Bird of the Week: 3rd December - creepy crawlies

45 posts / 0 new

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 12:13

Holly

OK guys - this week's theme focusses on all the little critters that are so important to birds as a food source - the invertebrates. Even if adults are not insectivorous, chances are most birds feed invertebrates to their young.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 14:44

Woko

Here are a few intrepid invertebrates & a chance to show off some of the butterflies I'm now seeing at my place.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 14:13

matt

Feed the family for a week

Matt

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 15:06

Holly

Lovely butterflies Woko and oh my goodness matt that is one impressive moth - you are right - definitely leftovers with that meal!

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 22:29

WendyK

About a year ago, I was suddenly finding humungous Golden Orb spiders setting up massive golden webs around my house. About the same time I put my birdbath in the front garden and the Australian Ringnecks started visiting. Boom, spiders gone!

Golden Orb (with tiny husband near back left leg) and a "Happy Monster Face" spider.

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 08:29

Araminta

Wow, great photos everyone.

That tiny husband in Wendy's photo better stay behind his wife and not anywhere near her front. She'll turn him into a small meal.

M-L

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 00:55

russianbear

Regards

Alex

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 15:18

timmo

Is that last one a Richmond Birdwing Alex?

Beautiful pics, by the way.

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 00:53

russianbear

Regards

Alex

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 15:30

#10

russianbear

Yes. Unfortunately, it sit up on the tree, too long distance.

Regards

Alex

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 17:28

#11

Woko

Nice ones, folks.

Wendy, thanks for pointing out the male golden orb weaver. I've never noticed males before. I obvioulsy haven't looked closely enough. We have occasional eruptions of this species here on the south eastern slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA but between eruptions there are only a few around. Since our bird numbers have grown significantly spider numbers generally seem to have declined significantly.

Russian Bear, I wonder if you'd mind mentioning where your marvellous shots of birds & bugs were/are/will be taken. I'm interested in the distribution of these creatures. By the way do you know what the subject matter of your first shot is? It sure looks like a good hairy close-up.

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 18:23

#12

WendyK

Beautiful and amazing shots, Alex.

I will, however, not be sleeping a wink tonight, especially as a favourite nightmare is of me being found a gibbering wreck in a corner with a weeny little stick insect in front of me. I swear that monster of yours is smiling.

Interesting you say "eruptions", Woko. I'd never heard of them before and suddenly these strapping wenches were everywhere.

Sooooo glad I don't have to eat the jolly things myself.

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 00:50

#13

russianbear

Thanks. Woko, all creatures except the Richmond Birdwing are SA habitants. First photo is just episode of meeting new born Monarch butterfly with the same butterfly larva. They usually share the same native plant for reproduction and feeding. I observed all stages of Monach transformation.

If you are interested in that subject, there are pupas new and mature.

Regards

Alex

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 19:35

#14

Araminta

O man, Alex, what can I say? Some of the best photography I have seen !!!!

( the other thing I might say, all I want for Christmas is a MACRO lens.Is that too much to ask for?)

M-L

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 20:29

#15

russianbear

Thanx, M-L. Ask Santa for teleconvertor or macro ring too.

Regards

Alex

Tue, 04/12/2012 - 21:23

#16

---

i hopefully will be getting a macro lense and teleconverter for christmas (if i'm lucky)

Golden orb,Christmas,and an unknown(but very common) spider

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 00:48

#17

russianbear

sean0118

The wasps look simillar. I did not know that it is Orange Potter Wasp . Thanks.

May be you know what is the next creature?

Regards

Alex

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 00:49

#18

WendyK

You've done a good job with that wide angle, Sean. Is that a mosquito, Alex? Best looking blood sucker I've ever seen, if it is.

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 01:08

#19

russianbear

I think that's not a mosquito, Wendy. May be that's Ichneumon wasp.

Regards

Alex

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 11:41

#20

Araminta

Nathan, good work there, I love the first shot. No matter how hard we try with our lenses, we will not get any results like Alex, I don't have much hope for Christmas, (we don't do Christmas)

Here is one of my attempts, an Orchad Swallowtail (?), using a Sony 75-300mm lens. What lens did you use Nathan?

M-L

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 13:14

#21

---

those were old photos,i used my digital camera for them

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 20:01

#22

Nahar

WOW!! some fantastic macro photography by Alex.

Keeping with the theme of invertebrate food I add one of my favourite shots - a heavily cropped tele shot. A White-cheeked Honeyeater with its breakfast. Hope you like it

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 20:23

#23

sue818

Lovely shots of the bugs but the White Cheek feathers also stand out well. Took these one day recently when the birds were shy. I think it had recently 'hatched' and was drying the wings before taking off.

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 23:05

#24

timmo

The quality is not great but here are some critters in my garden and other areas.

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 23:07

#25

timmo

Those shots of yours are truly fantastic, Alex.

And thanks for the topic Holly, it had me inspired to look a bit more closely at the critters in and around my garden.

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

Wed, 05/12/2012 - 23:26

#26

WendyK

I originally thought this New Holland just had plant matter stuck all over his beak (sticky beak!) but Nahar's White Cheeked H. made me take another look. Yep, beak chockablock full of little insects. I need new glasses.

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 09:21

#27

Araminta

Who cares it's raining and I'm standing up to my knees in .......poo? I got that worm. and that one

M-L

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 12:52

#28

russianbear

Excellent pictures, M-L!

Some more butterflies.

Regards

Alex

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 12:41

#29

Holly

What fantabulous shots everyone!

Invertebrates are so overlooked but they are incredible - and such a vital part of the ecology of every habitat on earth.

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 13:04

#30

russianbear

Regards

Alex

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 16:39

#31

WendyK

Do you know the names of the lizard and the blue/green butterfly with the white fringes, Alex?

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Thu, 06/12/2012 - 16:57

#32

russianbear

Lizard is painted dragon. Unfortunately, I don't remember butterflies names. Blue one i shoot in Brisben, green one - in Eungella.

Regards

Alex

Fri, 07/12/2012 - 14:06

#33

Woko

Just loving this thread, folks. The extraordinary beauty of Australian habitats & their creatures is breath-taking. It's convinced me not to return my bushland to European vegetation. (As if I needed any convincing).

Fri, 07/12/2012 - 14:22

#34

Woko

A few more critters or signs of critters:

Fri, 07/12/2012 - 16:31

#35

Araminta

I so want a macro lens now, a lot like a child that wants a bicycle for Christmas.

(this one was taken with my normal 18-55mm lens, the best I could do)

M-L

Fri, 07/12/2012 - 17:24

#36

timmo

Me too, M-L!

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

Fri, 07/12/2012 - 18:31

#37

sue818

The first two are over 3 minutes and demonstrate that catching was easy but eating proved a bit more difficult! The last a group bug hug.. which I think are Crane flies.