MadHatter's Big Year

[MadOzzie]

Great Photos, Madhatter. Now I know it was a New Holland Honeyeater, I got a photo of at Cranbourne on Saturday, 31st December.

New Holland Honeyeater 2.jpg

New Hollnad Honeyeater.jpg

What camera/lens do you use?

MadOzzie

[E Orix]

Jayburd
You mentioned Sean Dooleys book " the big twitch.
I am not a bird watcher,far from it too many LBJ's for me any way.
I like Jayburd can realy recomend this book as a great read and an eye opener what the true twitcher will go through.
I am not sure if they are crazy or just rabid.
By the way Madhatter when I was a kid collecting birds eggs We could walk through wetlands from Modialloc to Seaford.
In that area each year many 100's of Stilts and Marsh Terns nested in the shallow water that spread out over the fields.
Good luck with your travels.

[MadHatter]

Nice shots MadOzzie.
I have an Olympus E-520 with a 140-600mm zoom lens (also Olympus)

[MadHatter]

Orix, it's frightening the amount of wetlands we've lost. I'm led to beleive that most of the farmland to the south of Pakenham was once more-or less continuous swamp. Now all drained, and their diversity lost, along with most of the mangroves too.

[MadOzzie]

Thanks MadHatter

These were the first non-aviary bird photos I have taken with my new Nikon D5100 with a 28mm-300mm Nikon lens. I have yet to read the instruction book.

MadOzzie

[MadHatter]

They come with instruction books? Huh, who knew?

[MadOzzie]

I found mine amongst the packaging. My most important find was a notch on the little dial that says "Auto".

My birdwatching this year will not be as extensive as yours but I do hope to do a few bird outings.

I have not been their for years but the David Fleay Wildlife Park was always worth a visit.
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-eco ... dlife_park" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is now Government operated but was established by David Fleay in the 1950s when he moved on from Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria.

MadOzzie

[MadHatter]

Haha! Sorry MadOzzie, I do know they come with instruction manuals, and I have even referred to mine on occasion, i just find I remember how to do things better when I figure it out for myself...

[desertbirds]

[quote="E Orix"]Jayburd

I am not a bird watcher,far from it too many LBJ's for me any way.

I am not sure if they are crazy or just rabid.

We are both E Orix , a bit nuts really. Worth the effort to find some of our less known birds though and getting good pics is the icing on the cake. I know when ive pushed the envelope in the old troopy - my daughter looks at me and says " dad i think we should turn back " .

Some of the LBJ`s may lack a bit in colour (well lots actually) but generally they make up for it in song and behaviour. Ive found our little Inland Thornbills to be amazing mimics and really smart little critters.

Extreme twitching - its almost sport

[Jayburd]

Love the inlands but not to forget even some of our most colourful aviary birds are LBJs out of season... Take grenadier weavers!!!