A plumed whistling duck resting beside a small urban pond reflecting the fresh spring leaves of trees on the other side. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark IV, EF600mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x TC, 1/500 s exposure at f10, ISO 400.
The latest additions to my website are a few images of plumed (grass) whistling ducks (Dendrocygna eytoni)—rare vagrants to New Zealand from Australia. Three of these stunning little ducks were discovered in a city park in Napier, and reported on BirdingNZ.net, and as soon as I could I was off to try to catch up with them. In Australia they feed on grasses and legumes near wetlands, and these birds in Napier seemed quite happy grazing the mown lawn of a urban park.
A tired little egret (Egretta garzetta) yawns while resting beside a small coastal wetland. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark IV, EF600mm f/4L IS USM, 1/250 s exposure at f9, ISO 200.
I have been a bit slow at uploading new photos recently. It’s that time of the year again when work, and life in general, seems to go into overdrive trying to get certain things done before the world grinds to a halt for a few weeks in late December. This is the worst time for nature photography, in my opinion. Beaches are crowded, many birds are looking scruffy in their old feathers, and the sun is too high for much of the day. Of course there are still loads of opportunities if one cares to look, but I hope to spend more time catching up on processing earlier photos. I have managed to add a couple of new shots of a reef heron shot on the Coromandel Peninsula, and a little egret that is a long time resident of a small coastal wetland in Hawke’s Bay. Little egrets are rare stragglers to New Zealand, and when they do turn up it is usually at a coastal wetland or estuary.
A handsome adult shore plover wading into a small rockpool. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark IV, EF600mm f/4L IS USM, 1/500 s exposure at f8, ISO 400.
Shore plovers (Thinornis novaeseelandiae) are amongst the most rare of shorebirds. They would once have been found around the coast of much of New Zealand, but they were decimated by the predatory mammals that arrived with humans, particularly cats and Norway rats, and pushed to the brink of extinction. They persisted only on a couple of small islands in the remote Chatham group, where their numbers dwindled to around 130 individuals. Recent conservation work has focussed on establishing new populations on other predator free islands. One of these is Mana Island, north west of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital. Since their release on Mana in 2007, shore plovers have regularly been seen along the adjacent mainland coast, usually in ones and twos, but in June 2011 a flock more than 30 were found on a little rocky beach at Plimmerton. Having more than 15% of the total word population of this endangered species on a highly accessible beach just a short drive north of the capital was a great opportunity for birders and bird photographers who visited from around the country, but risky for the endearing little plovers.
Being incredibly rare, and part of an intensively monitored population, virtually every one of the shore plovers at Plimmerton sported up to 5 leg bands, including some wonderfully vivid coloured bands. Great for ornithologists to identify individuals, but they don’t always look so good in photographs. I had to be a little creative. The photo here is one I was quite pleased with. It’s a beautiful adult, and you can’t see its bands. Of course, just being able to see these special birds was reward enough for the long drive, but a couple of good photos on top is even better!
You can see more shore plover photos in my web gallery.
A royal spoonbill using its distinctive large bill to delicately glean invertebrates from the leaves of a small mangrove seedling. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark IV, EF600mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x tele converter, 1/400 s exposure at f10, ISO 400.
This photo of a royal spoonbill (Platalea regia) is one of several I was pleased to make one evening at Miranda, Firth of Thames (you can see more spoonbill photos here). I hadn’t given spoonbills much thought when I went to this internationally significant wetland that day. I was hoping for one of a couple of rarities that had been sighted recently in the area. But, one of the things I love about Miranda, and why I have been there so many times, is that it always seems to present new subjects and opportunities.
Although royal spoonbills can be viewed at close quarters in some parts of New Zealand, I’ve always found them to be rather timid in most parts of the upper North Island where I most often meet them. On this occasion a small flock that had been feeding well out of range on an incoming tide flew cooperatively toward me as the evening light began to mature. Using a low bank and tall grass for cover, I was able to quickly move so the actively feeding birds were within range of my lens. As the sun neared the horizon I focussed my attention on one spoonbill as it worked intently around a small mangrove seeding, feeling with its sensitive bill for crabs and other prey that might shelter there. A small crab was sieved from the murky water and unceremoniously swallowed. The spoonbill then used its odd looking bill to delicately comb each leaf of the plant, presumably gleaning small invertebrates. I was surprised by the dexterity it displayed, and pleased to come away with what I think is a nice composition. Notice the bird is off-centre. Putting the subject smack in the middle of the frame is a mistake many beginners make. Doing so can create a static image that fails to capture attention, or an awkward tension that just doesn’t sit well. Putting space in front of the subject suggests room for to move to and crates a more dynamic composition. Of course, like all ‘rules’ in photography there are times to break this one, but if you don’t know why, it’s generally not a good idea.
Recent uploads include some macro images of harvestmen, harmless spider-like creatures whose bodies are often bizarely proportioned. Also, new photos of albatrosses and other pelagic seabirds. But wait, there’s more! All these are now 44% bigger, at no extra cost! Screen sizes are bigger, and most people have faster internet connections than a few years ago, so I’ve started making new gallery photos larger, and as time allows I’ll reprocess some older ones.
