Vixens other Shots and Random Wanderings

[Vixen]

We were supposed to be taking our mates new (but second hand) boat out for his maiden sail but we got it on the boatramp and discovered the batteries were flat, so that idea quickly went west. So...we decided to take a run up to a nearby park, which is in rainforest, to see what was happening. Always birds as they have bird feeding there

I managed to get a shot of both male and female Regent Bowerbirds. The male is just lovely



The females are fairly plain compared to the male





Got some nice up close Scrub Turkey shots





Male King Parrot



Female King Parrot





Red-Browed Firetail Finch



Crimson Rosella



Pied Currawong



Yellow-throated Scrubwren



But the best bit....a male Satin Bowerbird. They have the most beautiful silky blue sheen in their feathers and gorgeous lavender eyes





They build a bower and decorate it with blue items like botle caps and washing pegs and straws etc to attract the female. The eggs are not laid here, they have a proper nest for that. This is purely to attract the female

 

[wthorson]

We were supposed to be taking our mates new (but second hand) boat out for his maiden sail but we got it on the boatramp and discovered the batteries were flat, so that idea quickly went west. So...we decided to take a run up to a nearby park, which is in rainforest, to see what was happening. Always birds as they have bird feeding there

I managed to get a shot of both male and female Regent Bowerbirds. The male is just lovely

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The females are fairly plain compared to the male

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Got some nice up close Scrub Turkey shots

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Male King Parrot

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Female King Parrot

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Red-Browed Firetail Finch

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Crimson Rosella

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Pied Currawong

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Yellow-throated Scrubwren

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But the best bit....a male Satin Bowerbird. They have the most beautiful silky blue sheen in their feathers and gorgeous lavender eyes

View attachment 118267

View attachment 118268

They build a bower and decorate it with blue items like botle caps and washing pegs and straws etc to attract the female. The eggs are not laid here, they have a proper nest for that. This is purely to attract the female

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You have such beautiful birds there, and you have a beautiful way with capturing their images.

 

[Marilynne]

Nice series Vixen.

Edit: What did Satin Bowerbirds use before man came around with blue bottlecaps and straws?

 

[Vixen]

Nice series Vixen.

Edit: What did Satin Bowerbirds use before man came around with blue bottlecaps and straws?

It's funny you ask that Marilynne, coz i was also wondering that myself. I have no idea and there are not that many naturally occurring blue things. A few flowers but not many. I

 

[Vixen]

The day we went communing with nature we also visited an alpaca farm. Such funny critters. We bought a bag of pellets to feed them and they had us in stitches with the noises they made and how they spat at us. The white ones were gentle dainty eaters for some reason.

 

[Vixen]

Beehives

I got stung photographing these. The things we do

 

[Marilynne]

Hope you're okay from the bee sting.

 

[Lawrence]

Man I enjoyed those birds - especially the Bower bird casanova. What a cheapskate! Using plastic.

 

[Vixen]

Hope you're okay from the bee sting.

Yeah. Bee stings don't worry me too much except that they damned hurt for a while

 

[Vixen]

Sailing take 2.....
We actually got out on our mates new yacht, and even got enough wind to sail it properly. I took my Tamzooka as I wanted to see if I could manage it on a smallish moving boat. I took heaps of shots and trashed heaps of shots But I did get a few keepers

 

[Vixen]

Took the dog to the beach for a walk today. Not a great day. Overcast, cool & windy

 

[Vixen]

The bats are back. They migrate following their food source and have been gone from their local roost for months and months but today I see they are back. Happy, happy
They give birth in Sept/Oct too so I must devote some time to looking for babies







Meanwhile I continue to try to get a good shot of this very large flock of Whistling Ducks that spend a lot of time on a local farm. I may have to go in and ask if I can enter the paddock near the dam where they congregate although they tend to be a bit shy and disappear as soon as the car pulls up on the road

 

[dh photography]

Those bats are disgustingly creepy and yet so cool and fascinating. Bet that will be fun to shoot as they all move in.

 

[Roy1961]

cool bat shots

 

[Marilynne]

The bats arrived just in time for Halloween!!

 

[Vixen]

I need to go back closer to sunset when they are active and about to set out for the nights feeding. These things are big, and I'd love to catch a few in flight

 

[Vixen]

Went across to the coast today. A good day with it being 34degC at home...there was a lovely sea breeze blowing at the beach

 

[dh photography]

Wow! Great shots. Killer location, too!! Definitely must be rough. LoL.

 

[Vixen]

Thanks David. It's a beautiful spot alright

 

[Roy1961]

great shots vixen