Rainbow Bee-Eater

Merops Ornatus

I finally managed to sneak a little closer to these guys (still not close enough as this is heavily cropped). There are three of them in a dead tree down the road and they range about the place catching bees, flies, etc.

See where this picture was taken.

View all photos taken: Sunday, 15th June 2008, This photo: 2:43pm

Previous Photo: Jono

Comments

  • Xenedis said:
    Now there's some nice colour in that. Looks like the sun has returned to "sunny" Queensland. :-)
  • David de Groot said:
    It sure has :)
    Could have done with your 300/2.8 + 2x TC today. Damn flighty birds.
  • Xenedis said:
    Is a 300/2.8 on the list? :-)
  • David de Groot said:
    Only if it's a fanciful list. I can't imagine I'll have that sort of money to throw at lenses anytime soon.
  • Jack High said:
    It may be heavily cropped, but viewed large it is quite sharp with little noise. It's a very interesting bird, colours and markings; and I like the shapes in the scribbly gum (type) on the right. The blue background is very good too.
    --
    Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Jack, apart from the cropping it's straight from the camera, no additional sharpening, saturation, etc. Just into LR and export to JPG. :)
  • AlexandraPhotos said:
    How wonderful it must have been to see. Not a bad shot for one that you have cropped heavily
    --
    Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
  • -Gadabout- said:
    Lovely shot :)
  • David de Groot said:
    I was soooo surprised to find these wonderful birds living right here in my street. I'm hoping if I try to photograph them regularly, they'll eventually get used to me and allow me to get closer.
    Thanks, quite happy with the clarity and colour, next step is to get closer still so I don't have to crop as much. Hmmm... might need a ladder.
  • -Gadabout- said:
    lol, that would be so funny to see - someone climbing a ladder in the middle of a field!!! :D
  • David de Groot said:
    Well they weren't there today so I didn't have to fetch my ladder :)
  • -Gadabout- said:
    lol, it's still making me laugh!
  • No Fixed Address / TJ said:
    Great capture Dave,
    I tried to shoot some of these guys last year in Australia, but they proved to be very elusive, and easily spooked.
    My Compliments...
  • David de Groot said:
    Oh yes, very easily spooked. I was around 10m+ away from these ones and any closer (or if I'd been out in the open) and they would have flown off.
  • Brenda-Starr said:
    Beautifully captured!
    --
    Seen in a discussion of the group "^ Wildlife of Australia ^ Plz enter the ICON CONTEST." (?)
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Brenda - one of these days I'll get close enough to these guys to get a nice uncropped shot of them. They do tend to fly off at the slightest disturbance though.