Knysna Loerie

BigAl

aka Knysna Turaco. Not the best photos I've taken, but the excitement of getting these birds in the viewfinder, with sufficient light, can hardly be described. They are fruit-eating birds that live in the canopy of true rain forests down here at the bottom end of Africa. When they fly, they have the most magnificent red wing coverts. They are biggish birds with a body the size of a large pigeon.

The birds shown here are eating the fruit of the Forest Cabbage Tree (a Cussonia spp)







(click on pictures for larger image)

[sorry Harry for the poor composition :wink]

Ric Grupe

Nice catches, Al!

Truly some serious camo...I didn't even see the second bird in the second shot until I looked at the larger version!

Harryb

Congrtaulations AL. iTs always a thrill to get any capture of a very elusive subject.

Lindiwe

This might just be the best camo I've seen on a bird. Well done just to SEE them! And then pictures as well? Awesome

jwear

Al you just need to talk to them --a little to the left now lift that rt wing It is something I have been so busy looking at an action that I miss the shot

deb22

Thanks for the beautiful shots Al, it is always nice to see a species that I will never be able to see in person. Thank-you.

BigAl

Ric Grupe wrote: »

Nice catches, Al!

Truly some serious camo...I didn't even see the second bird in the second shot until I looked at the larger version!

Thanks Ric! In spite of the rather bright colours on the bird, its camo does work pretty well

raptorcaptor

Congrats! I know exactly how you felt, and it is usually when I screw up! So where did you find them?

BigAl

Harryb wrote: »

Congrtaulations AL. iTs always a thrill to get any capture of a very elusive subject.

Thanks Harry, you really can't believe how much I wanted a pic of one of these!

BigAl

Lindiwe wrote: »

This might just be the best camo I've seen on a bird. Well done just to SEE them! And then pictures as well? Awesome

Thanks Lindiwe! It's always special to see them as their habitat is dwindling by the day.

BigAl

jwear wrote: »

Al you just need to talk to them --a little to the left now lift that rt wing It is something I have been so busy looking at an action that I miss the shot

It is tricky - should you be concentrating on using your bineys or trying to get a steady shot with the camera?

BigAl

deb22 wrote: »

Thanks for the beautiful shots Al, it is always nice to see a species that I will never be able to see in person. Thank-you.

Thank YOU Deb!

BigAl

raptorcaptor wrote: »

Congrats! I know exactly how you felt, and it is usually when I screw up! So where did you find them?

Thanks Glenn. The pics were taken at a place called Mount Sheba on the eastern escarpment down here. Google maps will take you there. I haven't converted my landscape type pics of the area yet, so I can't point you there.