Most of you know from previous posts that I love birds and down in the Hunter Valley where I used to live they were plentiful, varied and colourful - and much more relaxed and unruffled, so getting pictures wasn't really a great challenge at all. Hindsight is telling me it was all jolly easy.
Now that I'm residing in the tropics, I'm finding my local birds very flighty (pardon the pun) and skittish. Yesterday it took 45 minutes of patience I didn't know I had and 25 photos to get this single one worth posting. I would open the sliding door a few inches and get a cramp standing there - I tried through the window (they were all a dead loss) - I then moved outside to the patio and had to wait another 15 minutes while their little psychs adjusted to me being out there - I so berated myself for not taking a chair out there to sit on. My arms by this stage had a permanent tremor which I was sure was going to remain a permanent oddity to my physiological make-up. Mmmm, does this mean I am becoming a nerdy-birder?
Having said all of the above, I am hoping that my one, good shot of this little bird with the big pretty song and nervous habits will be something unique and special. He's an amorous fellow with his mate and they do this amazing exotic dance whilst in flight.
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| I would love to hear words like "rare", "amazing", "not seen for years" - as payment for my efforts! It was his bird-song that first alerted me to something different having arrived. |
HAPPY BLOGGING
That is a wonderful photo and I'm sure someone will be able to help you ID him. You live in a lovely neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ~ FlowerLady
Thanks Lorraine, and I'm praying for an easier week for you dear lady.
DeleteIt is a BEAUTIFUL photo Rose! I especially love that he is surrounded by some but not a lot of flowers.
ReplyDeleteI put a bird feeder outside my back door in hopes of getting great pictures of birds. I've yet to get a one. As soon as I open the door, they hear the dogs and gone they all fly away. I've tried to do photos through the windows and they never turn out good thanks to my lack of clean windows. Oh well, instead I moved the feeders to where I can sit on the couch and watch the birds. Right now it's almost spring and many more birds are coming to them. I especially love the Cardinals.
Thanks Bonnie, all things considered I was awfully pleased with the pic too. Haha, the frustrations of bird-watching. I googled your Cardinals and my, colourful little creatures, they remind me of a colourful Finch. This Spring, I do hope you get a photo or two!
DeleteI can identify that as ... a bird. Yep, definitely a bird ;P
ReplyDeleteHahaha, we're birds of a feather!! Must be a Queenslander thing hey what!
DeleteAmazing! The flowers are great too! Did that make your day? :D I bet the birds will get tamer when they get used to your presence.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, the ever knowledgeable and helpful H. It's fantastic to have a zoologist blogger friend, isn't it?
Wow blogger is naughty today, you are the second person I've trouble with my reply sticking. Lets hope this time it sticks! The birds are very entertaining T. I have a resident curlew, he/she is a real character, can't wait to show everyone this trickster.
DeleteAh, H didn't say what she thought this bird was!
Congratulations on your new status as a nerdy birdy bird! There has to be some effect on a person living with such a plethora of beautiful feathered friends, I seem to be seeing Robins where ever I go at the moment, they are such chirpy little fellows, they are such nice company.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing the fruits of your labours Rose.
I don't know if Australia gets any BBC programmes if you do, look out for a documentary on Penguins being film through robotic penguins, it is the best I have ever seen, clever, funny and the drama who'da thought they lived such extraordinary lives.
All the best Rose xxx
Thanks CCL! Actually our ABC is what I watch the most (I'm not into commercial television) I also watch Brit comedies - I get the humour! and any documentaries that come up from BBC. I'll be sure to watch for the Penguin Doc. And of course I'm an Attenborough fan.
DeleteI haven't seen a Robin since my Tasmania days. The little cuties, along with Blue Wrens, don't venture this far north.
xxx
That IS a great shot. Well done you for your patience. Rose 1 - birds 0. I don't think you're officially a nerdy birder until you build a hide in your garden, though I suspect that it may have crossed your mind. Just think, you could be in there with your comfy camping chair and a nice cuppa, snapping photos in total secrecy from those flighty beasts! And OF COURSE that last bird was a bowerbird! How silly of me. We had one that built his bower on the ground amongst the trees where I used to work and he had adorned it with all sorts of good things - shells, stones and the plastic separaters that concretors use. He liked things that were duck-egg blue and white, but he interestingly did add a couple of red coke bottle lids! I think he was very proud of it and hope it did the trick on the lady front (ie, I hope it helped him get a bird)! :)
ReplyDeleteI chuckled my way through your whole comment: HAHAHA I was eyeing off all the empty cardboard boxes in the garage and how I could use them for a "hide" (bwahahaha) and you mention it!! The comfort of my camping chair is wearing thin - I've paid Nick Scali a couple of visits to see if my couches might come earlier. (fat chance) Anyhow back to the hide - so this is what constitutes an official nerdy-birder. I'm on it.
DeleteLOL, the "cuckoo", went searching all over the internet and just when I thought I'd go mad, Red came to the rescue with the Great Bowerbird. You were on to those Magpie Geese though! I'm aware of looking out for colourful things when I head off on a "bower search". There are so many of these bower birds that their bowers have to be close by. I hope noone calls the cops when they see this woman searching in and around and over the community/council gardens and bushes........
x
You ARE becoming a twitcher! Mwahahahaha! The bower I found was amongst trees which weren't too dense... and there wasn't a whole lot of undergrowth. It was also really near a big road and roundabout (google earth 'vanderlin drive / mcmillans road' and you'll see what I mean), so they're not shy about being near built up areas so you're absolutely right, there must be a few nearby you. I wish my photos weren't at my mum's in Scotland, I could post them for you. It was one of those things that once I spotted it I couldn't believe I'd missed it. Good luck on your hunt. If you're going to be ferreting around in slightly dodgy areas, you might not want to take your twitcher's binoculars... in the eyes of police there's probably a fine line between 'twitcher' and 'peeping tom'!
DeleteGood Lord I had a pair of good quality binos too, and left them DOWN THERE!!! I could have been better than a 'birder' - I could have been a 'twitcher'. Stone the crows............
DeleteA perfect photo of a whatever-it-is! Could you...do you think....manage to catch that mid-air dance? *evil grin*
ReplyDeleteJune - bloggers are such a demanding lot, just wanting more and more ;)
DeleteWhat a great photo, Rose!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful the bird and the flowers too.
I had not many birds's photos on my archive because I have much difficulty to photograph them because they don't still.
Hope you have a nice week ahead.
Lots of hugs.
In Portuguese means "muitos abraços".
Hello Sonia, indeed that is why most of the photos end up deleted they are blurred because birds move so quick.
DeleteAw, you are sweet
Muitos abracos
R
Great shot, Rose. Your patience paid off. Hopefully, the 'new' birds will get used to you --and you'll be able to get more shots of them. I take 99% of my shots here at home through the stained-glass window. Works well most of the time. I do okay through glass --but it's harder through screen also. Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Hi Betsy, maybe there's a setting on my CAM I need to investigate, that might help a bit.
DeleteWhen I think of it all of your photos through the window are tremendous.
Thanks for the tip, I'll start experimenting.
x
Beautiful photo of that elegant little fellow..I have finally given up trying to photo the hummingbirds that visit our hanging plants in the summer-It seems I just think about taking a picture and they zoom off..Got the cardinals-ducks-robins-crows-hawks but the hummingbirds just won't allow it at all..I find it hard to believe that they have evolved from dinosaurs,but who am I?? Being Portuguse also, I repeat--"Muitos abracos."
ReplyDeleteMaybe my bird is a relative of your hummingbird? Of course, I did know you were Portuguese. Do you speak fluent???
DeleteOh yes, "muiots abracos" Jim!
Some of them sure are hard to photograph Rose. 10/10 for your patience, well worth the effort. I have trouble identifying birds but after awhile you do get to know their unique calls. Have a great day Rose, happy birding.
ReplyDeleteThe easiest birds to photograph (and I refuse to) are the pesty indian mynas.
DeleteGosh I hope I get that good that I will recognise 'calls'. I wonder if "birders" start to call back.......mmmmm.
Awesome pic Rose! Well worth all the pain and discomfort to get it!(On my side anyway! lol)
ReplyDeleteThank you cheeky Kevin. Did I forget to give you something....NO, I'm sure I told you (when I sent my envelope) to you. Watch your emails. I think our friend was being cheeky - 'from Oz'......LOL
DeleteWhat a great picture Rose, you have some lovely birds out there. I am always grateful to blogging friends who identify birds for me.
ReplyDeleteDenise, I think you are very knowledgeable on bird species and some of your photos are just totally amazing.
DeleteIt's amazing how we pick up the different bird calls in our neighborhood .... You were fortunate to be able to capture this one.
ReplyDeleteNerdy -Birders have a life and a good one at that, don't despair !!
Thank you Dianne, and for the encouragement. I believe you have some wonderful photographs over at your site, I can't wait to visit!
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling by :)
R.
Well, this gave 'twitcher' Pilchard a run for his money ... he THINKS it's a brown honeyeater, which are, sadly, as common as mud!!! It also might be a rufous-throated honeyeater ... he can't be sure because he'd need to see the throat for that AND the absolute exact profile (think criminal mug-shot!)!!! And the actual location (ie region, not 'backyard') can also help narrow it down.
ReplyDeleteBut the brown h/e has a very melodious call, so that might be the giveaway! A link: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Lichmera-indistincta
And now you can CLEARLY see the characteristics of true bird-nerdism, right???? Next you'll be out there with your 'bins' (aka 'binoculars') or even a scope (telescope)!
Thanx for the puzzle!!!
Marion I do hope I'm giving Pilchard some challenges if not some amusement! I just knew someone (probably you) was going to bring me down to earth and say the dreaded word "common"!
DeleteGood grief, they don't have telescopes as well!? Noooo......
Mmm, I'm beginning to see there's a whole new world of 'terminology' within this birding world too!
OK now that I have the tip 'honeyeater' I'll take myself off to research. Thanks!
Beautiful capture. Guess your patience paid off :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried much bird photography, a part of the reason maybe the patience needed for it.
Thank you Ramakant, never mind you do superb buildings!!
DeleteWhat a beautiful photo!!! I love it. The bird I most want to see in my lifetime is the Scarlet Tanager ;)
ReplyDeleteI googled it Keith, so like a cardinal and very pretty, no wonder you'd like to see it! Keep that camera ready, you just never know.
Deletea very pretty bird and such a great photo! there is something calming about bird watching, makes me miss my back yard birds.
ReplyDeleteAw you have no birds Annmarie?!
DeleteThat's a wonderful picture. With the beautiful flowers too, and the blue sky beyond, it reminds me of the kind of pictures I used to love in ads when I was a kid. I used to look at them and imagine myself in this wonderful place where it all looked like this! I also like the feeling of intense light reflected into the shadows
ReplyDeleteIt may have taken you a long time to get that shot but all in all it has been very appreciated by me!
Aw Jenny, thank you! I never imagined the pic would remind anyone of such wonderful memories.
Deletex
Howdy Rose, oh we know all about birds. Yes, yes, we know Magpies, Galahs, sparrows, blue wrens and er chickens. That about covers our knowledge so if you need any help with them just ask ok, hehehe. Gorgeous photo and yes it was worth all that time for sure. Take care and happy snapping. No worries, and love, Carol (and Stella and Rory)
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, what's a sparrow......OH! are they those things that come by the hundreds and try to gain entry into the roof space and build fire hazard nests up in one's ceiling??? those things! If I need in depth knowledge about any of the others I know where to come Carol!!
DeleteHi Rose, you are so deceitful uploading an oil painting disguised as a photograph. It's not even a mainland bird, it's a Tasman Starling which became extinct in 1923. I've a feeling you've a big stack of back issues of the National Geographic Magazine, and have scanned one of their pages for this image. LOL.
ReplyDeleteKidding apart it's a fabulous picture Rose, well done.
Oh you old Scot, you've seen right through me and my wiley ways. There's just no fooling you Jim! LOL er...... is there such as thing as a Tasman Starling???? Mr Google Mr Google where are you....
DeleteI like birds in fact a couple years ago I seen about 4 different species of birds in my backyard that I have never knew excised. Warblers are now my favorite to spot.
ReplyDelete~Randall
I hear warblers are an exceptional bird Randall. I hope you see one!
DeleteOK, here goes: a rare shot of a rare bird, well worth your patience.
ReplyDelete(Ahem, what is it?)
Ah ha, its (nothing other) than a 'common' honey eater. Having said that, and the fact I was hoping for something 'rare', their birdsong is a musical all of its own!
DeleteTaking into consideration that the Indian Myna we have here by the millions (total pest) which is killing off a lot of our little native birds, this 'common' fellow may well not only become rare, but downright endangered. Very few local Councils around Oz seem interested in programs to diminish or wipe out this dreadful pest.
Have a great week Friko and pats to Millie.
What would be cool is to have a video of that courting scene. Oh, and audio recording of their songs would be a thrill as well!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy seeing all the birds I do not have here in Oregon. Yours are much more colorful.
Funny you say that Rose, because having lived in the cooler southern climes of australia, I've discovered that the tropical birds here are nowhere near as colourful as the southern birds. Any most people would imagine that colourful birds go hand in hand with the tropics. Not so here. However, this is classed as the "dry" tropics so perhaps that's quite different to the birds found in the wet tropics?
DeleteOh! a video AND a recording! - demanding girl...... ;)
Your patience was well rewarded, this little cutie looks gorgeous in it's tropical setting. What you need is a chair out there that the birds can get accustomed to both with you in it and empty. You're too cool to ever be called nerdy Rose!
ReplyDeleteMe?? Cool?? I lub U Grace!
DeleteI'm building a 'hide' (with chair)