Bush Stone-curlew

[wigz]

I often hear these calling during the night while out camping and have wondered how to get a photo. Well they've been quite close all along.

I've been doing the tourist thing over the last couple of weeks and came across the first at Line Pine Koala Sanctuary and the second in the old Brisbane Botanic Gardens in the city. Neither are captive birds but are obviously well accustomed to people, which is just as well as I didn't have a long lens with me.


Nikon D800, Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro.


Nikon D800, Nikon 24-120 f/4

[seaslug]

Yes they are strange birds we don't get in Tassie. I've seen them on some of the Qld. Islands and they seem very approachable. I think they know they blend in well with the background. Noisy buggers at night though!

I like that top shot.

[Isac]

These photos are 1st class Greg. They are a very unusual bird indeed. I read once that in many Aboriginal cultures, they have a close association with death.

[wigz]

Thanks Isac and Greg. I have seen several of these around the city years ago. In these cases, they were standing as still as statues, trying to be invisible. The one in the first photo appears to be nesting, and the second was part of a group that was moving around at about 3:30pm.

With their eerie night-time wailing, I can understand why they might have been associated with death.

[avkomp]

we dont get these around my way. like the head angle and light in the first, a bit more eye contact would have lifted the 2nd

[wigz]

Thanks Stephen. With the second, I think I was pushing a bit close because of the short lens, and they kept turning slightly away. Annoying but understandable.

[Phoenix]

How marvellous to get so close to these in the wild.
They have such droll expressions.
It's a wonder that they haven't all fallen prey to feral animals.