glad you like the processing and composition - I was thinking of making them even more high key.

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

Feb 14, 2024 at 10:12 AM

OwlsEyes
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Scott Stoness wrote:
Ravens are special. Smart, tough, good with the cold, very social and communicative and family orientated. And as you say they are recyclers and are a great indicator of dead animals (and a nuisance on my old teenager trapline).

Glad you like the processing and composition - I was thinking of making them even more high key.

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

Scott... like I said, I love work like this and find myself looking for ways to do more of it. You might enjoy my post from Japan on the nature board. Specifically, the red-crowned crane images embrace this purposeful attempt to contrast elements of the subject from the environment.
cheers,
bruce

Feb 14, 2024 at 11:26 AM

dr4tone
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Sensational work. Enjoyed these images very much.

Feb 14, 2024 at 01:27 PM

surgemaster
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Job well done, Scott. Lovely images.
Rex

Feb 14, 2024 at 03:15 PM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

OwlsEyes wrote:
Scott... like I said, I love work like this and find myself looking for ways to do more of it. You might enjoy my post from Japan on the nature board. Specifically, the red-crowned crane images embrace this purposeful attempt to contrast elements of the subject from the environment.
cheers,
bruce

Thanks Bruce - I just looked and they were very nice pictures of red-crowned crane. I see the similarity. Thanks Scott

Feb 14, 2024 at 05:49 PM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

dr4tone: Glad you enjoyed the images. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

surgemaster: Glad you like the raven images. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott

Feb 14, 2024 at 05:51 PM

CW100
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

they look like big crows

Feb 15, 2024 at 03:26 PM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

CW100 wrote:
they look like big crows

Not this time

Crowes flock off for the winter (migrate). Maybe crows are smarter

Feb 15, 2024 at 08:00 PM

Phil Seu
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

These are really good and also different.

Phil

Feb 15, 2024 at 08:13 PM

Jim Dockery
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Excellent shots. Almost B&W anyway I would try converting some. I actually thought the first had been until closer examination.

Feb 15, 2024 at 08:18 PM

deke4774
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

Great images of one of my favorite birds.
They are amazingly intelligent, as are most of the corvid family; however, they are at the top.

I think a B&W version would work really well.
Thanks for sharing,

Derek

Feb 17, 2024 at 08:33 AM

bs kite
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · My Favourite Bird - The Raven

I am also impressed with your excellent post processing that Bruce mentions.

I share the same love for Ravens.

Robert

Feb 17, 2024 at 09:56 AM

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