Sunday, September 19, 2010

Rainbow Bee-eaters

I often see Rainbow Bee-eaters (Merops ornatus) when I am out at Inskip. These photos were taken in different amounts of light and shade and the plumage seemed to take on different colors. All photos enlarge when clicked on.
For more bird photos visit the Bird Photography Weekly.

22 comments:

  1. Hi Mick
    The angle of the light causes the green and blue colours to change their appearance.
    I have noticed the same with Sacred Kingfishers - sometimes green, sometimes almost royal blue.
    Lovely images, and one of my favourite birds.
    I never get them here - but they were common around Canberra.
    Just one of the things one misses out on when moving.
    Denis

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  2. Hi Denis, thanks for your comment. Interesting about the light causing those changes. I think these birds are beautiful in any light! Yes, I would miss them too if I moved away.

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  3. Beautiful photos again love all the colours.

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  4. Hi Mick: Best seen, but hard to position, from slightly above. They seem to have stayed around up this way with the very mild 'winter'.

    Could I also suggest, without wishing in any way to set myself up as a worthy example, that you give the birds a touch more air when you crop them.

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  5. Hi Tony, thanks for the suggestion. I shall try that next time. Re seeing them from above - wish I could! I've only ever seen them high up in the trees.

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  6. You make me wanna hop in the next plane with showing off these Beauties (also all the migrants and the Whistling Kites).
    Amazing!

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  7. Hi Nicole, we love tourists out here and the birds are especially good right now!

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  8. Beautiful birds Mick and you captured the iridescence of the feathers so well.

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  9. Love these beautiful and colorful birds, great captures.

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  10. I saw bee-eaters when I visited Camargue. Not this one though. I really enjoyed seeing them catching insects. And the color is likely to change a bit due to light.

    I don´t know. You usually visit me early. If you did and came to last weeks post it is because I fogot to label the new one. Here is this weeks entry:
    http://nfbird.blogspot.com/2010/09/beautiful-experience.html

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  11. Thanks for commenting Phil, Eileen, NatureFootstep, and John.

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  12. Don't you just love the colors of the bee-eaters? We have two species here (Blue-tailed and Blue-throated) and both of them also show off different color shades depending on the light.

    Great photos, Mick!

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  13. Bee-eaters are a family of birds I can't wait to see one day. I love their colors and shapes.

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  14. Thanks for commenting Idaho Birder and Bob. The bee-eaters over your way sound lovely , Bob. It would sure be nice to see them.

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  15. Wow! These little guys are beautiful. How lucky you can see them every day.

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  16. Do they really eat bees? Wonderful looking bird.

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  17. Hi April, I've seen them catch all sorts of insects and even butterflies on the wing.

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  18. Incredible shots of the Rainbow Bee-eaters Mick! They are so colorful, I would love to see them in action.

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  19. wonderful colorful birds.

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