Great Birding Moments #1 Spotted Nightjar
1 Comment »25th June, 2006; Category: Camera, Great Birding Moments, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars, Photos
From time to time birders – like anyone passionate about a hobby or interest – experience great defining moments. These special events could include:
- The moment when one sees an elusive species for the very first time.
- When one sees a favourite bird in all its colourful splendour, lit by the bright sunlight and perched picture perfect in full view.
- When a photograph of a bird turns out just right.
- When one has waited or searched patiently for a particular species, only to find it flitting around the car you left hours before your search began. (That happened to me with the Rufous Fantail once.)
- When one has a good view of a rare or hard to find species (like the Lyrebird following me down the track on Royal National Park near Sydney – it may be common to birders in that region but they are only found in the zoo here in South Australia).
My list could go on. One species I’d only had fleeting views of – and then only in the headlights of the car at speed at night – is the Spotted Nightjar. A few weeks ago I found (with some help from a friend) a single Spotted Nightjar roosting on the ground at the Pangarinda Arboretum (Click here for the full story).
Spotted Nightjar
Black Shouldered Kites Part 2
Just as soon as one makes a post something happens to change all that was said. Only a few hours after the original sighting of a Black Shouldered Kite – the first here at home for some time – another one comes gliding overhead while we were out in the plant nursery. It scattered the Common Starlings sitting on the dead branches of a tall mallee tree nearby and settled down to survey the scene. Of course, I didn’t have the camera with me. Would it stay in place while I went inside to get it?
Attacks
As I crept towards the tree, camera at the ready, I was suddenly aware of another Black Shouldered Kite in the same tree. The New Holland Honeyeaters were going berserk, dive bombing them both. The second kite decided to retreat, hotly pursued by several honeyeaters. A Red Wattlebird flew in, perching nearby to oversee the bomb attacks. The original kite ducked as each bombing sortie flew by, calling feebly in protest.
Photos
While all this was happening, I was creeping closer and getting some quite good photos. On the downside I was literally on the downside; by the time I reached the tree I was virtually underneath the kite. Anyone want to see some good shots of the belly of a Black Shouldered Kite? To be fair, the bird in question was rather curious and turned his head to peer at me several times, long enough for more photos.
Perhaps I was too hasty in my previous posting. Are we seeing a resurgence of this species in our little part of the world?
Time will tell.
Weebill delights
This morning while working in my wife’s plant nursery (see Mallee Plants Nursery) we were delighted by the many birds calling all around us and feeding in the nearby trees. About mid morning I went inside to “boil the billy.”
I brought the teapot and cups on a tray out into the nursery so we could sit down for a break and enjoy the beautiful weather and lovely surroundings. Imagine our delight when a Weebill, Australia’s tiniest bird, came to sit on the ground no more than a metre from our feet. Of course – I didn’t have my camera at the ready! Next time?
Common Blackbirds
288 Comments »13th April, 2006; Category: Birds, Blackbirds, Camera, Garden birds, Murray Bridge, Nests, Photos
Common Blackbird (male)
Common Blackbirds are an introduced species in Australia. Their range here is south of a line from Sydney in NSW to Port Lincoln in South Australia and they are found throughout South Eastern Australia, including large parts of Victoria and Tasmania. They are particularly found in parks and gardens where they enjoy scratching around in the leaf litter and mulch for their food. Many gardeners despise the Common Blackbird for their untidy habit of flicking bark, leaves, mulch and sticks on to their nice, neat garden paths.
Beautiful Songbird
The Blackbird may be an introduced species, it may have untidy eating habits but this is more than made up for by its beautiful song. There are few birds in Australia that can match the song of a Blackbird singing in the late winter or spring evenings. It fills the air with a rich melodic harmony.
Breeding
We didn’t have any resident Blackbirds in our garden here on the outskirts of Murray Bridge South Australia until a few years ago. The occasional visitor, yes, but not resident. Now they have moved in and have started breeding. Several times they have used an unusual nesting spot. They fly into a shed in my wife’s nursery through a small gap above the door. They then proceed to make a bowl shaped nest in one of the many empty plant pots we store in the shed. How lovely and cosy – out of the cold, the wind and the rain.
Common Blackbird (female)
Photos
Despite them now being resident I find that “our” blackbirds are quite timid and are rather camera shy. It was with great delight that today I have been able to take some close up shots of both the male and the female (she is a dull brown colour) fossicking for beetles and worms just outside our sunroom window. This makes a perfect bird hide for photography.
UPDATE:
- This article has created quite a deal of interest. Read the comments section below for the experiences of other people with Blackbirds.
- Related articles: Do Blackbirds Swoop? An article about aggressive bird behaviour with many interesting comments and observations from readers of this blog.
- For more articles about Blackbirds nesting read
- “Anyone for a Swim? Forget it Baby Blackbird”
- “Hear the Blackbird singing in the morning”
Update #2: A further update on this post was made in July 2015.
Stunning photos
Over the last few days I have spent a few hours looking at and reading the birding blogs of other birders. There are some fascinating blogs out there on the net, some of them with some stunning photos of birds.
Digital Photography
When I take photos of birds I use a Canon Powershot S2 IS. This has a 12x optical zoom which enables me to focus in quite close to the subject. One skill I am learning is being able to creep up quite close so I do not have to zoom in too much. Alternatively, I watch carefully for a spot where birds are frequently landing and then position myself within range and then wait patiently for the birds to come to me.
Digiscoping
Digiscoping is an another method of taking bird photos. A camera, either SLR or digital SLR is attached to a telescope using an adapter. This method enables one to be quite a distance from the subject. It also produces much clearer, sharper photos – depending, of course, on the quality of your equipment and the patience you can muster up.
Amazing Site
Today I came across Mike McDowell’s Bird Digiscoping site. It contains some amazing photos with stunning clarity and beautiful composition.
Mike also has a very interesting blog which includes many worthwhile tips on digiscoping.
Sulphur Crested Cockatoos