Well at last I've managed to get some useable shots of the Spotted Pardalote. It's not as if the bird is a rarity! Arguably it's one of the most approachable and confiding birds that are found in Tasmania. But try as I could, this species had alluded me. Well today, in the Peter Murrell Reserve, I found a pair with a nest hole that they were preparing. As the lower shot shows, they, like all the local pard
alotes, seem to carry nesting material en masse to the nesting site. They do this oblivious to the fact that by doing so, they compromise the nesting site. While standing watching them, I noted that both the Fortyspotted and Striated Pardalotes could be heard in the vicinity.While I was photographing the pardalotes, Tas Boskell came along. He had some interesting facts on the status of the Welcome Swallow in the early days of settlement, which I think would make interesting reading, so I hope he'll send me his findings for a future article.
2 comments:
Great shots, Alan,
I've found that unless they're nesting, most of the pardalotes are generally too high in the trees, moving incessantly, or both, which has meant I've been able to get very few decent shots of them. I have just a few of Spotted, which again, were nesting in a bank, bringing them to a much more acceptable level, and also causing them to stay around nearby, quite agitated by my presence. I'd love to get some decent shots of forty-spots. Yours recently were excellent shots, but there is something about being able to take the picture yourself!!
Thanks John,
It does seem a bit surprising that I managed to photograph the Fortyspots before the Spotted! Both were shot within 100 metres of each other. This pair were nest building in a hole on a gentle slope with overhanging branches and very intent on their task, fortunately. I agree about getting your own shots of birds, there's nothing like your own "triumphs". As I keep trying to convey, digital photography has made bird photography very much easier than film.
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