Wildlife Photography

[Ripley]

Yep, I know what you are saying.

I just remembered I took a few shots of a metallic plumaged bird this time last year. Unfortunately I had a very crappy lens on my 350D which belonged on my husband's film SLR which has got to be from the mid 90s or even 80s. It was a Tokina 70-300. I mean this lens is as soft as butter and so I never use it now I have the Canon as it's just crap.

The male satin bower bird has a blue/black metallic plumage and the female here is greeny brown but she has a naturally light purple, shiny eye. I was up before dawn and took the camera out. This was taken just after dawn and mist clung to the lodge's grounds. Best time for looking for wildlife though as they are all out feeding as nobody was about (except this loser (me) and some keen Japanese hikers ).

Species: Female bower bird in the mist. Location: Binna Burra Lodge's grounds, Lamington Nat Park, about inland from Brisbane. Ah, if only I the better gear a year ago.

The early morning mist had rolled in more in this photo, shrouding her here.

Later on in the day, the botanist at the lodge told me where the male bower bird's lair was and this is it - complete with everything blue. I could hear him, but I couldn't see him, off courting females no doubt.

Edited January 12, 2009 by Ripley

[chezzyr]

It is amazing how they collect things and thanks for sharing the pics anyway.

Lamington is another place we need to visit sometime, how far inland is it

from Brisbane (car)?

Know what you mean about the soft lenses. Reminds me of my first digital

camera I got - a little Canon Powershot A10 - only 1.3 megapixels LOL.

I was amazed at how brilliant its photos were - until I put my hands on

other digital cameras and now the A10 photos look CRAPOLA.

[Ripley]

The fun for me is finding/observing them in the wild - it is like a treasure hunt - photos are a bonus.

And I get to visit wonderful places in my country while doing it.

I think it's fun too, but OH doesn't. He boiled up a cuppa for himself (took the portable gas stove) while I went off stalking blue wrens at some remote pub in the middle of nowhere. Great spot for birding though, 2 gang gangs flew overhead, parrots etc. - of course I was hiking at the time and had the camera in the backpack as it's too heavy to hang around your neck on a several km walk.

Unfortunately in the morning on the way there and on an unsealed road, we passed a young female roo who had been hit (god knows how long she was lying there in agony) and some moron just kept going, without checking that yes, she was still alive and in incredible pain. She was easy to spot too and had her head up. Her back legs were busted up and she was paralysed, trying to get up. She was growling at me when I approached and WIRES were going to be a long time getting there after we called, so OH and his mate had to end her misery quickly - I walked off, couldn't bear to watch. Both men were very upset about having to do that - but no creature should have to suffer like that because someone hit her and then were too cruel and thoughtless to check if she was still alive. I took a photo of her to show her plight which I might use somewhere, I won't put it up here for sensitivity reasons.

how far inland is it from Brisbane (car)?

Um, it's about an hour from the Gold Coast, not sure how long from Brisbane. Binna Burra is rustic, but I prefer it to the more upmarket O'Reilly's which is very commercial. Binna Burra is rustic cabins but great hiking. Edited January 12, 2009 by Ripley

[Chloes Dad]

I love this thread, well done everybody!