Female Magpie Lark (Grallina cycanoleuca) brings vibrant life to old headstones at the Ingham Historic Cemetery. Chanced upon the bird's mud bowl nest and two near fledglings in a poinsettia as I cycled by the other day.
The parents gave the game away with their alarm calls and half-hearted swooping at me. Too dark within the tree for worthwhile shots of the youngsters after they left the nest. But the noisy posing of the female offered dramatic possibilities.
Unfortunately, she wouldn't let me close enough and wouldn't stay still long enough for any first-rate pictures. And the male was content to let his mate do most of the squawking!
Little black and white angels! Except that they noise they make at times is far from angelic!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Mick. And beside these birds were some raucous Masked Lapwings. Enough to wake the dead!
ReplyDeleteThree great photos! the third one is my personal favourite.
ReplyDeleteHiTony
ReplyDeleteI vote for Photo #2 - for the symmetry.
Great series of images.
Cheers
Denis
Thanks James and Denis. It's interesting to read your views on the pictures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat! Lovely shots...I kept expecting to see the silhouette of Alfred Hitchcock somewhere in the photographs!
ReplyDeleteI love the mood of these pictures! I like #3 the best, but they are all great.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos. Cemeteries often have great birding.
ReplyDelete