I was just about to head to sleep when I suddenly realised it’s Friday! I have lost a day this week, I think it must have disappeared in a flurry of picking up sticks and stacking firewood. I need to create the fastest lirralirra post ever if I’m going to publish before midnight.
I especially like photographing Australasian Darters and this shot supports the adage that it’s ‘all about the light’. The look of surprise on this darter’s face echoes my expression when I realised it’s Friday!
I was super lucky to capture this shot as the early morning light backlit the darter’s gular pouch perfectly, making the pouch and the bill glow bright orange and showing details of the veins in the pouch. The yellow rim around its eye also stands out, as do the white feathers caught on its lower bill. The darter was perched on a log in the creek and opened its long, pointed bill to make its loud, guttural call as I was watching. The deeply shadowed, black background was on the far side of the creek.
I especially like photographing darters as they look remarkably different depending on their pose and the light. This shot is the most dramatic I’ve managed to capture. It is two minutes to midnight, hopefully I’ll just make it!
Happy birding, Kim
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Life is rushing by so quickly I doubt many of us ever know what day and date it is and many people are still awake and thinking way too much at midnight about anything and everything happening in the world today and for those in Queensland and NSW coping with devastating events very close to home.
That is why opening up your emails bring joy, delight and much beauty and, most importantly, keep us connected to our unique, precious and irreplaceable wildlife. After the rain has stopped temporarily the birds returned to quickly enjoy their flowers and trees and, importantly, their task of pollinating for the next crop.
Kim you are an expert on our feathered friends so where do they go when the rain is torrential and one assumes their nests washed away??? I am on south coast NSW and it teemed and the birds were not seen in the garden until now. A little sunshine and they have returned, not in numbers, but at least one or two and that is a welcome sight and waking to their beautiful songs is a pleasure.
“Joy is when a tiny bird sings a Big Sweet Song”
Barbara, thank you for your comments, they are always so interesting to read, and are much appreciated. Your question about birds in storms is one that I often think of. A few years ago I watched a brilliant video taken by someone who’d sought out birds during quite violent wind and rain. It was amazing to see birds huddled against tree trunks on the ‘protected’ side of the tree. When I think about our tiny thornbills, finches, fairywrens and pardalotes I am staggered that they can cope with wind, rain, cold and heat the way they do. Birds are truly amazing, they delight me every day, Kim
PS If I can find that video I’ll add the link
Stunning!
Thank you Stephen š