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Sunday, 2 September 2007
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I've been pottering around the garden this morning. Not really doing much in the way of planting or anything (to early here, we're still getting frosts), but rather planning what I'll plant, when, and where. My garlic crop is well under way, the raspberrys and black current are starting to bud, and last years rhubarb has just poked it's head up through the pea-straw again. The tree lucerne on the river bank is covered with lost of fresh young shoots the the native pigeons are enjoying. 
11:17:30 AM 
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Saturday, 12 May 2007
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Toutouwai is a fearless little bird, bolder even than the Fantail. They will fly within an arms reach and are even known to perch on a persons head of shoulder. I have still found it challenging to get good shots of this species however because I usually come across them in the deepest darkest parts of the NZ bush where the light for photography of fast moving, dark coloured birds is not the best.
11:16:11 AM
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Saturday, 23 December 2006
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(click for 1024x768 or 1280x1024 desktop wallpaper)
This little fellow visited my garden this afternoon, just to have his portrait taken. He sat and waited paitently while I changed to my 300mm lens to get some nice closeups. Stoats are a real problem for New Zealands delicate eco-system. Our birds, particularly the flightless ones, have developed no defense to predators like this one, having evolved in an environment without them. They and their eggs are easy prey for the highly evolved stoat. Now that I know this one is hanging around the area, I should set a trap for him, for the sake of the local birds. I hate having to do that to any creature, especailly one so handsome. I wish I could just rehabilitate him or something.
Can you spot the little guy in the picture below?
1:39:50 PM
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Friday, 8 December 2006
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Saturday, 21 October 2006
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Saturday, 7 October 2006
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The garden is really coming to life now. I've got a few plants in (lettuce, beans, silver beet or swiss chard, cauliflower, brocoli, potatoes) and they are doing well, but it's the bird life really makes it feel like the growing season again. The kingfishers are back in the poplar tree by the back door, and their call is now the first sound I hear each morning. They'll probably nest in the same hole in the tree trunk that they had chicks in last year. Such shy and wary birds. This year I may even build a hide to photograph them from. Its the only way I'll get close enough for a good shot. This morning a native pigeon, Kereru, was posing in the plum tree when I drew the curtains. I'm sure he was just waiting to have his portrait taken. He sat there while I made a coffee, grabbed my camera, walked out to the front lawn, took a few shots, then just after I turned to walk away again, he took off; probably up the hill to find some morning sun that was now creeping down the walls of the valley. 
8:29:11 AM
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Wednesday, 27 September 2006
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Saturday, 23 September 2006
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I went to Rabbit Island this afternoon to meet up with friends Mark and Pamela, and hopfully do some kite buggying. The wind did not eventuate however, so we amused ourselves throwing boomerangs, collecting shellfish (just had cockles and chips for tea) and some last minute bird photography. This handsome little bird was swooping around the bridge at the entrance to Rabbit Island. I had to do a search when I got home to identify but I think it is a Welcome Swallow. Nice name.  This Pied Shag was nearby, drying his wings, while another was diving for fish.
(click for 1024x768 or 1280x1024 desktop wallpaper)
7:49:00 PM
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Wednesday, 31 May 2006
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Fantails are my unicorns. The creature impossible to catch... in pixels.
Although they are difficult to photograph ironically they are not hard to find. They are a very common bird in New Zealand, and to top it off they are completely fearless around people. Often they will follow you through the bush, dancing in the air just an arms reach away. Its almost like they taunt the photographer. They are such accomplished aeronauts that are almost impossible to predict their flight as the flit and dart around. The photographers best bet is to try and predict where they will land (hint: it's usually the perch where they can get the best view of you), then focus on the branch and wait for them to land. Even then you'd better be quick... they seem to sense the camera shutter precognitively and break their pose at just the right nano-second. To add more difficulty they usually hang out in dense bush where the low light requires slow shutter speeds. Any fantail that remains motionless for half a second is probably dead, and using a flash, in my experience, just ruins a closeup bird shot (I usually lose most of the fine details in the feathers from the flash highlight).
I have spent considerable time in pursuit of fantail shots. I could count the 'keepers' on one hand out of literally thousands off frames.
Then there is the Black Fantail. Unlike the Pied Fantail, the Black Fantail is only found in the South Island, and it makes up just 10% of the Fantail population here. Because their feathers are all dark they are even harder to photograph.
This afternoon I stopped down at the beach to walk Kaycee. This pair of Black Fantail came from the dunes and stayed with me for a good 10 minutes. They seemed as interested in me as I was in them and graciously allowed me to take their portraits to share with you.
8:46:58 PM
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Saturday, 15 April 2006
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11:37:58 AM
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© Copyright
2007
Murray Neill
.
Last update:
2/09/2007; 1:07:06 p.m.
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