Seven of my very favourite Superb Fairywren images and a question to go with them.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 400mm
Canon 5DSR, Canon 100-400mm L IS II USM
The image above shows a young male Superb Fairywren standing alertly on a banksia, in beautiful light. I love the detail of his tail coverts and the way they, and his tail, catch the light against the dark shadow of the background. It’s easy to confuse young males with females but the key identifier here is that his bill is starting to turn black, from the tip. Also his tail is bluer than a female’s tail would be.
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DIII, Canon 200-400mm L IS USM EXT
I have shared this image before. It is a definite favourite and has just been selected for a wonderful book that is due to be published later this year – I’ll give updates once everything is confirmed and the book is available.
Male Superb Fairywrens occasionally choose a perfect yellow petal to impress their partner. I’ve seen this twice and the second time I was lucky to have a camera in my hands, and lucky that the fairywren paused for literally two seconds (according to the data between the first and last image of the burst). I was sitting on the ground which means the image has a more intimate angle than if I’d been looking down on the fairywren.
Actually, I’ve just scrolled through these images and realise I was either sitting or lying on the ground for all of them.
1/640, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 400mm
Canon 5DIII, Canon 100-400mm L IS USM
Superb Fairywrens generally have a circuit that they use each day, how many times they go past the same area depends on the amount of small insects and arthropods available. This thistle was on their circuit so I sat in wait one morning caught this acrobatic moment.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 400mm
Canon 7D, Canon 100-400mm L IS USM
I think jenny fairywrens are exquisite with their subtle colouring. The image above also highlights the tail coverts against the shadows, so sweet. Female Superb Fairywrens have a brown bill, brown eye-rings and brown lores (the area between the bill and the eye) and their tales have a soft blue colouring.
1/500, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 3757mm
Canon 7D, Canon 100-400mm L IS USM
The male Superb Fairywren above is transitioning into his breeding plumage – how cute does he look! Though I’m sure he’d prefer to be called handsome or debonaire. His brown cap feathers and ear tufts are moulting from brown to light blue, his throat is becoming blue-black. The males maintain darker tails regardless of breeding or non-breeding plumage.
1/1250, f/6.3, ISO 640, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400mm L IS USM EXT
This jenny fairywren had been bathing in a shallow puddle and hopping up to this fallen branch to shake herself between dips. The perch and background are serendipitously lovely and I like her dynamic mid-shake pose.
1/640, f/5.6, ISO 160, focal length 375mm
Canon 7D Canon 100-400mm L IS USM
I like the roundness of this little female and the way she stands out against the glow of the late-afternoon sky. I also like the way her feet are daintily placed on top of the curved branch and how her head is gently tilted towards the soft sound of my near silent shutter.
I’ve shared these images today as five weeks ago I witnessed a horrible accident when a P-plater drove through a red light, he was distraught but unhurt, the driver of the other vehicle was injured. The injured lady called me today to say that she is home from hospital – I was thrilled to hear from her, and thrilled that she is home at last. I popped in to see her elderly husband last month and noticed a bird picture on their wall, so today I mentioned it on the phone and asked whether she likes birds: sometimes the pictures on our walls aren’t our first choice. She does like birds, and her favourite is the Superb Fairywren. I have emailed her six of the images above (there’s another that I popped into this post) and I’ve asked her to let me know which one, if any, she likes best. Which brings me to my question, do you have a particular favourite?
Happy birding
Kim
PS photographers might be interested to note that a combination of three camera bodies and three lenses have been used for these images
~ Facebook page Kim Wormald – lirralirra
~ Facebook group Ethical Bird Photography
Kim they are all magnificent but my favourite of them is no.5 the clarity and detail are stunning. The transition from fledgling to adulthood is nature’s wonder.
Thanks Kerryn, I love that one too and was so rapt to capture it looking so dishevelled and yet so cute. Nature really is a wonderment.
Seven superb photos, Kim. My favourite is the first one. I think the colourful orange tones of the banksia complement the blues and browns of the wren.
Thank you Brenda. The more I look at the first image the more I like the way the orange tones compliment the other colours – your comment explained it perfectly, thank you
great shots!! but I keep going back to the male, on the log, showing his colours and trying to work out how they are coloured! Are the shots taken at home! something that wont stop during this present day climate. Also love the small feathers sticking up over their tail.
I was delighted to capture that shot Margot. Some of these images were taken at home and the fairywrens are still visiting. Hopefully I’ll be up and about soon and will be able to photograph them again. I agree about those small feathers, very sweet!
Hi Kim
Angus and I do have our favourites. Angus’s favourite is the Pink Robin – it shares the habitat he likes best, we named a walk after it on our former property and they are rarely seen. My favourite is the Grey Fantail because it invariably accompanied me on my morning stroll down to our letterbox – a 200m gravel drive with lots of native grasses at the sides. I used to think it liked my company (typical human arrogance) but then was told this particular habit was common for fantails- picking up the various insects which were disturbed by my footsteps.
Hope the injured lady continues to improve in health.
Warm regards
Alison
Hi Alison, lovely to hear about your favourite birds. I’m not lucky enough to have Pink Robins here but I do have fantails and I love watching them and listening to them. I’m sure they like you for stirring up bugs for them, and they clearly felt safe with you which is precious, Kim
I love the thistle one the best, caught in a very different angle for a wren. It’s not a pose I see ‘my’ wrens in, they’re either flitting about or perched on a branch/ fence. They just have to be our cutest native bird, so round 🙂
Thank you Donna. It’s been so interesting to hear different people’s favourites. I like the thistle one too, the fairywren is looks so graceful and acrobatic
What a beautiful selection, Kim. Very hard to choose but I think the first one is my favourite with your usual ability to capture amazing detail and the contrast of colours provided by the foliage.
So lovely to hear that the lady in the accident is home and has contacted you.
Thank you Margot. The one you chose was the winner, for the reasons you mention I expect. I was thrilled to hear from the lady, it was very kind of her to call me, Kim
They are all beautiful Kim, but 1 and 7 are 2 of my favourites,
Thank you Gai. That’s the same as Alyssa. The first one was the winner and the last one was the one I found tucked in another spot in lightroom.
Hi Kim, I do absolutely like them all however the first one really stands out to me due to the beautiful light!
What an amazing good quality that camera is!
I’v got the 5DIII and the 100-400II but never ever got such nice shots as you have.. You are an amazing photographer!
Very kind of you sending those photo’s to these people… We need more people like you in this world…. Thanks!
Oh Paul, thank you for your lovely comment. Sometimes getting a beaut shot is about the luck of the light and the bird’s pose – I’m sure you’ll have plenty of beautiful photographs with your gear. Have you had your lens calibrated to your camera? Sometimes the micro adjustments make a significant difference, Kim
I still love the thistle one. Its the pure colours , the drama, action and movement. Its poetry in a great photo. I’d like to buy that one and put it on my wall to brighten my day.
Hi Judy, I love that one too, it’s like we’re in the fairywren’s world for a moment. If you would like to consider purchasing a print they are available through my Redbubble page, beaut quality (art print, photographic print, canvas) and fully guaranteed.
Every time I look at that image I’m amazed that the fairywren can balance sideways on a thistle stem, Kim
What a lovely gesture. I suspect your caring has made a huge difference to her. Thank you.
I really liked seeing the jenny birds (too often overlooked) but if I had to plump for a favourite (once I got over the ‘all of them’ greed) I would choose the first. The lighting is just the perfect foil for a definitely superb bird (and photo).
Thank you EC, most people agreed with your choice. I think you’re right about the lighting on that one. And I especially like the Jennies too
Hi Kim,
I love 1,5 & 7
Thank you Josh. I remember being delighted to capture 5 as he looked so comical with his colours changing
Such beautiful shots! Really exquisite. As always I don’t have a particular reason but the first and the last appeal to me most, though I love them all.
That’s interesting Alyssa as the first one is the overall winner and the last one is the one I found after I sent images to the lady, thank you
Thank you for sharing your exquisite photographs and informative, fascinating and insightful comments. Number one pic is my number one! The profile, the lighting, the dark background with a hint of vegetation and the gorgeous banksia pedestal on which he poses: it all comes together harmoniously.
Thank you Jonathan, and thanks for explaining why Banksia Fairywren is your number one. It’s great to get an objective view sometimes as I get all wrapped up in remembering taking the shot, happy birding, Kim
Absolutely brilliant! Love them all.
Thank you Bridget 🙂
Hi Kim. Superb indeed. I love all seven photos, but the action shot of the male perched on the thistle really stands out to me. That photo is a natural shot of a Wren being a Wren and the clarity is “superb”. Many congrats.
I hope this note finds you and your readers healthy and safe.
Kind Regards
HB
ps: the birds are starting to migrate back here in Ontario. This week some brave Robins arrived, noisy grackles have been seen in the trees near by. My own bird photography is literally a blur. I paint birds better than I photograph them.
I wrote a long reply about the thistle image which was kindly gobbled up by the internet. The main point, I think, was what a good excuse it was not to do any weeding. It’s great to hear about the migratory birds returning to your area, we don’t experience that in the same way although some migratory birds do wander north and south a little. It’s a gift to be able to create artwork like yours, Kim