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Day 3 - The Indoor Bird
Day 3 - The Indoor Bird
MaryO


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Collection: 30 Day Where You Live Jan 2008
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon
Location: Springfield, VA
Date: Jan 3, 2008
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/320
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jan 3, 2008

Viewed: 429
Comments: 27
Favorites: 1 (view)

 This is Hildy, our Congo African Grey parrot. I would include more of her in the shot, but she got a bit stressed over decorations and company disrupting her routine over the holidays, and then one night late last week her sleeping perch fell down during the night, so, um, she got stressed and pulled most of her chest feathers back out. She had almost completely grown them back in from when we adopted her pretty bare-chested in July. So she can re-grow her feathers again, and we have fixed her perch so it can't fall down again, which should help (can you imagine how stressed you would be if you were sound asleep and your bed suddenly fell two stories? The stuff of nightmares!).

ETA: couldn't stand the blur in the first shot I posted so I replaced it.

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AuthorThread
 01/27/2008 06:07:38 AM
Beautiful! Perfect tones and composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/10/2008 05:48:06 PM
How cool!! Great shot!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/07/2008 07:14:54 PM
this shot is nothing short of spectacular, you should blow it up and frame it! gorgeous bird!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/06/2008 07:05:37 AM
I like the sharpness in this and the emphasis on the eye. The toning is great. The only little thing for me is that I find the wing in the lower-left to be a little too strong. Perhaps it could be darkened a little.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/05/2008 09:31:42 PM
Love your story and fantastic image. The colors of your bird are beautiful. You have a image worthy of hanging on your wall!!

I have a cockatiel and fully understand the stress levels they can or canot endure. They are intelligent and get bored so easy and mostly...they seem to DEMAND a routine. It's difficult, but rewarding to own a bird. Thanks for sharing please show us more images of beautiful Hildy!!

btw...my bird will pull his feathers out when I don't give him enough attention, like during the holiday time (like Hildy) or like MelonMusketeer was saying, even moving your bird will cause some distress. Finicky creatures they are!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/05/2008 12:37:01 AM
This is absolutely gorgeous. Wonderful capture with the lovely muted shades of gray. Light is perfect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/04/2008 10:00:08 PM
She is beautiful. Nice focus on her eye.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/04/2008 11:27:50 AM
There she is!! So good to see her (& you!) in another side challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/04/2008 04:57:24 AM
What a lovely portrait! I love the Greys...they are so joyously full of themselves!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/04/2008 03:18:26 AM
Hildy must be quite a character! Sounds like she has personality and is willful..
Must be kind of neat to hear her talk..
Nice DOF.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 07:48:50 PM
Love those eyes.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 05:43:33 PM
People don't understand being owned by an african grey unless they have one. I hope that you always stay on the good side of Hildy. My Sammy was a sweetheart until the first time I trimmed his wing feathers. He has never forgiven me for that, and still will bite me hard sometimes. You didn't mention that Hildy probably imitates almost any sound she hears, like the phone, microwave ect. My Sammy made a fun game of the Nextel beep when he found that we would reach for our phones when he did it.
I very much like the dark background and shallow DOF in this shot, and yes, Sammy picks his feathers out too. He is upset now because I had to move him to a small cage to bring him in from this recent cold weather.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 05:32:29 PM
Mary, Hildy is gorgeous here! This is a super image! I am not sure I could take having a bird on my head all day though I do sit with a very fat cat on my lap most of the time. Now that I've a new laptop she is quite annoyed! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 04:11:55 PM
What a pretty! Sounds like she's pretty attached to you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 01:03:20 PM
Expertise on the shot. Engaging, well lit and edited. Suite!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 12:56:05 PM
What a pretty bird! The blue tone looks great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 12:10:45 PM
Oh, I love this. The color, lighting and DOF are all great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 10:25:40 AM
lots of charcter in the eye. be sure and post a couple shots when her feathers grow back
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 10:18:47 AM
Wonderful rich tones. Very cool. I'd be tempted to 'Pimp her eye's' a little (see Tute by idnic
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 10:03:21 AM
It is a charming shot. The fade to oof is really nice and I like the hue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 09:54:28 AM
Lovely photo but you've got more patience than I do to put up with her. LOL
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 09:50:07 AM
She's so beautiful! Your commentary is hilarious - thanks for sharing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 09:19:33 AM
What an awesome shot... the detail is great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 09:00:45 AM
Really nice, Mary. I think the DOF is awesome. Great rich color too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 08:16:58 AM
So dark and mysterious, I love it! It really seems like the bird is connecting with you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 07:47:46 AM
Thanks for the story ;)

I think this is a very interesting shot, love the catchlight and overall lighting. Great!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/03/2008 07:32:51 AM
She is a beauty. I love birds, they can be very entertaining. I bet she alwyas keeps you laughing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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