Was looking around a swamp last week and got a quick glimpse of a bird and managed to get a quick snap before it disappeared, that was just enough to be able to ID it when I put it on the computer as a bird I had never seen before.

Picked out a place in some trees overlooking the swamp and went back 2 days later arriving just on first light.

I hadn't finished setting up the tripod when it appeared, danced around and preened, was quite a distance away but got a few reasonable shots before it again disappeared on the vegetation.

Bronze-winged Jacana.

Went back again this morning and saw two of them together but couldn't get a shot at them.

They again retreated into the dense vegetation before the sun reached the swamp.

I now know there are at least two of them there and have a good idea when they are likely to come out.

I will return.

hanno....i had been stalking this 'pecker for ages, drumming heard a mile away.....closed in, crept closer & closer....sh*t, he spotted me.....on to the next tree.....i'm on my knees by now crawling through snakeville, but who cares when there's a possible good shot on right!? Lucky break....bang! All done, & only possible with what i went through to get it, with a nimble Canon SX50.

Your patience sure pays off! I've been trying to get a photograph of the dozens of quail we have on the property. They only have three modes: Skittering away, hunkered down unseen, and flying away. Yesterday I saw where they skittered off to and were hiding and was moving in. I got within two meters but still could not see them in the weeds. They weren't up for any photography so they went to mode three! This is the best I could do!

yep... quails, rails, partridges, crakes.... arrrgh!

very shy birds...using a hide or blind, then sitting & waiting (could be for hours) is the best bet for these. There's only really a few places (well known trails) i know where this group of birds can approached closely without spooking them, probably 'cos the amount of birders passing through they've become so used to it & fearless.

bit of a fun follow up on this.....i found my one & only shot (10yrs old) of one of the scarcest, most difficult & sought after birds in Thailand. I'm on this mountain fairly often and every time i go i always call in here to try & see it again...alas, i never do! (a hide has been recently erected opposite it's known haunt of many years now)

was gonna put this in Dancealot's Trash thread, til i realised what was on it...

campsite marsh - Doi Inthanon (2004)

hanno....i had been stalking this 'pecker for ages, drumming heard a mile away.....closed in, crept closer & closer....sh*t, he spotted me.....on to the next tree.....i'm on my knees by now crawling through snakeville, but who cares when there's a possible good shot on right!? Lucky break....bang! All done, & only possible with what i went through to get it, with a nimble Canon SX50.

Your patience sure pays off! I've been trying to get a photograph of the dozens of quail we have on the property. They only have three modes: Skittering away, hunkered down unseen, and flying away. Yesterday I saw where they skittered off to and were hiding and was moving in. I got within two meters but still could not see them in the weeds. They weren't up for any photography so they went to mode three! This is the best I could do!

yep... quails, rails, partridges, crakes.... arrrgh!

very shy birds...using a hide or blind, then sitting & waiting (could be for hours) is the best bet for these. There's only really a few places (well known trails) i know where this group of birds can approached closely without spooking them, probably 'cos the amount of birders passing through they've become so used to it & fearless.

bit of a fun follow up on this.....i found my one & only shot (10yrs old) of one of the scarcest, most difficult & sought after birds in Thailand. I'm on this mountain fairly often and every time i go i always call in here to try & see it again...alas, i never do! (a hide has been recently erected opposite it's known haunt of many years now)

was gonna put this in Dancealot's Trash thread, til i realised what was on it...

campsite marsh - Doi Inthanon (2004)

Never realized a Black Collared Starling would look like that!

I swear I didn't eat your last berry dear!

Pair of bickering bulbuls:

Never realized a Black Collared Starling would look like that!

are you doubting the mighty Goshawk?

time for some grub....

Plain Prinia

time for some grub....

Plain Prinia

Really beautiful! Great detail, sharpness and color!

A white throated Kingfisher has been joining me for breakfast almost every morning for several months. I threw him a slug a while back and that seemed to cement the relationship, and a few days ago I threw an odd lizard out of my shop only to see him dive on it before it even hit the grass. This week he has stayed around the house all day and I need to carry the camera as I have been within six feet from him on a few occasions. Beautiful bird to have around, and one of three kinds of Kingfishers we have as regular visitors, but definitely the bravest.

Really beautiful! Great detail, sharpness and color!

thanks Fiddlesticks.....lovely little warblers these birds, and far from 'plain'. I prefer their other name, 'White-browed Wren Warbler'. Much more fitting.

Really beautiful! Great detail, sharpness and color!

thanks Fiddlesticks.....lovely little warblers these birds, and far from 'plain'. I prefer their other name, 'White-browed Wren Warbler'. Much more fitting.

Goshawk, I'm not into birds but I appreciate good images and you have posted some very good ones. Keep 'em coming!

Really beautiful! Great detail, sharpness and color!

thanks Fiddlesticks.....lovely little warblers these birds, and far from 'plain'. I prefer their other name, 'White-browed Wren Warbler'. Much more fitting.

Goshawk, I'm not into birds but I appreciate good images and you have posted some very good ones. Keep 'em coming!

birdwatcher first.....photographer very much second (if i'm lucky, one really good image a month - i don't take the cam gear out every time)

This weeks surprise was a large bird that flew around and landed on a coconut palm.

It had me fooled with its upright stance but when I got home and put the photo on the computer there is no doubt that it is a Black-crowned Night Heron.

I have only ever seen 2 of these before and both were in a more typical hunched up posture, all the photos I have seen are the same.

This weeks surprise was a large bird that flew around and landed on a coconut palm.

It had me fooled with its upright stance but when I got home and put the photo on the computer there is no doubt that it is a Black-crowned Night Heron.

night heron.JPG

I have only ever seen 2 of these before and both were in a more typical hunched up posture, all the photos I have seen are the same.

Yup unusual upright stance and perch too. Agree with your ID.

It's him again. Beautiful common bird especially if a clear shot of throat and breast area is taken to show iridescent plumage.

For now this will do.

Seeing quite a few winter visitors now like this Red Throated or Taica Flycatcher, depending which book you look in.

Male

Female

There is no bird in this photo but every night, an Asian Water Hen comes and sneaks into this big pond plant. We are normally eating dinner by the pond and noticed a pair coming in last week every day right as it was getting dark. We are hoping the female nests in there, as this week it is only one sneaking in. I got her on the video camera tonight but the image is just to noisy to post as it was well after sunset. Once she is in there, you can walk right up to the plant and she sits tight and well hidden.

Blue Tit... opps.... I mean Blue Chick!

The Magnificent Seven...

Lesser Whistling Duck

time for some grub....

Plain Prinia

I Like this .. what lens did you use

The Magnificent Seven...

Lesser Whistling Duck

Nice shot. Never seen them up so close, didn't know they sport this 'speckled dots' all over.

Sunning itself early in the morning.

It's the orange vented which is very common. Anyone seen the red-vented ones?

Sunning itself early in the morning.

It's the orange vented which is very common. Anyone seen the red-vented ones?

Had a look at all the photos of them (Sooty-headed bulbul pycnontus aurigaster) that I have and most I cant see the color of the vent because of what they are sitting on.

The ones I can see are all orange.

The book I have shows the other one as having a yellow vent.

The Magnificent Seven...

Lesser Whistling Duck

Nice shot. Never seen them up so close, didn't know they sport this 'speckled dots' all over.

The picture is sharpened a little too much;-)

The Magnificent Seven...

Lesser Whistling Duck

Nice shot. Never seen them up so close, didn't know they sport this 'speckled dots' all over.

The picture is sharpened a little too much;-)

hold ya horses there hanno the manno... not sharpened one bit, i've been playing around with PS looking for different takes on images lately. Looking for the 'painting' style.

(have tack sharp copies of all that i've art'd up so far, just trying to be creative that's all )

hold ya horses there hanno the manno... not sharpened one bit, i've been playing around with PS looking for different takes on images lately. Looking for the 'painting' style.

(have tack sharp copies of all that i've art'd up so far, just trying to be creative that's all )

Fair enough. I know that you always have tack-sharp photos

And I thought those spots were normal. Should have looked closer..the entire pic is speckled...LOL

Had a look at all the photos of them (Sooty-headed bulbul pycnontus aurigaster) that I have and most I cant see the color of the vent because of what they are sitting on.

The ones I can see are all orange.

The book I have shows the other one as having a yellow vent.

The common one has an orangey-yellow vent. The reddish vented ones probably are sub-species. Thought I saw one some time back but could be mistaken.

Had a look at all the photos of them (Sooty-headed bulbul pycnontus aurigaster) that I have and most I cant see the color of the vent because of what they are sitting on.

The ones I can see are all orange.

The book I have shows the other one as having a yellow vent.

The common one has an orangey-yellow vent. The reddish vented ones probably are sub-species. Thought I saw one some time back but could be mistaken.

regional variation.

around CM they're all red vented.

he's on the lookout....

Pied Bushchat

bee eater