This week’s images are of a remarkable species, the Bush Stone-curlew.
1/400, f/5.6, ISO 3200
The eyes of Bush Stone-curlews fascinate me, they are so direct, such a striking colour and fringed with exquisite lashes. Their plumage is also beautiful, a palette of warm whites and soft browns with a hint of black for contrast. The feathers beneath their chins makes me smile. I am especially fond of this species, if you hadn’t already guessed.
The birds in this post were photographed in captivity, one at Serendip and the others at Healesville. An older post shows wild birds that I saw in Queensland. I was thrilled to see them and hadn’t understood at first that they freeze and rely on camouflage to escape detection. It’s a trait that certainly helps to capture photographs while also making them appear bold, which is the impression I always get from the directness of their stare.
Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius)
1/640, f/7.1, ISO 400
The stone-curlew above is a younger, paler, browner bird. They grow to about 56cm and feed on a range of small creatures along with seeds. They have a remarkable call, a haunting wail that eerily permeates the night as they keep in contact with each other. They are nocturnal and can be found across many parts of mainland Australia although their range is decreasing due to predation by cats and foxes along with habitat destruction. They are considered endangered in Victoria and New South Wales, rare in South Australia and secure in the other states and territories.
Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius)
1/1000, f/7.1, ISO 1600
I was inspired to re-look at my Bush Stone-curlew images following a email from a reader (hi John) who shared details about the wide range of birds he saw on a recent trip to Queensland. He described the ‘unblinking, baleful gaze’ of the stone-curlews, which sent me straight to Lightroom to look at my images.
My aim has always been to promote awareness about our beautiful birds while remembering that the bird is more important than the image. Accordingly, I’m in the process of developing workshops focussing on ethical bird photography and image evaluation sessions (which can be done remotely). If you are interested in either topic you are welcome to send me a note to hear about the early bird specials.
Happy birding
Kim
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