Bird Watching

I was determined this morning, while on my trike ride, to get a couple of good photos.

If I go for too long without getting a good shot, I start to have withdrawals and then all I can think about is where I can go to take some good photos.

While we were at Bunya Mountains, Adoring Husband and I were telling people how prolific the Bee Eater birds were in our area, and one of our flickr friends showed a keen interest.

We told him that I had a couple of pics on my flickr photo stream to look at, but then I realised that those pics weren't so good, and had been taken many months ago when my skills were a bit less mature.

So my goal today, was to get a good Bee Eater shot.

I pedalled to the street that runs parallel to the national park, where I have seen and heard lots of bee eaters recently.

There were quite a few of them flying around and landing on branches, so I got off my trike and aimed my lens in their direction, snapping away and hoping for something interesting.

I spotted one sitting on a weeping willow sapling, so I turned my camera toward it and moved slowly, one step at a time, to get closer for a better shot.

Just as I felt I was close enough, I thought I had spooked him and he began to fly, so I snapped away hoping to get a good 'in flight' shot.  He flew alright, but came back to the same branch immediately, which I thought was strange.

I took a few more shots and then pedalled on to see what else I could find.

There were some Lorikeets and a Brown Honeyeater and as I rounded the corner to come home, I noticed a Bee Eater at it's nest opening.  I got a photo of the opening and sat quietly, hoping to catch one entering or exiting the nest, but had no luck.  That will be my next goal!

Anyway, here are my shots for the day.

The Bee Eater that I thought had been spooked, had actually flown up to catch a bee!!  I didn't see this til I uploaded the photos!

Pretty birds, but they eat the bees that we need for our veggie gardens

Brown Honey Eater - only about 3 inches long.

The opening of the Bee Eater nest.  They burrow into the sand.  We have at least 3 nests in the block next door.

Tomorrow, I must concentrate on my jewellery orders!  Enough with the bird watching!

Nite all.