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"Australian Birding "
by Jim Thomson
of Australia
Last Update
April 13, 2007
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Jim Thomson FRPS, (Fellow, Royal Photographic Society) FAPS (Fellow, Australian Photographic Society) is a Scot living in Australia. Jim started photography in the late 60s, and by the 70s he was interested in Australian wildlife, especially birdlife.
He uses all Canon Digital camera and lenses. Most photography has been done close to subjects from hides or by remote control.
Australians are very fortunate in having such a wide variety of birds with beautiful colours and habits. In New South Wales the breeding season starts about August and goes on until January. In other states such as Northern Territory and North Queensland it varies.
Photographing birds is not confined to the breeding season. The winter months, for instance can be very productive in North Queensland with its rainforests that reach right down to the sea.
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| Bee Eater With Grub |
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Bower Birds:
There are a number of Bower birds in Australia, Jim has images of a few of them and they never fail to impress him with their displays in front of the Bower, especially when a female appears.
The Satin Bower bird is one of the most exciting to watch, with their prancing and the calls they make during display,
He has also seen another male from another Bower arrive and start to demolish the bower. The Golden Bower bird is a gem of the rainforest, and if you are lucky to find a bower which is deep in the rainforest, it is an experience to watch, like a bar of gold flipping through the canopy, they are the smallest of the bower birds and make a large Bower, the female raises the chicks by herself.
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Satin Bower Prancing |
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Golden Bower Bird At Bower |
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Jim was fortunate in finding a nest through a friend who is a keen fisher. Luck was still with him when he found the nest was only 3 or 4 meters above the water level on oyster racks, Thomson had to wait about an hour for the bird to come in and he could not believe his luck when he saw the fish it had. The boat was tethered. Lens was a 600 MM. Camera was set on program and ISO 400. Available light and fast shutter speed froze the subject. The camera was on fast drive so had about 4 good shots in one burst!
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| Osprey Landing At Nest |
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Kingfishers:
Thomson has been fortunate in finding 2 types of Kingfishers: The Sacred Kingfisher and the Azure Kingfisher. The former was photographed feeding chicks in a termite mound about 6 meters high. The camera and the flash system were set up close to the subject flying in. The short duration froze the bird in flight. The camera was triggered by remote control.
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| Sacred Kingfisher Braking |
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Unfortunately 2 days later a large Monitor Lizard climbed the tree and finished off the chicks,
The Azure Kingfisher also had a sad finish. Its nest was in a sandy bank just above the river, but something got into the nest and the chicks were gone, but not before he had a session photographing them, fly in,and out.
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| Azure Kingfisher Leaving Nest In Bank |
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Kookaburras
Kookaburras are common in Australia and during the breeding season it is a normal event to see the parents and previous broods feeding the chicks.
Tthe adult pair breed for a few seasons until such time they are replaced by members of there own family.
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| Kookaburra Braking On Nest |
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Rainbow Bee Eaters
Rainbow Bee Eaters arrive from Old to nest in the Southern States and return in February.
After the breeding season, they are without doubt one of the most beautiful birds in Australia. They nest in sandy banks where they tunnel in, and can be photographed flying in and out.
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| Rainbow Bee Eater Near Nest |
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Striated Thornbills and Warblers
A very. small bird that makes a beautiful nest which hangs like a pear. It even has a canopy over the nest entrance. Jim has photographed 2: A Striated Thornbill and a Brown Warbler.
They are very fast. The camera and flash system set close in, remote control short duration flash froze the subjects.
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| Stirated Thornbill Near Nest |
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Wrens
Wrens in Australia are beautiful small birds with a number of different types. Depending where you are in Australia the most common in Jim"s area are the Supberb and the Variegated.
They go about in groups and it is quite common to see the whole group line up to feed the chicks. They nest on the ground and very often get taken by snakes and lizards.
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| Blue Wren (Male) and Chicks |
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| Pairing Grebes |
2 Grebes |
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The following image and story was sent by an Australian after seeing Jim Thompson's photo essay.
The "American couple" (Charilie and Rita Summers) are well known to many St. Louis Camera Club members. Our members have travelled together and the Summers have judged for St. Louis Camera Club as well as Mississippi Valley.
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Hi to all members at St Louis Camera Club!!!
I want to share my experiences with you in respect of a wonderful man and great nature photographer, Jim Thomson.
Almost a year ago I was wandering around a swamp land not far from my home in the foothills of the Barrington Tops (three hours north of Sydney, NSW, Australia) when I spotted a man with binoculars...being a keen photographer and nature enthusiast I figured this chap might be on to some thing of interest...a brief chat followed and hence began a warm friendship which has been enhanced by emails and sharing some time scoring photographs of the sacred kingfisher.
Jim is so enthusiastic and generous in sharing his knowledge of bird photography...never annoyed or impatient with those who have not had as much experience but who share his passion.
In November 2004 I spent 11 days on Christmas Island and when visiting the local Information Centre I said hello to an American woman and we struck up a conversation...her husband approached and asked where I was from. I explained and nearly fell over when he asked if I might know a Jim Thomson!!!!!
Now Australia is not as populated as the USA BUT even so it was an amazing cooincidence. The couple were from Colorado; very keen photographers and it would not surprise me if some of your members even know them....Charlie and Rita Summers. It made me realise it is indeed a small world. If only the world had more friendly photographers and nature enthusiasts ...I suspect it would be a better place.
Best wishes
Ros. Runciman
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The St. Louis Camera Club would like to thank Jim Thomson
for sharing his birding information and his beautiful images.
If you would like to say "thanks" to Jim or to email him about Australian birding,
please click here.
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