Great White Egret

[Chris Calohan II]

Maestro: Chris Calohan​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Maestro: Chris Calohan​

I like these pictures, Chris, not only for their inherent beauty, but also for the insight in breaking down the motion as if slowing down a movie - your rapid series of shots dissect the landing of this magnificent bird.

I've visited this composite of the egret landing several times. I'm taken by how long the neck is and wondered about the site of the pectoral girdle to attach the wing skeleton. I wonder how many cervical vertebrae it has in that super long neck? May seem esoteric to some, but after all, it's pretty close to what we are! All vertebrates share so much in common and how each has modified itself for its niche in the world is interesting by way of comparison to our own capabilities and structure. It seems from pictures of skeletons online that birds have between 9 and 11 or 12 vertebrae compared with our 7. It's hard to count as I can be mistaking the first two thoracic vertebrae as being cervical, but having more vertebrae in their necks is fundamental, it seems to all birds. Dinosaurs used it for reaching, far easier than lifting their entire bodies. I guess birds too use the neck for reaching but also, I guess, for the balancing act of flying and tipping their center of gravity easily.

Asher

 

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Very beautiful Chris, this sequence! Nicely executed!

 

[Don Cohen]

Agreed - an excellent series, both artistically and technically!

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Chris,

Maestro: Chris Calohan​

Beautiful composite!

And nice that it could serve as the source for Asher's forensic anatomy observations.

Ars gratia scientia

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Like an elegant ballet!

Maggie