Recently I’ve been busy; busy busy busy; and I’ll tell you why. But first there’s some explaining to do.
A common bird in New Zealand is the fantail. It’s smaller than a sparrow but with a tail that fans out. In some places (such as where I live) there are dozens of them. They don’t behave like most birds. They flitter-flutter around your head when going for a walk. They’re catching insects that are disturbed. Picture a juggler going for a walk with three or four feathered friends being juggled in the air. If you twirl a tree leaf back and forth between thumb and forefinger, a fantail might sometimes land on your arm! They also come through your house cleaning up any spiders and bugs.
AND because they don’t keep still for any amount of time they are almost impossible to photograph. I have a reason for wanting to photograph one in particular which I shall tell you about shortly.
The usual colouring of a fantail is a dull brown back, yellow breast, and tail feathers that are white and brown. Here is a photos of one that kept almost still for long enough.
Recently in my nearby little town of Stratford, a pure white fantail appeared in a park. Dozens of would-be bird-watchers crowded the park each day in the hope of a glimpse. Only one onlooker managed a half decent photo. I haven’t seen the bird.
Now here’s my secret… About two minutes from my house, in a little glade of trees, is a pitch black fantail. Every day I take my camera on my walk. He/she is usually there flitting about, but seems a little shyer than some of the other fantails. Hence, after a month I have only two out-of-focus photos.
I don’t want to announce its where-about because who wants dozens of onlookers walking onto ones property? So that’s what I’ve been busy doing each afternoon after lunch. I shall post a further photo on this blog should a successful photo session occur. I thought a black fantail to go with the white fantail could be fun.
Tomorrow I shall post a piece of music called “Fantails” composed for oboe and piano. It doesn’t try to capture the fantail’s call which is a twitter-twitter to disturb insects. Rather the music tries to capture its flitter-flutter-all-over-the-place-flight. And who knows? Today’s walk might perhaps be my lucky in-focus day!
Good luck!
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Thank you!
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You’ll do it, Mr Persistent aka BA.
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It might be easier to photograph it dead – I mean the bird dead and not me.
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So, that’s the plan, then??
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Fortunately I don’t have a gun. Those fantails are also found in Australia apparently.
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I wonder if they are related to Willy Wagtails? They also dart around getting the insects we stir up with our big feet.
Yessirree, they are related: http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/willie-wagtail
This concludes the educational segment of Weave a Web for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more Fun with BA.
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I didn’t know that! Very interesting – and I have never seen one of those. However, a different fantail species from mine!
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What a pretty bird
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Yes – they are the next best thing (I think) if you don’t have hummingbirds).
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I love birds and those sound absolutely charming! Good luck with the photo!
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Thank you. Yes, it is easy to take them for granted – especially when they come into your house and have no intention of leaving!
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You’ll make an exquisite ornithologist. You’ve described the fantails very pictorially.
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I think I would’ve liked to have become an ornithologist!
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Fantail-tastic!
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The “tastic” bit looks like they’re edible.
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They probably are.
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I would like to be a professional leaf twirler. That sounds like an interesting bird.
Where I grew up at twilight we would throw rocks up in the air and bats would swoop down at the rocks…that was a nights entertainment.
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That sound like fun. A tiny endangered bat is New Zealand’s only native mammal but I’ve never seen one.
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We never hit one because they were too fast and small but as the rock fell they would dive down at it.
I’m still shocked that you guys have no snakes.
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No snakes – but in reptiles we have the tuatara which is harmless and looks like a big lizard but isn’t. It’s actually a dinosaur in a category all on its own.
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Interesting reptile…they can live up to 100 years old…and have a third eye.
I was just talking to another blogger from New Zealand that I follow. I’ve learned more in the past 4 years of blogging that I ever knew about New Zealand… it does sound like a wonderful place to live.
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It’s like everywhere else – it has it’s “disadvantages” – e.g. food is TAXED. A fact for which I’d say a naughty word if I wasn’t in such polite society. I love the States – best arrangement in history yet I reckon – snakes and all!
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You lived here so you would know the truth…good and bad…there are many with a perception that everyone in America carries a gun and will shoot it out with each other like the westerns.
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You’ve just given me a thought for a story. Now where did I put the ammo?
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Lock and load Bruce!
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It is written and shall appear in 2 days!
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I’ll be there Bruce!
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Good luck. 👍
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Thank you!!
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Lovely top meet another bird enthusiast! They are a lot of fun to watch!
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The farmer here – my landlord – has a large block of native trees that he has “given to the Queen” – which means it can never be touched – farmed or built on. So there are lots of birds about. There’s a name for this Queen Thing but I can’t remember it.
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The first thing we did at our new place here is put up a birdfeeder/suet feeder and a birdbath. Neither are allowed by the HOA, but we will fight them if they put up a stink. The community land with open fields and a pond is already occupied by geese!
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Nature rarely obliges when you want it to – even flowers decide to move in the wind when you want a photo! But good luck!
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That might explain why I don’t look good in photos – I am too much a beautiful flower!
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I like the piece of music even more now.
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Thank you!
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I can’t let go of the image of the birds fluttering around the Disney princess, helping her prepare for the day and clean the house. Your fantails sound darling! Good luck on your photo hunt.
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Thank you – yes the Disney Princess is a good image of my going for a walk – especially if you take away the fluttering birds!!
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The Cinderella gown I have conjured for you in my imagination is stunning.
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I hope I’ve got the shoes that match!
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Oh, I do hope you get the photo you want. I call it “bird stalking” – trying to get that perfect photo.
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Thanks – yes, I got some good ones but I shall try to find them – it was a few weeks back!
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