Miraz Jordan

Love this: Scientists Attached Tracking Devices to Magpies 🐦:

Within 10 minutes … we witnessed an adult female … trying to remove the harness off of a younger bird.

… By day 3, even the dominant male of the group had its tracker successfully dismantled.

// @jayeless

Finally refreshed the straw and shavings in the front part of the quail run. 🐦 Put the soiled straw round nearby vege garden. Trimmed back flax plant for easier access to quail run. The quail should love to scratch the straw around. It’s all in a hill at the moment.

I tend to see ngutupapa, Royal Spoonbills on the beach solitary, in pairs or even three at a time. Today is the first time I’ve seen a flock of maybe 12 or 15 — I was unable to actually count because of distance and the big piece of driftwood. 🐦 See more…

When Canada Geese, Oystercatchers or Pied Stilts fly over you know all about it, thanks to the racket they make. 🐦 With other birds you hear the clatter of wings. You're lucky to spot the gorgeous Royal Spoonbills though as they glide over completely silently.

The amazing Kuaka, Godwit flies between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Arctic every year to feed and breed. 🐦 They are a similar size to the more delicate Pied Stilt. These were on the shore this morning.

The other day I took photos of a Karoro, Southern black-backed gull as it flew by. Hand held. Pretty pleased with the results. 🐦

Black-backed gulls are often seen on the water’s edge where they scavenge corpses and fish frames washed up on the tide.

I haven’t spotted any Pukeko at the lakes recently so was glad to see a couple at sunrise today. 🐦

I borrowed on paper from the Library Backyard Bird Photography: How to Attract Birds to Your Home and Create Beautiful Photographs, 2014, by Mathew Tekulsky 🐦

Not so much a “How-To” as a “How I did”. Disappointing and I was also concerned cameras have advanced a lot since then.

Wow, this 28 minute film is entrancing: Hargila 🐦 :

Through the efforts of a remarkable conservation leader, Dr. Purnima Devi Barman … the [endangered Greater Adjutant storks] are now protected, celebrated, and increasing their numbers locally.

Gorgeous photography.

I’ve seen a few Spur-winged plovers around recently but haven’t had a chance to take a photo of them yet. This picture from October 2018 will have to do for now. 🐦

This photo from February 2020 turns out the be the only one I have of a Goldfinch. 😒 Poor little mite flew into our window and was stunned. 🐦 Need to look out for one to take photos of.

I’m learning a heap of useful info from the free videos from The Cornell Lab Bird Academy. Here’s one example: Inside Birding: Size & Shape.

If you want to learn more about birds this is great stuff! 🐦

I have a lot to learn about taking photos of shags in trees. Just look at this dork though! 😆 🐦 Try zooming in.

Word's out about the railing! Today a Warou, Welcome Swallow, opted for the full photo shoot, even including the over-the-shoulder pose! 🐦

Because I was sitting quietly on a log, the Pied Stilt came closer, checking me out.

Pied Stilt, strutting her stuff. 🐦

Five quail eggs in a box. Four of them, as usual, weigh 11 grams. The other one weighs 15 grams! Last time this happened the larger one was a double-yolker. 🐦

I spotted this small yellowish-green bird on a flax spear but couldn’t make out what it was. I took a couple of photos through the window, but as soon as I opened the door for a better look it flew off. Greenfinch. 🐦

I really enjoyed Cold Deal (Kina McKevie Private Detective Book 1) by Lisa Ambrose. 📚 It kept me reading past bedtime. I hope the next in the series comes soon.

Kina McKevie is back in East London more than a decade after killing her abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend.

Update 03 October 2022: when I first noted this on my blog on 03 October 2021 the author was Lisa Ambrose. Now the book’s at a new URL with Laurence Moore listed as author.

Glee and Fliss, the Japanese Quail, are now back in their outdoor run. 🐦 They don’t care for change much so were very cautious and fluffed up to start with.

Canada geese flying at dusk.

Action at the bird feeder. Sparrows and Waxeyes. 🐦

Who knew sparrows had tongues!!!

I’m on a quest to take photos of all the birds we see round here. 🐦 I’m also longing for the rather costly 100-400mm zoom lens, but actually have a 50-230 — some birds I just can’t get closer to.

Success today with the Eurasian skylark which flies up to 100 metres high.

I was down at the lakes today, bracing against strong wind gusts, trying to get photos of the Australian Shovelers on the other side of the water. A couple of Mallard ducks flew off and I happened to get a decent shot of them in flight! 🐦

These photos stretch my 50-230mm lens.

They’re far from perfect but they beat any of my previous attempts to catch a hawk in flight by a mile. 🐦 I’m reading and learning from Dan Bailey’s book: X Series Unlimited.