Most species seen during the month
Le maximum d’observations pour le mois
Real Ste-Marie - 77 species / éspeces
Other notable lists submitted were :
Sebastien Rioux - 59
Darlene Harvey - 48
Jean-Francois Rousseau - 47
Richard Gregson - 37
Eve Marshall - 32
Sheila Arthur - 16
AND, an anonymous birder who is not enetering the January contest but who had 74
Photo of the month - photo du mois
Submitted by Chuck Kling
The judges' comments on Chuck's photograph, shown below, were :
One of the reasons that this photograph captured my attention is because it is not just a photograph of a bird but it is also a portrait. And every good portrait is a study in character - Yosef Karsh, anyone?
The photograph is also very strong as a study in composition, from the light edges to the dark centre, we are drawn to the eyes, They are hooded, pupils staring. And are not the eyes the gateway to the soul?
A very good use of dark and light to create lines of direction that lead us to those eyes. Depth of field is well used. The background of bark and leaves suggests itself but does not distract from the main focus of our attention.
Every good portrait photographer will tell you that all attention must be drawn to the eyes
The photograph is also to be commended because it transcends it’s gendre, Bird Photography. It is not just a well made photograph of a bird. It is more than that. It wanders into the real of art. When you first see it, you want to linger, to look, to see. The owl (that is an owl?? Right) becomes something more than just an owl. Every good art photograph strives to take you to another level, see and feel something more than just what is in front of you. This photograph does it very well. It becomes a study, an art photograph.
From the technical point of view, the photograph is very well made. Everything that needs to be in focus is in focus. The details are clear and very well rendered, you can count the “whiskers” under the eyes. A very good photograph!