Well the day started off well. I went out with my friend again trying to find the elusive kingfisher. We finally found them and actually managed to take some photos of them. It was very overcast and shadowy where we found them but I am not complaining. WOHOOO!!! Then I realised the manual focus ring on my lens was stuck and playing up. And i needed it badly as I was mostly shooting the kingfishers through reeds and tall grass. So that deflated my spirit a bit. But then we saw a sacred kingfisher as well. So that made me happy again.
On the way home though we had a nasty car accident. A car pulled over in front of us and before we knew it it was all over. All out photo gear flew from the back seat and banged around in the back. My gear lucky was in a bag, but my friends was not and he has a fw scratches on his lenses and camera bodies. But considering I guess it all went well. We have minor scratches and bruising. car will be a writeoff. Anyway here are some pix to share with you all.. Did I say i saw kingfishers today? WOHOOO!!!
Azure Kingfisher
Sacred Kingfisher
Australian White Ibis with fish
White-Faced Herron
Dont know what bird this is
Beautiful pictures Alex.... phew...glad the camera gear didn't get hurt!! How is the car looking???? Where did you go by the way, it looks like a good variety there.
Hope you had a drink tonight to calm down after that lot!!! :')
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Woohoo alright boy what a day you had, glad to hear that you are both alright. Wow your Kingfisher is a beauty. The last photo is a Eastern Yellow Robin.
im sorry to hear that alex.
you azure kingfishers are beauties.
Cheers, Owen.
birdie: NO I didnt have a drink. Didn't even think of it. I got home and started going through the pics of the kingfishers which calmed me better than a drink would have. The car is a write off unfortunately.
Thanks Wonda and Owen. We will try get better pics next time. Its first time I have seen kingfishers in my life and didnt know what to expect. We got eaten alive by mozzies and I had to let them have free lunch at me as most of the time I was holding as still as possible so as not to disturb the kingfisher. I have more damage on my skin from them than I did from the car accident
I was born to live and I live to die.
birdie: i forgot to say. Pics were taken at Gerroa NSW.
I was born to live and I live to die.
Hi Alex
Not the best way to end a day out!,great shots, nice to see 'a dirty dump bird' (as I've heard them called, and they do like the dump!!)catching some live prey and looking very clean.
Ed Townsville NQ
Thank goodness you are ok. I'm glad some good things happened that day as well. You've been wanting the kingfisher for ages and you got a bonus one. Well done.
We had a p-plater write our car off about 18 months ago. I didn't go birding for about 6 months. Make sure you do.
Ed: Yes, I was surprised to see it catch a fish. I though they normally just eat "mud".
Birdgirl: NO it won't stop me. Only thing stopping me is my faulty lens now which I will be sending to Nikon on Monday. Fingers crossed the bill is not huge. *sigh*. So dont expect any photos from me till I get it back. Unless the birds feel sorry for me and land right in front of me for some photos. Might post some of my older photos before I joined BIBY.
I was born to live and I live to die.
Nice shots mate......Kingfishers can be a bit of a challenge.
Good to hear you and your mate did not get hurt,vehicles can be replaced,people can't.
Thanks Tassie. And yes you are right. Main thing is we got away with only some light bruising and minor scratches. Here is a pic. We were in the silver car.
I sent my lens out for repairs to Nikon today. Hopefully will get it back soon and it won't cost me an arm and a leg. In the meantime we have bought a hideout so hoping that will help us get closer to the kingfishers. I think we did ok the first time considering the light we had on the day and not knowing what to expect. Will be better prepared next time. For one I am taking some mozzie repellant. I have 20cent piece welts all over my legs and i can't stop scratching them.
I was born to live and I live to die.
Eek..... have you got another car???
I will say one thing... you are lucky that you say "we". I would really love to have someone who is as interested in birds as I am to go out with. They day I shot the waterfalls I went with someone interested in photography but I felt that I couldn't just stop and listen for 20 minutes like I would normally do if I hear something. I didn't take one shot of a bird all day .... had fun doing the other stuff but it'd be great to have someone to say..."hey listen that is a such and such".
Mind you , the birds were scarce and with the sound of the water you wouldn't have heard anything. Anyway...just saying... you are lucky and I will look forward to more of them Alex.
Cheers
Adrienne
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Gee mate thats a decent belt....these days they usually write something like that off.
I am hearing you about the welts from mozzies, I am exactly the same with them and sandflies.
Great photos, and sorry to hear about your car. Hopefully you'll be out birding again in no time.
Birdie, I emailed you a few weeks ago suggesting a date for a birding trip - not sure if you got it?
Andy.
Yep Andy, will be in touch :)
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Birdie: That was my friends car. I feel bad about it. He loves that car. Doesnt like the new model.
I was born to live and I live to die.
Ah well Alex.... as Tassie said... a car can be replaced but lives can't! At least you lived to tell the tale.
Sunshine Coast Queensland