Magpie-lark

Gallery: AvianPosted February 20, 201193 views12 comments

Another from my afternoon in the flooded paddock as birds came to feed on the insects flushed out by the rising floodwaters.
These are not related to magpies or larks but are more closely related to monarch flycatchers. They are common in all open habitats including urban areas but before European settlement I suspect they would have been largely around lake shores as this is. Bit like the wagtails of Europe and Asia. This is a young female. It's walking on islands of floating dead grass

1d2n 500/f4 1.4X
ISO 400 f8 1/2000 exp comp -2/3 under camo in flooded tall grass

cheers
Rob

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 20, 2011 at 7:52 AM

Dang you have so many cool and different birds down there Rob. Another great one here. Nice comp. Exposure is great on a tough subject. Love the habitat. Well done

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on February 20, 2011 at 8:35 AM

Very neat bird. Great image. The exposure is great on a bird that is black and white. I would really like to come and bird in Australia someday.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 20, 2011 at 10:44 AM

Very good exposure, Rob. Great low angle as well.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on February 20, 2011 at 11:08 AM

I really like the low angle and the surrounding habitat Rob. Also, great job on the exposure of a B&W bird. You make it look easy, when it isn't.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on February 20, 2011 at 2:06 PM

I like the low angle, head turn and typical soggy habitat. Good job with exposure too.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 20, 2011 at 3:30 PM

Rob,
another beautiful bird very well captured. Great exposure control, pose and setting.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on February 20, 2011 at 4:03 PM

Hi Rob.
You have done a great job on this difficult bird the detail in the whites looks spot on.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 21, 2011 at 7:43 AM

Really nice Rob. You may want to play with a couple of the distracting features in the back ground.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on February 21, 2011 at 8:04 AM

Wonderful detail and light, Rob.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Marquart on February 21, 2011 at 3:20 PM

Nice one Rob, nice job on the blacks and whites. I like that eye.

Registered on October 24, 2009, 126 Posts, 799 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 21, 2011 at 4:06 PM

Great job on a difficult constrast shot, a real challenge dealing with 2 colors, black or white. Well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 21, 2011 at 10:29 PM

Beautiful job Rob, nice job on the exposure. A great sense of the bird's preferred habitat. Really unique looking bird, can't say I recall seeing a photo of one even before this.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments