Happy Monday all. The LBB challenge showed some simply gorgeous birds - well done everyone!
I thought this week we would focus on a particular part of a bird - the eyes! You can crop photos if you like but otherwise just share shots of birds with some beautiful, unusual or simply striking eyes.
Who you looking at?
Mark
Nice one Mark!
There's eye contact in this shot.
Samford Valley Qld.
"One more step........ and you'll be off the cliff!" ~ Nankeen Kestrel
Brown Falcon
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus) -9540 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus) -9540 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Osprey
Peter
Australian owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus)-8623 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Australian owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus)-8623 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Good eye contact here..
Samford Valley Qld.
Powerful Owl, Ninox strenua-8386 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Powerful Owl, Ninox strenua-8386 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Kookaburra in our garden
Australian reed warbler (Acrocephalus australis)-7085 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Australian reed warbler (Acrocephalus australis)-7085 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Pied Oystercatcher
Peter
Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)-7403 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)-7403 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Love this challenge.
Some great photos guys.
Here's mine, I think I have shared this photo recently but every other photo of a Tawny Frogmouth I have they are doing the Branch Pose.
It was nice to finally get one with their beautiful big eyes wide open.
Orange eye
great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)-5056 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)-5056 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Lovely set of photos coming through. Some stunners, especially like Shortys Cormorant.
Thanks Rick, i have to agree, the weekly challenge always brings out some great shots from everyone.
White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela)-2813 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela)-2813 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
I actually met this little fellow this morning..
Samford Valley Qld.
I only have eyes for you.
Bassian Thrush from the other day. Love the dark eye.
My favourite eye photo I have would have to be this one.
Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)-0746 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)-0746 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Not much eye contact at all in this shot...
Samford Valley Qld.
Still one of my favourite photos. The eye of a Bush Curlew (Thick-knee)
M-L
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris-9841 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris-9841 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Got this one the other day when I went to pick the kids up from school.
Wasn't bothered by me just kept his eye on the prize.
Spotted Harrier.
Samford Valley Qld.
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)-2 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)-2 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
There is a tiny visitor with front feet firmly planted on the beautiful eye of this R-c Plover.
West Coast Tasmania
Nice photos everyone.
Like the Harrier Reflex, is that dead tree near your place?
You've captured the typical look for the Noisy Friar Shorty.
Annie, symply stunning, don't know how they tolerate the ants, especially so close to the eye.
I call this one Ducktor Evil
That dead tree is about 200 metres down the road and about ten years ago I nearly chopped it down. I'm so pleased that I didn't now and have since discovered how important a part dead trees play in the whole scheme of things.
Nocturnal vision usually means big eyes.
Samford Valley Qld.
That is one cracker of a shot, Annie.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Bower Bird-4375 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Bower Bird-4375 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Buff-Banded Rail.
Samford Valley Qld.
Rufous Whistler -7889 by rawshorty, on Flickr">[/url]Rufous Whistler -7889 by rawshorty, on Flickr
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Samford Valley Qld.
A hawk eagle giving me the eye.
Mark
As usual, I was blown away by the amazing quality of the shots posted above. Stunning stuff. Clearly you are all on much better terms with the Sharpness Goddess than I am.
I did enjoy Reflex's "no eye contact" shot though. Perhaps there was just a hint of a third eye there?
I recently signed up for an online wildlife photography course, and it turns out the tutor is big on water-birds. However, I'm not close to any rivers or lakes here. So I may have to improvise...
And the eyes on the wood duck and duckling that I spotted on the block this morning are definitely unusual.
Some of the photos are stunning - I always find it hard to get that close to birds to get such good pics.
I couldn't choose between the bottom two photos. Kingfisher photo from overseas that I caught mid-blink. Also, I always though the Beautiful Firetail looks like it has too much eye-shadow on.
Dave, Sydney.
Thanks Devster and Shorty, she was such a dedicated and tolerant mum to be.
Thoroughly enjoying the spectacular array of shots this week, just beautiful!
Not quite the vibrant red eye of a mature Eurasian Coot just yet, but a pretty eye all the same.
West Coast Tasmania