Well done everyone - it is becoming more challenging to think of ideas for you all! This week lets share those quiet and cryptic birds...
| Term and Conditions | Privacy Statement | Web Support by Gaia Resources Hosted by Serversaurus |  |
| Term and Conditions | Privacy Statement | Web Support by Gaia Resources Hosted by Serversaurus | |
cryptic/ambiguous and mysterious.....only the "Bush Thick-knee" comes to my mind. Just have a look at those cryptic eyes.
M-L
Not the clearest of photos, but here's a couple of our quiet/shy quails.
They are only noisy if you nearly step on them
Here is a couple i think meet the criteria
.
Latham's Snipe-6354 by rawshorty, on Flickr
.
Australian Spotted Crake-4138 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
One more
.
Buff-banded Rail-2414 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Black-fronted Dotterel,my first time seeing these and they're quite shy:
Nice one Nathan, they always give me that feeling of a " lost bird". Your photo depicts that perfectly
M-L
I find the " Australasian Grebe" quite enigmatic and mysterious. It's very difficult to get close to them, they dive down, stay under water for a long time , and miraculously reappear in a different spot. Saw this one on a lake in Berwick this morning.
M-L
Nice one Nathan, it is a bird i really want to get a shot of. My local wetlands are drylands at the moment
so i will have to wait.
.
M-L, nice shot and thanks for the ID on a bird that hasn't had a name in my files for many months.
They sure don't stay up for long to get a photo, they just keep diving for food non stop.
But i got one
.
--0546 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Nice one Shorty, love the bright colours. (I do have lots of photos (50) of them
, do you want some?
)
M-L
The Great Australian Egret is a very mysterious and secretive bird.
M-L
How is that for some mystery?
In mythology Herons are said to be messengers from the gods. They are supposed to bring a change in luck (good or bad). They are also thought to be signs of wealth and fertility.
M-L
The Pardalote,one of the most elusive tiny birds. Like a sparkling jewel in my garden , appearing for a few fleeting moments, and disappearing as suddenly .
M-L
Even more elusive and shy are the "Baby Grebe", the mothers stay well away from the edge of the lake to protect their young. I sat there for a very long time. In the end I took about 50 photos though.
M-L
Great photos everyone.
Hey M-L, check out my post "Ducks" better than the ducks do!"
I've been sitting on my Grebe piccies for absolutely ages, just waiting, waiting, waiting for the babies to arrive, which they did this week.
I'll see your 50 and raise you 680 (oops - poor camera)
Cheers
Chris
great photos everyone....i have been so busy at work all week i havent had time to blink, let alone camera shutter ! but I now have wheels so am looking forward to birding adventures further afield .....
Teresa Skerratt
Gardens for Birds Bees and Butterflies
Different members of the Grebe family, the Hoary-headed Grebe.
(hoping for some help here. Is No
1 a male still in breeding plumage, or do all the males look like him at any time of the year? And the other birds in No2, are they females, or non breeding males? Can someone 
me?)
M-L
From what I can gather, both sexes of the hoary-headed grebe have streaked heads when in breeding plumage but I'm happy to be corrected on this. When sunning themselves they turn their backs to the sun & fluff their feathers, particularly when the sun is low in the sky. Australasian grebes do the same.
Agree with Woko. I think you have breeding & non-breeding plumages there, the sexes are difficult to separate. HANZAB says "Sexes alike but with experience separable in field by size of bill: shorter in female than in male. Seasonal differences in plumage occur but not fully understood; eclipse & immature breeding plumages may occur but have not been described....."
Hmmm, thanks Woko and Steve
M-L