Normally I would not post captive birds on here, being a bit of a purist that way, but I had a great time when I finally got to see the aviary at Australia Zoo and the Wetlands area. It was surprisingly good fun and good practise at framing and lighting to get shots of them. So unusual to have the luxury of not hanging around for hours for one to appear!
I will just post small versions as I feel like a bit of a cheat. They are still beautiful even if they are in a zoo setting.
Brolgas eye
Female jabiru
Male Jabiru
White headed pigeon
Rose crowned fruit dove, it actually took my breath away when I saw it as it was so pretty and I had never seen one before in real life.
Cheers
Birdie
hi birdie
great shots :)
we had about 5 white headed pigeons land in our back yard once - i couldn't get over how big they were - much bigger than a galah
and i agree about the rose crowed fruit dove
:)
Turquoise parrot, also very beautiful
This emerald dove was having a wonderful time in the waterfall
and this was a real joy for me to see close up (in fact at all)
Cheers
birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
What a great way to spend a day.
So you did'nt go home when your camera battery went flat? :)
Al
Al, there was no flat battery for me that day, I made sure of that! I knew where I was going once inside the gates, and I can't believe I have been so many times and never found the rainforest aviary before! I'll be going back with my free pass for the rest of the year but minus any hangers on. the only thing that got me away from the birds was that I had my daughter and a Japanese exchange student with me at the time. lucky for me the visitor had expressed an interest in birds so I seized the opportunity.
The free flight bird show is lovely to watch too....
And you've gotta love the bush turkey who never gives up no matter how many times they sweep his pile off the path!!
these show the eye membrane thing happening really well
Thanks for looking
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
The first time I ever saw a Rose-crowned Fruit-dove was when I was up in Ingham. I was busy looking at a pair of Bush Stone-Curlews when I heard a rustle in the trees. To my surprise there was a lone Fruit-dove in the palm. They are truelly beautiful birds. The only time I've seen a Emerald Dove was on the road leading up to Wallaman Falls in FNQ.
They are some very beautiful photos in there. I only dream of taking photos like that! I especially love the Emerald Dove in the waterfall as well as the Turquoise Parrot.
Next time you visit the coast get someone to take you there, and you will take them no problems. I have seen some of your shots and you would do it easily in that situation.
They have a special on till the end of August, if you buy an entry it gets you in free for the rest of 2010.
Myky... have you ever seen a topknot? they are huge too. I loved the way the doves and pigeons puffed themselves out, and the light was just perfect .
Cheers
birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Thanks for the feedback Birdie. I can always count on you to encourage me with my photography!(:
What a great lot of photos! And no bars in the way to give away the fact that it is a zoo. My favourites are the rose-crowned fruit dove and turquoise parrot and the flight shots.
Thanks Birdgirl, I could have kept quiet and let everyone think that I was an awesome wildlife photographer who had been on a Northern Safari..... but I couldn't have lived with myself!! LOL
It was a treat to see the"real thing" with some of those birds and certainly very educational to see just what they do look like when you see them. Mind you, sitting at the top of a huge fig tree or rosegum in the canopy of a patch of rainforest, they could be anything from the ground! When the light is against you especially . that is when knowing the calls helps I guess.
The sun shining of the Jabiru's head and neck was throwing rainbow colours out and it was beautiful.
It would be perfect for Qldbird to build confidence... seriously!
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I'd like to go there too. I wouldn't know many of the calls - I mostly know the ones of the birds that visit our backyard
If you mean go to Australia Zoo, then you wouldn't need to know the calls. And all the birds in the aviary are clearly identified on info boards for you to read. I was meaning that in the Rainforest when the trees are high it becomes difficult. There is a lovely rainforest walk up at Mary Cairncross reserve in Maleny, up in the Hinterland here. But the canopy was so high that although I could here and see movements it was too hard for me as a novice to identify with any surety some of the species that I had never seen before. Maybe if I had a 600 F4.0L lens hanging off the end of my camera it would be a different story! :)
I can dream anyway ...
Sunshine Coast Queensland
hi birdie :)
no i haven't seen a topknot - just looked it up and apparently they can be much bigger then the white headed pigeon - so there you go :)
god i love those Major Mitchell shots
we are blessed in this country :)
:)