Apologies for the quality of these shots, very fast reaction
on my mart and rainy late afternoon light are not conducive
to startlingly good photography
even so, I am very pleased I captured this incredibly shy
and elusive bird
although I know it very well, since it is native to my Mt.Lofty garden
where I had one that was happy to forage in my vicinity,
it always kept in the densest shade.
The Common Bronzewing has a haunting daytime mating call
a protracted hoooot, like the San Francisco fog horn,
followed by an interval . . .
then, another hoot with the intervals becoming progressively
longer until you give up waiting for the next one and yep,
three seconds later, there it is.
It is always a pleasure to listen to, not only for the haunting
quality of the hoot but also the surprise factor involved.
These two shots I managed to capture at the end of my pine
plantation walk as I headed for my car and watched four
Magpies squabbling, one flew into a tree across the road as I
headed for my car. I dropped my eyes and there, within a
couple of feet of my bumper, was the Bronzewing at he
side of the road.
It was in an 'alert' position so no time to check settings, just
lift camera and shoot (and pray).
The Bronzewing turned as the Magpie swooped and I clicked.
Moments later, obscured my car, it had taken off.
Just when I was a little disappointed at not bagging any birds
in the plantation, I was on the verge of ecstatic
at this bird being handed to me on a platter
at the last moment.
Joining Stewart's
and Michelle's
