Superb starling

Gallery: AvianPosted September 14, 20121,220 views29 comments

There is a huge number of starlings in East Africa, which includes Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. To navigate through this sea of bewilderness, it is easier if one groups them depending on their glossiness, or bi-colour, or wing colour, and so on. The superb starling can be grouped under the 'rufous-bellied starlings'. Among these starlings, the superb starling is the only one with creamy-white eyes, and a narrow white breast band.
The specimen shown here has nesting material in its beak. I took a number of images, but only a very few showed the unobstructed eye.
Species: Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
Date: May, 2012
Equip: Canon 5D Mlll, Canon 500 f4 lens
Specs: ISO 320, f5.0, 1/100s, beanbag on vehicle.

Thank you for taking the time out to look, and for your comments/critiques.

Comments

29 comments

Comment posted by Basri Akcasoy on September 14, 2012 at 9:30 AM

As you said, this bird is very common in East Africa like Kenya, Tanzania and they are not so shy.
there are planty of Superb Starling Photos but yours one of the best I've ever seen. Excellent detail and nice simple composition.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Registered on February 16, 2012, 118 Posts, 767 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on September 14, 2012 at 9:42 AM

Showing the detail in his/her feathers, the clear view of the eye and the nesting materials presents this beautifully. Gorgeous colors which are emphasized by the white feathers in his beak.

Love it!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on September 14, 2012 at 9:55 AM

Oh my! This is a stunning capture. Love the pose to enable us to see that beautiful back. Perfect head turn and the nesting material puts it over the top.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 14, 2012 at 10:41 AM

Sweet shot Ajit. Love the nesting material and simple comp

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on September 14, 2012 at 10:51 AM

Really nice ...great color and detail and nest material is a huge plus! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Joel DeYoung on September 14, 2012 at 11:21 AM

A superb shot of this Superb starling. Love the nesting in it's beak and that crazy cool white eyes. Well done.

Registered on July 12, 2009, 92 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on September 14, 2012 at 11:32 AM

Too good !!!
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on September 14, 2012 at 12:15 PM

Awesome color combination in this comp; striking eye too.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Ethan Meleg on September 14, 2012 at 1:03 PM

A superb photo of a Superb Starling! The combination of the over-the-shoulder pose with the nesting material in the beak, makes this a very strong image. I love it!

Registered on October 4, 2009, 2 Posts, 20 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on September 14, 2012 at 3:48 PM

Stu ning bird, even if common - great pose, bright eye, and the nesting material is marvelous.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on September 14, 2012 at 3:52 PM

WOW, and thats it!!!

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on September 15, 2012 at 7:03 AM

Wow!!! Sure is a beauty, quite different than the starlings here in the U.S. Great pose and detail, the nesting material is a great bonus.

Sweet One Ajit

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 15, 2012 at 5:23 PM

Terrific photo, Ajit. Wonderful colors. Great background. Lovely pose.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 15, 2012 at 8:08 PM

Excellent, Ajit. Great detail and a perfect look at the eye. The nesting material is a nice bonus.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Andrey Antov on September 15, 2012 at 10:57 PM

I love the contrast between the white and the deep blue. A very unique shot.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 292 Posts, 341 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on September 16, 2012 at 5:52 AM

Great shot Ajit - love the feather(?) but you can still see the eye

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on September 17, 2012 at 2:37 PM

Hello Ajit, what an amazing shot. The colors are just fantastic, the way the eye matched the nesting material. Love everything about this image

, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Bunn Martin on September 17, 2012 at 7:28 PM

Wow !! Fantastic image.

Registered on September 17, 2011, 38 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Venugopal Thantry on September 18, 2012 at 5:32 AM

Wow!!!....This is the only comment I can make.

Registered on May 12, 2011, 33 Posts, 144 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on September 18, 2012 at 5:59 AM

Excellent!!

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on September 18, 2012 at 10:46 PM

Beautiful Bird and expertly photographed, Well Done . . .

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Robbie Knight on September 21, 2012 at 8:53 AM

love the feet, eye, down material and color contrast -- thanks for sharing.
Robbie

Registered on April 10, 2010, 30 Posts, 135 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on September 22, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Congrats on the well-deserved WP - couldn't be better!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on September 22, 2012 at 9:15 PM

Thanks, everyone, for taking a liking to this image. I feel more than a little embarrassed because I don't usually post in this gallery, and, consequently, don't comment on others' images very often; so, to have so many of you taking the time out to not only look, but to also critique it, means a lot to me! Thank you, all, once again.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Kathy Barnhart on September 24, 2012 at 6:39 PM

Fantastic shot and capture. Just so unique and clear, with gorgeous colors and detail.

Registered on November 11, 2011, 404 Posts, 1639 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on September 25, 2012 at 11:31 PM

Wonderful moment captured! Look at all that detail, wow! Congrats on the WP!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on September 26, 2012 at 2:29 AM

Ajit,

Whilst there may be plenty of these around I have found that getting a decent image is nearly impossible. This is truly SUPERB!