Monday, May 17, 2010

Tree gloom, green bloom, fig boom

Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus) starts dive from tree gloom to fish doom. Three days sunshine marked Ingham's annual Italian festival, but the Azure stuck to the shadows. (Click any pic to enlarge).

Snuck closer through the trees.

Bird just wouldn't pose right for the light.

Did better with Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) feeding on blooming green water weed.

Crawled to within five metres along track close to temporary pool.

Today, grey skies and spotty drizzle. Above Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vielloti), one of many suddenly keen on figs from tree shading the Tyto lookout. Usually tasteless and dry, figs were indeed juicier today.

Updates: Shining Flycatchers still feeding two chicks. Jacana families all OK.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony, while I understand your frustration with the light not showing the Azure K in its full glory, the photos do highlight the rich, rufous colours of the buff breast and indeed show the bird in a very typical pose. Happy to see good report for both Flycatcher and Jacana families.

Tyto Tony said...

Just me demanding more of nature than I merit.

Head up for dragonfly, head off for fish head . . .

One moment it's dragonfly trying to dance on White-bellied Sea-Eagle's head, the next it's all go for fisher's discarded fis...