Post your Bird Portraits (2)

gaabnz wrote in post #19438920
Hoping to get to Tiritiri for a day or so over the summer. Awesome Tui shot, just love photographing them

Tronhard wrote in post #19438892
Tiritiri Island Open Scientific Sanctuary

The island of Tiritiri Matangi is an open scientific reserve. It is located in the Auckland Hauaraki Gulf, about an hour's ferry trip from downtown. It was originally native bush before being cleared for farming, but in the 1970's was taken over by the NZ Dept of Conservation and, with the help of volunteers, a massive replanting program saw the island's native bush returned. The island was turned into a research facility and wildlife reserve to help bring back from the brink species that are seriously threatened with extinction.

To learn more about the sanctuary see: https://www.tiritirima​tangi.org.nz/

Among animals there are the Takahi, a swamp and open country species, of which there are only 350 left in the world. They are bred on the island and released into their normal habitat in Fiordland and other locations.
Another animal of note is the Tuatara lizard, unique to NZ, which predates the dinosaur at over 250 million years. One of the interesting things about this creature is that the young have a third pro-eye, located above and between their normal eyes, believed to be to detect the presence of predating birds above them. They proto-eye is absorbed when the animals mature.

There is a bunkhouse at which scientists and volunteers can stay. Supporters can also stay there for a small fee and sometimes get a deal on the ferry costs, which are not inconsiderable, at around $80 return. I managed to get a deal of 50% discount on both and stayed for four days, 3 nights towards the end of September. I used the time to volunteer and to go out in the morning and evening when the birds are at their most active for some photographs.

Photographing these birds is challenging as they like to stay in the dark recesses of the bush, and while they are not afraid of humans, they are wary of each other, as some species, especially the large Tui predate on the smaller ones.
A Tui dive bombs a smaller bird to establish territory

Apart from the amazing bird images, the island is slowly regaining the dawn chorus: the sound of birds that was so loud it was said that in the morning and evening one could hear the sounds of the birds before one saw the shore. Listen to it, recorded this week https://1drv.ms …jnLiWLl2F_Pe3mB​c?e=xEzrrY

Lame-Duck wrote in post #19439270
All three shots are really very nice captures, Trevor!

graham121 wrote in post #19438594
Male Superb Fairy Wren

realairlight wrote in post #19438597
This is a good way to take photos of mosquito in fly.

fotoi wrote in post #19438668
Mallard

kd_reno wrote in post #19438776
Least Sandpiper

paul katinas wrote in post #19438845
Black Bellied Whistling Ducklings
Happy trails.

clipper_from_oz wrote in post #19438890
Pacific Baza -Fogg dam NT

Weja wrote in post #19438930
Common shellduck male

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2nUB​ACc IMG_ Common shellduck male by Jan Wever, on Flickr


Weja

fotoi wrote in post #19439036
Wood duck

Tom in Arizona wrote in post #19439098
Costa's Hummingbird...

vpsnpc wrote in post #19439116
IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …0788/in/datetak​en-public/
Bulbul] by Sunil V P on Flickr

K9Kirk wrote in post #19439119
My first capture of a Crested Caracara. (WOOT!) I spotted him while driving down the road, he was feeding on a dead squirrel in the shade, so the ISO was rather high. I think I took care of it fairly well. The 2nd pic is of a laughing gull at the beach during sundown.

Jorgac wrote in post #19439148
Male African Spoonbill in full breeding plumage

paul katinas wrote in post #19439200
Blue Grey Gnatcatcher
Happy trails.

edmidlifecrisis wrote in post #19439257
Red shouldered hawk in the wind

EyeSpyEagle wrote in post #19439284
Black-Bellied Plover waiting on the sun.
Courtesy of the Mrs.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2nUQ​2rk 20221009 TLM D500 500PF, Black-Bellied Plover-033 by Phil McKinney