Lesser and Greater

[elsa hoffmann]

FINALLY found the lesser! Both posted for comparison.

The Greater Flamingo is obviously greater - and with light eyes and light coloured beak.

The Lesser Flamingo is obviously lesser - with dark eyes and a dark red beak.

[Olivier]

and the lesser has less legs!

[elsa hoffmann]

and the lesser has less legs!

hahaha that sharp Olivier

[BW]

The difference is quite subtle. A tad more slender, the lesser, but both of them are freaks of nature

[elsa hoffmann]

bw - not sure if you saw the second pic - which shows the huge difference in beak and eye colour?
but for the rest  - yes - size is about it from a distance. I have to agree - freaky indeed. Especially the greater with the light colour eye which to me is very weird and doesnt stand out at the best of times - the bird looks anemic

[John Geerts]

Ah, the last photo makes it more clear, Elsa.  Great photo's.

The lesser one uses a lot more 'rouge'   

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks John 

[simato73]

The last image especielly is stunning.
I like the curved neck , the weird shaped bill and the freaky coloured eyes.
The eyes from the lesser flamingo are also something - taken out of context they could give an impression of very evil eyes.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks for the comments

yes I find the eyes challenging - to edit as well.  The red eyes I didnt edit - the birds were too far away to make a difference. I would like to shoot those ones fro up close though...

[RobOK]

Cool shots, where are they?  How far away are you?

Thanks for sharing,
Rob.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks Rob - dont ask me to judge distance - I am useless - haha

here is a similar one - Full frame camera on 500mm - so you can see its a huge crop. Couldnt get closer  there was a ditch and water between us.

[BW]

Thanks, I see it more clearly now. Close up there is a distinct difference.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thank you for looking and commenting 

[Peter Connan]

Great series Elsa

I particularly like the beak and tongue detail you captured in the last photo. It suddenly explains clearly how these birds are able to filter the nutrients they live off from the water.

Are these from Strandfontein?

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks Peter - because of your lesser pics - I went in search of them. Took a while to find though.
yup at Strandfontein - I often take guests there - guaranteed to see lots of birds.
ALso saw a little grys bokkie there yesterday - as well as a pair of mongoose.
Pelicans were scares though. And that damn grys bokkie was like a phantom. now you see it - now you dont.