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  • Satin Bowerbirds

    Still trying to work out how to photograph some new birds at the new home under different light conditions

    #1 Female Ptilonorhynchus violaceus



    #2 Female



    #3 Male



    All D7000 300mm f//6.3 800 ISO Tripod

    "Satin Bowerbirds are medium-sized birds. The adult male has striking glossy blue-black plumage, a pale bluish white bill and a violet-blue iris. Younger males and females are similar in colour to each other, and are collectively referred to as 'green' birds. They are olive-green above, off-white with dark scalloping below and have brown wings and tail. The bill is browner in colour. Young males may begin to acquire their adult plumage in their fifth year and are not fully 'attired' until they are seven.

    Breeding:

    The male Satin Bowerbird is perhaps the best known and well documented of all the bowerbirds in Australia. This fame partially stems from its practice of building and decorating a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks, is built on the ground, and is used as a courtship arena during the breeding season. The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects; blue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops are among the favourite stolen items, while bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation. A mixture of chewed vegetable matter and saliva is used to paint the walls of the bower. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year. The breeding season runs from, and both mature and immature males build bowers and display to prospective females.


    On the arrival of a female, the male Satin Bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements, such as strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering, and accompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry. One of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male's bill. If impressed, the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own, while the male readies himself for courting more prospective females.

    The female places a loose nest of sticks in a tree or bush, up to 30 m – 35 m above the ground." Birds in Backyards


    Alan

    D7500 | iPhone XS Max | Mac

    Flickr Instagram

  • #2
    What an amazing difference between the male and female!
    That female has beautiful markings and eye colour.

    Great images Alan, so sharp!


    What if there were no Hypothetical questions?
    CC always welcomed, feel free to post your ideas with an edit if you have time - Thanks.

    Comment


    • #3
      Stunning photos. Wow a female bird which is more attractive than her mate, very unusual. That blue eye is stunning as are her green and yellow colours. He's still handsome and very satiny, but unlike the wrens she wins hands down in the looks department to me.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks you two.

        I think it's going to be a real challenge to get a correctly exposed and detailed pic of the male.

        Then I'll have to find his bower
        Alan

        D7500 | iPhone XS Max | Mac

        Flickr Instagram

        Comment


        • #5
          Just beautiful Alan.
          -----------------------------------------------------
          Question everything ~ Christopher Hitchins

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks Mick - hope you find/return with many bird photo works of Art or Science.

            A Grey Falcon with prey or young, or a Night Parrot will be acceptable.

            Good Luck
            Alan

            D7500 | iPhone XS Max | Mac

            Flickr Instagram

            Comment


            • #7
              Budgies are high on my hit list!
              -----------------------------------------------------
              Question everything ~ Christopher Hitchins

              Comment


              • #8
                A large gold and green flock sweeping and wheeling around a warm, still water hole at sunset is a sight to behold (so I'm told )
                Alan

                D7500 | iPhone XS Max | Mac

                Flickr Instagram

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by caralan View Post
                  A large gold and green flock sweeping and wheeling around a warm, still water hole at sunset is a sight to behold (so I'm told )
                  A pretty sweet sight at dawn too.

                  Captured this a couple of years back on the Fitzroy River near Broome, never seen budgies around here before or since. This image is one of my inspirations for doing the desert trip, being so close to a flock of these was not an event to be forgotten.

                  Actually just getting the shots was an event not to be forgotten as I had to cross the river on my own in the dark then trek for about a km through soft boggy river sand. Only had a tiny sapling to hide behind and there was a small creek to the left of where I lay that's known to hold large salties. So one eye on the creek and the occasional glance to the budgies, quick fire of the shutter then eyes back to the creek.

                  It was a morning to remember.

                  Had spotted the budgies the previous morning from my campsite so stayed an extra day to get some shots. I've been hooked on budgies ever since.
                  Click image for larger version

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Size:	204.8 KB
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                  Camera
                  Canon EOS 7D

                  Focal Length
                  400mm

                  Aperture
                  f/8

                  Exposure
                  1/2000s

                  ISO
                  5000





                  -----------------------------------------------------
                  Question everything ~ Christopher Hitchins

                  Comment

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