PhotoFriday :: In the Wild

For PhotoFriday‘s topic In the Wild

A few birds from today

   

Kookaburra sunbathing

Its been very hot and after a quick "birdly bath" in a rock pool this kookaburra sat and dried his feathers in the last of the days sun.

The Cooperative Kookaburra

This kookaburra,[Dacelo novaeguineae] sat with us on the balcony, only leaving to chase away some crows to return and sit as we watched the sun set. I could see the the sunset behind making a beautiful picture but knew a photo would give me just a silhouette against a well exposed sky, so I thought I’d chance my arm on using my camera flash (the only light source readily on hand). I had contemplated just being able to get one shot and scaring him away. So I decided to diffuse the light by putting a tissue in front of the flash (it was kind of folded and crumpled a little as it rested on the lens but I hoped it would hold the light back enough to avoid that harsh bleached out flash look). Because I was close I was expecting to find the highlights “clipped” (washed out) in his white chest, but possibly the crumpling diffused the light enough to get the detail in his breast feathers (with a little tweaking in lightroom). He certainly took note of the flash but didn’t fly off in fact he look quiet relaxed as I took a couple more shots. The chance to work with birds close up, is pretty rare little lone being able to experiment with anything other than natural light is probably a once off. So I must give thanks to a very cooperative kookaburra.

Kookaburra Encounter

Today we went for a walk at the inlet and arrived home @ about 5:15

It was a sunny afternoon so I went in to make a cup of tea to enjoy on the deck. I looked through the kitchen window and spotted a kookaburra on the rail of the deck, So I snuck out quietly with my camera. - I needn't have botthered to be so quiet he was completely unfazed by my presence. Soon norm came upstairs and a camera duel began. We couldn't help getting some great shots - the kooka was so obliging, He sat of the rail for at least 20 mins and posed in every position for us - a lovely encounered with nature at Venus Bay.

by Kaye

Duelling Cameras (& IPhones)

The blue eyed Kookaburra

I was to say the least surprised by the strong blue eye colour of this Kookabuarra. It only shows in some photos so I assume it is a retinal reflection in a particular direction (like some dogs eye reflect green or yellow in certain lights). Maybe there will eventually be a market for blue eye removal/reduction filters for bird photographers.