In the evenings on Lord Howe we would go and watch the sun set and have drink - a genuine sun-downer I suppose.
Most evenings there would be a few shearwaters or mutton-birds flying around. Eventually I worked out that they were landing to enter their nest burrows in the dunes near to where we were sitting.
On one evening I sat near the edge of these dunes and took photographs of the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes / Ardenna carneipes) flying around and landing. Landing may be a bit of an exaggeration of the degree of control showed by the birds as the reached land - crashing may be a more accurate term.
The birds would often land rather near my feet and then run into the vegetation to calm down or hide!
Most evenings there would be a few shearwaters or mutton-birds flying around. Eventually I worked out that they were landing to enter their nest burrows in the dunes near to where we were sitting.
On one evening I sat near the edge of these dunes and took photographs of the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes / Ardenna carneipes) flying around and landing. Landing may be a bit of an exaggeration of the degree of control showed by the birds as the reached land - crashing may be a more accurate term.
The birds would often land rather near my feet and then run into the vegetation to calm down or hide!
I also took this as a chance to try out some new settings on the camera for birds in flight - more practice needed, and a shame about the background on one the shots (there were some erosion protection works being done).
As ever, to join in with WBW click on the blue button below the thumbnails.
Feel free to spread the word about our little birding community in 2019. SM.
Great to see these birds so close Stewart. Thanks for hosting and have a good week ahead.
ReplyDeleteLooks like AutoCorrect had its way with you in the paragraph above the water birdshot....drives me crazy..Wonderfull pictures as always.. I remember some great flight shots in your posts. Practice, practice, practice.
ReplyDeleteInteresting photos of a bird that I do not know. Hope all is well on the other side of the world. Cheers Diane
ReplyDeleteA drink and a pair of Shearwater sounds like a good combination?!
ReplyDeleteHari om
ReplyDeleteWonderful... missed these when there. Out of season. Are the fish still being fed at Noddy's beach? YAM xx
Un reportaje espectacular, me ha encantado. Tienes un nuevo seguidor, saludos desde España.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine much that could be more pleasant than to sit with a drink and watch the shearwaters come in like that Stewart. You leave a charmed life indeed.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and nice catch-light!
ReplyDeleteFantastic bird photos Stewart. I haven't been taking many photos in awhile, so that's why I haven't been around. I got some nice Merganser photos this week, so I posted them to your site. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat to see an unfamiliar bird. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThose flight shots are great....I would need to practice for hours and probably get younger eye-hand coordination skills . Pretty bird, the crash landing reminds me of our brown pelicans ... they just kind of belly flop into the water. I think of them as clowns.
ReplyDeleteMust be funny birds, indeed. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteWith such a great wingspan they must look like an airliner trying to land on a helicopter pad! Nice still and in-flight photos. I, too, have been practicing with flight shots. Really wasting lots of pixels on bad ones, but I am learning more about exposure settings. A big issue is that the birds can change backgrounds so quickly, from bright sky to dark foliage, too fast to adjust 'on the fly."
ReplyDeleteThese guys are tricky to capture on camera! Nice!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who's learning how to capture birds in flight, I have a new appreciation for all you bird photographers!
ReplyDeleteThey fly so prettily! Shame they land awkwardly. Kinda like me when I used to roller skate.
ReplyDeleteStewart, nice capture of the birds in flight. New settings appear to be working. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see and learn about a new to me bird.
ReplyDeleteHi Stewart. Nice photos. Flight photos are great. Greetings Caroline
ReplyDeletehttps://carolinesnatuurfotografie.blogspot.com/