One of New Zealand's smallest birds, riroriro (grey warbler; Gerygone igata) live in a great range of habitats throughout the country. Of the commonly seen birds, they're also one of the hardest to photograph because they seldom pause for more than a split second and, when they do, nine times out of ten it's behind a twig which also just happens to obscure the most important part of the bird — the eye, usually.
I followed this one around as it gleaned its way through the trees and shrubbery at the edge of the terrace. The sun crept closer to the hills in the west and the light grew progressively warmer. Several times I pressed the shutter button just in time to photograph the twig on which the little bird had paused — no bird in the frame, of course.
I'd like to say persistence pays off, but this was the very first photograph in the series. Sometimes you just get lucky.
All content © 2015 Pete McGregor
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10 comments:
That is so beautiful - a balletic pose.
you deserve the luck!
"Boogie, oogie, oogie!"
RR — yes, it does like something from a bird-themed ballet (maybe not Swan Lake, though).
GZ, thank you :-)
Zhoen, that's it!
Perfection! Absolutely. (I'll keep trying ;-\)
Wondrous! -M
We have loads of these in our garden (I can hear one out there as I am typing this!) but I have never been quick enough to make a photograph of any of them.
I love the gesture you have captured... very graceful.
Shaking her tail feathers, as it were.
Zhoen's comment is quite catching - I've been singing that song in my head for the past day!
Barbara, keeping on trying seems to be the only way with these little birds. Also, while riroriro are insectivorous, I don't think they eat earworms ;-)
Maureen, they are :-)
Leonie, you do have to be quick. Anticipating where they might land sometimes works, but even then you only have a split second.
Zhoen, thanks for saying 'tail feathers' ;-)
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