Here's my bogey bird. Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons). The bird that won't turn up most days, rarely sits still when it does turn up, and never sits still in the open anywhere near me.Today, two turned up - an extremely rare double act in Tyto. They then took turns in teasing me, flying close by and taking up tempting positions low in trees before darting away into the upper foliage.
As a variation they'd wait till I got near and then flash across the Razor Grass in the now dry creek bed. One bird wearied of the sport after about five minutes. The other vanished more than 10 minutes later.
Got one usable picture. Lovely pose, but focus isn't great and it took some tweaking to get an image that merely hints at the most colourful of the fantails. One day ...
What a fabulous pose! If I could get my photos looking 1/2 so good......I know what you mean by saying 'one day....' though. One always wants to get the 'perfect' shot!
ReplyDeleteA very beautiful bird! Plus a nice challenge for next time!!
ReplyDeleteAt least you got it with its tail fanned Tony, I haven't managed that yet, even with the grey. One day you'll get one in better light, I know how hard they are to catch, but it's still a beaut picture.
ReplyDeleteDuncan stole my words. You did well capturing the tail fan!
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny: Perfection? I wish. Just good old pretty bloody good'd do me!
ReplyDeleteHi Mick: Yes, though it's a bit like jam yesterday and jam tomorrow ...
Hi Duncan and Mosura: But it would be better if I'd 'known' I'd got it - not found such luck later on.
Hi Tony
ReplyDeleteMost of us would be happy with a photo like that. The bird posed nicely for you.
I share the same problem with the local Grey Fantails. I get the Rufous Fans here from late Spring onwards (heard some today). But they love dense cover. I seldom even see them - just a glimpse of a rufous rump as they fly between dense trees. But I hear their little metallic squeaks all the time.
Cheers
Denis
Hi Denis: Our Greys left for cooler places some time ago. And I'd thought Rufouses had also. But it's been an uncertain year in many ways.
ReplyDeleteHi Tony
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Greys migrated. We have them here all year, whereas the Rufous is a very late returner. Other rainforest migrants (not many) - the Brown Gerygone and Black-faced Monarchs return a bit earlier. Cuckoos start calling much, much earlier.
Sorry Denis: Cooler for many birds up here is getting a bit more altitude and under bigger rainforest trees rather than heading south.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, Vertical Migration. Makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.
ReplyDeleteDenis