lirralirra

I adore young Emus. There is something so innocent and curious about them.

I especially love the pastel colours in this shot, the soft greens and greys of the background as well as the beaut colours and patterns on the Emu’s neck – it looks as though I’ve been wielding an artist’s brush. The effect is purely from the colours themselves and the shallow depth of field which has kept the Emu’s eye and bill sharp while giving a softer effect to its feathers. Emus have double-shafted feathers which are fascinating to find and make it obvious how emu-wrens got their name.

Its bill is a bit muddy where it has been foraging on the ground and its sharp eye, in two senses of the word, has a beaut catchlight despite the overcast day. Shooting at 1/640th is slow for bird photography, and seriously slow when I’m handholding a long lens! I feel very lucky to have captured this shot.

We are freer in Melbourne than we have been for a while but the months and months of lockdown have seen me go from being desperate to travel to feeling quite numb about it. It’s a bit disconcerting in a way as I’ve been a lifelong wanderer but I’m sure it’ll unfold in a healthy way when the time is right. Which might be as soon as an opportunity arises, who knows in these strange times!

Happy birding, stay safe, Kim

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