I've photographed piwakawaka many times, with varying degrees of success. Ironically, the easiest place I've found to photograph them is my verandah, where some years ago I managed
perhaps the best photograph so far. This morning two little piwakawaka were doing the rounds of the house and posing momentarily for me. Rather than show you a very similar photograph to those I've already posted, here's one from the other end of the verandah, with the mid-morning sun behind instead of in front of this tiny wisp of life, and showing a different aspect of the piwakawaka character.
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The back-lighting has shown up its whiskers. I'd never realised that they had any. The piwakawaka which I see up the hill never stay still long enough for me to see details, let alone photograph them. I love the detail of the breast feathers and their slight disarray.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Lesley - I had never seen the whiskers before! I love all your photographs of fantails, Pete, and although the earlier one of the fantail concentrating on landing is one of my favourite photographs ever, I enjoyed the detail of this one, and the look on its little face - as if it's debating the exact angle of flight needed to capture a midge above it.
ReplyDeleteKia ora Pete,
ReplyDeleteThe squeeze of Maui is still apparent in those eyes.
Robb
Lesley, with piwakawaka, photographs are always largely a matter of luck. Sometimes they're cooperative, usually they seem to like teasing photographers.
ReplyDeleteLisa, you might well be right, and now I think the photograph would have been so much better if there had been a little backlit insect in just the right place above the bird.
Kia ora Robb. You're probably right, but I'm trying not to imagine it ;-)
That other one is a desktop image that I shamelessly stole. This one, well, bird looks like "Imma sing for you!"
ReplyDeleteZhoen, I'm pleased you stole the other one ;-) You're right about the pose of this one too, although they don't actually sing, they chatter energetically (as seems entirely fitting).
ReplyDelete(shhhh... they *think* they are singing...)
ReplyDelete