Photography throwdown: Yardbirds II

[Tobie]

I thought of taking the liberty and resume the Elin’s Yardbirds in a 2nd thread. The 1st one is getting a bit fat with images and takes quite a while to load.

I’ll kick off with these two African Grey Hornbills – a dad and juvenile. I was fortunate to have seen this juvenile leave its (man-made) nest 2 weeks ago via a video which the owner shared with me. This shot was literally taken from inside my family room this morning, as the youngster was still investigating its brand new world.

 

[Tobie]

Dad was closeby, keeping a close watch on the youngster’s curious discoveries.

[Dave Watkins]

Nothing like that around here. 🙂 Dad definitely has that prehistoric look. Great looking beak and tail too.

[Rob Eyers]

Solid shots as always Tobie!

[Tobie]

Thanks @ryers!

[ElinL]

Great idea to turf the throwdown over to an new thread Tobie.

Super images, majestic birds.

[LeanneC]

Super shot of an amazing bird. Prehistoric looking is right, Dave! I love how someone else’s yardbirds can look like exotic creatures.

[David Chesterfield]

Wonderful images Tobie!

 

[Beaky]

Nice shots mate! Savage looking beasts!!

 

[Tersha]

These are so unusual Tobie, great images!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful birds and photos Tobie. Love the hornbills 🙂

[Tobie]

Thanks Dahlia. Yes, they’re quite unique aren’t they? They have a kind of prehistoric look – not unlike their screetching calls.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

So true Tobie. I have seen the great hornbill and the oriental pied hornbill. They are amazing birds and very unique 🙂

[Patrick]

Both top notch captures Tobie , such a strange looking bill , prehistoric not far off there mate , the pattern is very simular to a female mallard wing feathers , nice share as always 😉

[Tobie]

Thanks Patrick!

[Patrick]

Deleted , was not really on topic shot 😉

[Jim Collins]

Exceptional photos, Tobie. The hornbill is certainly a unique-looking bird. Junior doesn’t seem to have a horn yet or is that the beginnin of one on the top of his bill?

Thank you for sharing them.

[Tobie]

Thanks Jim. Yes, the ‘horn’ still needs to develop and only then we will know whether it’s a male or female. The female’s ‘horn’ is very different from the male’s (more like a bridge) and is yellow in colour.

[Dave Watkins]

American Goldfinch.

[Tobie]

What a beauty! It seems that one can’t go wrong with any type of finch!

[Dave Watkins]

I’d agree whole heartedly Tobie. 🙂

[LeanneC]

We are seeing so many of these guys this spring! Great catch.

[Dave Watkins]

We’re seeing just two or three at a time right now. But they’re here every day. 🙂

[Patrick]

Just WOW Dave , super shot mate.

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Patrick. 🙂

[Tersha]

Stunning colour Dave, beautiful little finch!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Diane. These little guys do have a wonderful vibrant yellow color.

[Dave Watkins]

My last shot posted to Elin’s thread. Black-headed Grosbeak.

 

[Tobie]

Love it! Nice eye contact!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Tobie. For some reason this guy was content to sit still and just look around for some time giving me plenty of opportunity to pick and choose my shots.

[Patrick]

Brilliant capture 😉

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks. Muchly appreciated Patrick.

[LeanneC]

I love these birds. One of my favorites at the feeder. We get the Evening Grosbeak. My daughter calls them giant goldfinches. Super capture!

[Dave Watkins]

I think your daughter is correct. I think Grosbeaks are in the finch family. I think. 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely colours, lovely shot Dave!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Diane. It took a while but some colorful birds finally showed up in the yard.

[David Chesterfield]

The Currawongs were not happy with my garden visitor this morning! Beautiful young adult Brisbane carpet python on my leopard tree!

 

[Tobie]

I wouldn’t be too happy either if it invades my space! 😀

[LeanneC]

Yikes! No thanks.

[Patrick]

WOW , i would be calling the snake man or women out , some capture David 😉

[Tersha]

Wow, amazing shot David!

[ElinL]

deleted

[LeanneC]

I am always fighting the light, where our feeders are hanging…never get a decent exposure. Last night I stopped fighting and rolled with it!

[Dave Watkins]

Love it. I’m a sucker for silhouettes and this ones a beauty.

[LeanneC]

Thanks Dave!

[Anne Hornsby]

Wow, Leanne.  I love the combo of near-silhouette at the top of the feeder with complete silhouette below.

[LeanneC]

Thanks so much Anne!

[Patrick]

Class work , love it 😉

[LeanneC]

Thank you, Patrick.

[Rob Eyers]

Lovely capture Leanne. Print it and hang it!

[LeanneC]

🙂 Thanks Rob!

[Jim Collins]

Great job of rolling with it, Leanne. Beautiful shot.

[LeanneC]

Thanks so much Jim!

[Dave Watkins]

Evening Grosbeak. My new favorite yard bird to visit our feeders.  Taken in harsh midday sun. Tried but just couldn’t fix those blown out highlights.

[Beaky]

Now there is a stunning little fella, nice shot Dave.

 

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Beaky. They do have some great coloration. 🙂

[Patrick]

Don’t know how i missed this , lovely capture Dave .. have you not got a lawn to cut lol.

[Dave Watkins]

🙂 As I wait for a bird to get in a proper position for a photo I remind myself that the lawn needs mowed. It’s a start. 🙂

[LeanneC]

Beautiful!

[Tersha]

Wow, another great coloured bird!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Leanne and Diane. 🙂

[David Chesterfield]

Currawong

 

[Patrick]

Amazing eyes on these mate and a cool name , nice shot.

[LeanneC]

I feel like you are from another planet (or I am) when you share images like these David! What a neat looking bird.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! Interesting bird. Never heard of this David 🙂

[David Chesterfield]

Superb Fairy wren (male & female)

 

[LeanneC]

Amazing shot, David. Love it.

[Patrick]

My other Yard 😉

https://youtu.be/atUhGWYlt-E

[Dave Watkins]

And I thought MY lawn needed mowing. 🙂

[Patrick]

Haha it don’t look to bad from a disstance 😉

[Dave Watkins]

“Splish splash I was taking a bath…”

[Patrick]

Nice shot , liking the eye a lot on this little one.

[Tersha]

Love it!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks to you both. These Brewers blackbirds have pretty cool looking yellow eyes.

[Tersha]

Blackbird and worm

[Dave Watkins]

Wow! That’s quite a meal. Probably wolfed it down in no time at all. 🙂

[Anne Hornsby]

Also Wow Diane!,  I’ve tried “getting the worm” shots with no luck.  This worm is so plumb and the bird looks so plumb, it’s a really happy image

[Beaky]

A male Splendid Fairy-wren in full colours, sometimes known as a Blue Wren.

[Dave Watkins]

Beautiful shade of blue. Would love to see one up close.

[Patrick]

Black bird has some meal to contend with there , they are masters at this job though  .. Nice shot Tersha

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, they are busy all day pulling these out of the lawn!

[Patrick]

Beautiful shot Beaky , love the colours on these little birds nice work.

[Jim Collins]

Great shot Tersha. That should keep it full… for maybe 5 minutes.

[Tersha]

Thanks Jim, he collects beakfulls all day!

[Jim Collins]

Wow. Love the colors of this bird, Beaky. Great photo!

[Tersha]

Jay on my spade… I think it may be a juvenile ..

[Dave Watkins]

I like this one a lot. Besides being a beautiful bird the spade handle makes a perfect perch. Gives the image a very “cottage garden” look to it.

[Patrick]

Nice one Tersha , it certainly does look like a youngster i love how they go about searching the trees near my house , i find them hard to capture they don’t sit long enough 😉

[Beaky]

Thanks Dave, they are amazing little birds. When they are in flocks bouncing around the ground feeding, they will actually move right under your feet.

[Beaky]

Thanks Patrick.

 

[Beaky]

Thanks Jim.

 

[Tersha]

I can’t resist bird bath shots ..

[Dave Watkins]

Me either. 🙂 Has been raining a lot here the last week so ours hasn’t seen much use lately.

[Jim Collins]

He does seem to be enjoying himself. Very nice shots, Tersha!

[Jim Collins]

Something new finally showed up to partake of the food I offer. Another common bird but that’s OK. House sparrows, male and female.

[Tersha]

Sparrows are good Jim, we used to get crowds of them, but strangely only one or two now. Yours make good monotone shots!

[Jim Collins]

Thank you, Tersha. Maybe it’s a seasonal thing.

Forest for the trees. I did not even notice the monotone look till you mentioned it. Thank you.

[Anne Hornsby]

I love this, David – the birds against a completely abstract background,  You’ve taken “bokeh” to the extreme.

 

I’n having trouble with the new programming.  I clicked reply to David, and my comments doesn’t appear under David’s photo,

 

[Tersha]

Anne, until it gets sorted …. try clicking on ‘Reply’, then when it opens at the bottom, go back and click on ‘Reply’ again. let me know if it works! 🙂

[Anne Hornsby]

I love this, David – the birds against a completely abstract background,  You’ve taken “bokeh” to the extreme.

[Dave Watkins]

Bar buddies. 🙂

[Patrick]

Very nice Dave , nice pair 😉

[Tersha]

Lovely Dave, they look very inquisitive!

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Patrick and Diane. I love the look of these Evening Grosbeaks.

[Dave Watkins]

Female Rufous Hummingbird.

[Patrick]

Awesome shot mate really good capture 😉

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Patrick. We don’t have many visiting yet but the ones that are don’t seem too camera shy.

[Tersha]

Lovely shot Dave, I’m jealous now, we don’t get them over here!

[Dave Watkins]

🙂 They’re fun to watch. 🙂

[Jay Ward]

A family of Blue Jays has moved into our backyard. Here’s Mom and Dad feeding Junior.

[Dave Watkins]

Nice one Jay. You captured a tender moment in the bird world.

[Patrick]

Lovely capture Jay , gorgeous colours 😉

[Patrick]

And a screen shot from the nest i have been watching

[Dave Watkins]

Nice ones Patrick. 🙂 The bird in song shot borders on minimalism. Screen shot of Peregrine falcon(?) has humor.

[Patrick]

Thank you dave , the screen shot was hard to pass up on 😉

[Tersha]

Love the robin, I can hear him singing! Lovely shot on the nest, he’s looking right at the camera!

[Rob Eyers]

Very uncommon to see a green heron in our yard. It was dusk so this was pushed quite a lot.

[Patrick]

Lovely bird mate , good shooting in low light 🙂

[Tersha]

I’ve never seen one of these Rob, it’s quite a dramatic looking bird, nice shit!

[Tobie]

Nice one Dave! Sometimes our cameras simply can’t match the full dynamic range of our subjects – specially if it contains blacks & whites. Then we simply take what we can get and we’re grateful for it. 🙂

(Referring to your Grosbeak – not sure why my reply gets slapped onto the bottom of all posts @pentaxfan)

[Dave Watkins]

Yeah it was one of those situations where the sun did a great job at showing off the beautiful color of the grosbeak but was a bit much for the white feathers. And as fast as they hop around from one branch to another, from sun to shade and back again, not much time for exposure bracketing. 🙂

[Tobie]

Lovely shot Dave (Referring to your hummingbird) @pentaxfan

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Tobie.  🙂

[Tobie]

Beautiful colours @ozride (the wren)!

[Tobie]

A Thick-billed weaver (sub-adult female) demonstrating the reason for its name.

[Dave Watkins]

A fitting name indeed. She posed for you nicely. 🙂

[Tersha]

Wow, stunning bird! It’s difficult to gauge the size of it,Toby, it appears quite big?

[Patrick]

Really nice looking bird , lovely capture mate.

[Tobie]

White-bellied Sunbird (female).

Most female sunbirds look almost identical and the only sure way to ID them is to see them in the company of a male.

[Tersha]

Lovely shot Tobie!

[Patrick]

Tremendous photo , such a lovely looking bird with those brown and cream colours.

[Tersha]

Songthrush …
he sings at the top of the tree outside for hours at a time!

[Patrick]

Nice capture , fine looking bird these tersha.

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick!

[Tobie]

Thanks @tersha, Patrick, Dave.

It’s the size of a sparrow @tersha.

[Tersha]

Thanks Tobie, it looked so much bigger! Stunning shot!

[Tobie]

@tersha your nice shots reminded me of this starling taking a bath.

[Tersha]

Lovely shot Tobie, great action shot, and stunning metallic colour! @tobiepsg

[Tersha]

Juvenile male Great Spotted Woodpecker …

[Dave Watkins]

Hangin’ in there. That little splash of red makes a difference. Nicely done.

[Dave Watkins]

We’ve been thinking about getting a “thistle sock” for about a month. Glad we got one. The little finches love it. 🙂

[Tersha]

Looks good Dave, I’m assuming you don’t have squirrels? If we put one of these up the squirrels would rip it open!

[Dave Watkins]

Purple Finch.

[Tersha]

Lovely shot, nice red against the green.

[Tobie]

Beautiful Dave! Lovely colour mix!

[Author]

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