Kit & Herman Year 2

[wilddog]

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

@Dave Williams thought the uploads of any image is adjusted accordingly when it's uploaded so that the size won't bust the limit of 511mb on ST. 

@Kitsafari It does; the cuckoo image once attached in the thread is 217.8 kb, so well within the limit. 

Edited April 17, 2019 by wilddog

[Dave Williams]

@wilddogShame you can't automatically resize them too.... or can you?

[wilddog]

No. I can just check what the software has done when an image is added as an attachment and the post has been created.

 

Not a routine thing... But Kit was unsure. 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2019 by wilddog

[Kitsafari]

@wilddog Thanks for confirming that!

 

the odd thing is that while the entire photo can't be seen on the PC (at least on mine), I can view the entire photo on  my mobile and you know how small the screen is on the mobile!

@Dave WilliamsI shall endeavour to resize the photos for the next few installments to see if there's any difference.

 

Just updating this to confirm that I was able to resize the photos all in one go via microsoft  office picture manager. I'll continue the count with one post to see if the photo's resizing works. Dave, please let me know if it works for your viewing. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

47/SG47: Lesser Coucal, Lorong Halus

 

We were trying to catch the chestnut winged cuckoo when a pair of lesser coucals popped up. Just as good since it goes to the count! Smaller in size than the greater coucal, the less coucal prefers the grassland to the greater coucal's forested areas. it is non-parasitic and is naturally distributed and breeds in India, CHina and Southeast Asia. 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

48/SG48: Red-legged Crake, Kranji Marsh/Venus Drive

 

This is a winter visitor which has become a resident breeder as well. It's almost identical to the Ruddy-breasted Crake except that it has black and white bars across its bell. Found in the Southeast Asian region. 

 

Resized: 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

@Dave Williams 

The resizing to 1024x800 has a slight negative effect on the image but the effect (less sharp) is rather marginal especially since ST automatically reduces the size of the original photo.

 

Also, even though I resized the red-legged crake photo to your suggested size, the image still remains large. not sure how to adjust it so you can see it in its entirety.

 

Do others have a problem seeing the image whole on one page? 

[Kitsafari]

continuing the crakes....

 

49/SG49: Baillon's Crake, Lorong Halus

 

A rare winter visitor to Singapore, which meant its presence brought out many of the local birders/photographers. Distribution is in northern Asia, Australasia, Europe and Africa. It has bluish-grey underparts with a brownish top. Its yellow bill is the distinctive feature that sets it apart from  the slaty-breasted rail. a rather shy bird. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

50/SG50: White-browed Crake, Kranji Marsh

 

another very shy and rare crake that's hardly sighted in Singapore. it is a resident breeder here, and its white brows and white eye shadows define it. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

51/SG51: Ruddy-breasted Crake, Lorong Halus

 

A winter visitor that has also become a resident breeder in Singapore. Its distinctive features are a reddish plumage with no bars and red legs. 

 

[Kitsafari]

52/SG52:  White-breasted Waterhen, Chinese Gardens/Sungei Buloh wetlands reserve

 

Since the white-breasted waterhen is part of the rail family, I'll put it in here. A very common bird in most of our parks which has become very habituated to humans such that one is often running around our feet when we are seated at Sungei Buloh's old lobby.  it is a winter visitor but it seems to have taken up permanent residency here and breeds very well here. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

53/SG53: Oriental Dollarbird

 

The only species of roller that we have here, we have yet to see it roll! it's seen frequently everywhere in Singapore, liking high perches on bare twigs, which makes it easier to spot. in the right light, its greenish blueish body is seen clearer but against the sunlight, it always appears dark and black. Its reddish pink bill also makes it stand out. It is distributed in East Asia, SOutheast Asia and Australia. 

 

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

The resizing to 1024x800 has a slight negative effect on the image but the effect (less sharp) is rather marginal especially since ST automatically reduces the size of the original photo.

 

ST software does 2 actions:

 

1. resizing - every photo larger then 1250 pix long end is resized to this limit

2. compressing - each photo irrelevant of its posted size is compressed

 

Both actiuons tooks away some of the contrast/sharpness. Of course the 6000 x 4000 image, resized to 1250 x ???? and later compressed will retain more data/IQ then a 1000 x 666 image compressed. As you have mentioned, IQ differences are only subtle, and they do vary between different monitors we are using.

 

The size (resolution) of the monitor (laptop, tablet, phone) determines if we can see the whole photo or we need to scroll. On my (large) monitor your photos are OK.

 

 

[Galana]

I don't understand any of the techy stuff so take this for what its worth.

Pre change the photos 'just' fit my monitor on my desk. I don't have such things as apps, 'smart' phones etc., 

Post change some images are smaller, let's say compact. I see little or no difference in quality but then I never do as mine are always rubbish and some like Peter's look nicer!! I put that down to the camera and not the processing.

Post change whether by coincidence or not I see Landscapes are a nicer fit and portraits about the same as before with the biggest portrait being the resized #48 Red-legged Crake and other crakes and the Dollar bird a more useful and slightly smaller fit. My only question is "Does it really matter or are we all up for an entry in some other competition?"

I don't know whether or not my 'data' is readable or folks see my attempts at any size. Being a simple chap all I do with something headed for BY is crop off the waste and then export at 800pixels.  I do envy some of the wonderful images others post but keep my feet on the ground.    To paraphrase Sam on Casablanca "You must remember this, A kiss is just a kiss and a tick is just a tick as time goes by! "

 

All this rambling on somebody else's post almost got me to forget my manners and thank Mr and Mrs @Kitsafari for some more wonderful images of birds and accompanying legends.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Galana
Additional updated comment.

[michael-ibk]

13 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

Do others have a problem seeing the image whole on one page? 

 

No, all fine for me.

[pedro maia]

No problems for me.

[Dave Williams]

Must be me then, the landscape shaped shots are fine but portrait ones show only around 2/3 of the shot. The White-browed Crake for example...I can see the bird but none of the reflection until I scroll down. Not a big issue that's worth creating a problem for you, but just a little frustrating for me if I want to admire the whole shot!

Rails and Crakes are my favourite birds, probably because they are a bit a challenge to see and capture. You have an enviable haul!

[Kitsafari]

Thanks everyone! and I hope everyone is having a super Easter weekend.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

54/SG54: Ashy Drongo, Changi Business Park

There are four species of drongos that are usually sighted in our little island, and the ashy drongo (grey morph) is the rarest one of all. So its presence along a canal behind a bus terminal drew a crowd as photographers braved a resident cobra and blood sucking mossies to photograph a rather distant but accommodating ashy drongo. 

(I was very very careful not to go to near the bamboo thickets in particular and you can watch this slithering snake in a friend's video : https://www.facebook.com/groups/394479540610099/search/?query=equatorial spitting cobra&epa=SEARCH_BOX 

 

The very elegant drongo stayed on for a few months but it has now probably flown back to its breeding mountainous or densely wooded grounds in other parts of SEA, southern China and sub-continental India. 

 

[Kitsafari]

55/SG55: Black Drongo, Neo Tiew Crescent

 

An uncommon migrant to Singapore, this particular drongo had remained near the Kranji Marshes area for a few months. But it is less accommodating than the ashy drongo, and the best shot I had was of its face (another EBC!) while its body was hidden by a very leafy vine. To differentiate it from the other drongos, the black drongo has a deeply forked tail (not seen in my photo). Found in Southeast Asia, sub-continental India and southern to northern China. It likes grassland and shrubland habitats. 

 

[TonyQ]

I am really enjoying the selection of birds from your local area. A real treat.

Thank you to you and Herman

[Kitsafari]

@TonyQ thank you!

 

56/SG56: Greater racket-tailed drongo, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

This is the only resident drongo found in Singapore with the others all winter visitors. They are easily seen in Dairy Farm park which links to the Singapore Quarry where they are also seen and heard often. Their calls are quite distinctive and loud and they often mimic other calls and noises as well.

The two long rackets on its tail are its distinctive feature but the drongo does lose its rackets sometimes, so its shallow fork-tailed and thick bill are used to distinguish it from the others. A pair had just fledged its chicks in Dairy Farm when we visited over the weekend.

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

57/SG57: Muscovy duck, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

we were surprised by the sudden appearance of this muscovy duck in the Singapore Botanic Gardens as this is not a commonly seen species in the wild. this is an introduced species and we did wonder if it was an escapee from someone's garden or farm or from the Bird Park, but it was pretty street smart having been seen escaping from the huge monitor lizards that roam in the gardens. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

 

Now onto to a handful of eagles which is all we've got....

 

58/SG58: Crested Serpent Eagle, Goldhill Avenue

 

About 30 species of raptors, including kites and buzzards, have been sighted in Singapore. the Crested Serpent eagle is one the rarer raptor visitors to be seen here, but a pair of the eagles have become residents at a small but pretty park in central Singapore. They are not often seen, but one of them is fairly habituated to humans and if you are lucky, you will see one. if you are really lucky, you get to see both together. I've been unlucky and Herman has been lucky, but only after many visits! 

a distinctive looking raptor, it is distributed in south Asia to southern China and southeast Asia. it is a rare migrant to Singapore. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

59/SG59: White-bellied Sea Eagle, Lorong Halus/Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve

 

A very handsome raptor, the white-bellied sea eagle is fairly commonly seen around Singapore and are breeding here. Sometimes from the financial centre, you can see one circling the skies above the harbour. It has white plumage and grey upperparts and while in flight, the white body and white wing coverts are distinctive features. 

They have adapted well to the lack of tall trees, with a pair using a telecom tower just outside Sungei Buloh reserve to nest.