Mistltoebird

Gallery: AvianPosted August 6, 2010244 views19 comments

These tiny birds, as the name suggests, feed on mistltoe berries. I've never seen an individual fluffed up like this one. It was cool but not cold but then it started quivering and then neatly deposited an undigested mistltoe berry pip on the branch before rearranging its feathers and going on his way.

1d2n 500/f4 1.4X
ISO 400 f8 1/180 overcast

cheers
Rob

Comments

19 comments

Comment posted by Joel DeYoung on August 6, 2010 at 8:38 AM

Sweet! You sure have some cool looking birds in Australia. Nice feather details. The composition is interesting and the background helps set off the bird nicely. The eye contact is the icing on the cake.
I know that I'm starting to sound like a broken record

but the color balance looks to be on the cool side, was Auto white balance used?.

Nice job. I would be excited to have this one in my files.

Registered on July 12, 2009, 92 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on August 6, 2010 at 9:14 AM

I've never heard of this bird before but it's quite striking and the puffed out look adds a lot.

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by David W. Kelly on August 6, 2010 at 10:21 AM

Beautiful.

Registered on October 7, 2005, 883 Posts, 6590 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on August 6, 2010 at 11:05 AM

Cool image. Rob. The colors of this little guy are beautiful and the fluffed feathers add a lot.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on August 6, 2010 at 11:31 AM

Very nice Rob. Great job on the exposure and the comp is first rate, congrats!

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 6, 2010 at 11:34 AM

Interesting behavior, Rob, and it is oddly fluffed up. Great pose and I really like the image.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on August 6, 2010 at 11:45 AM

Wow, great sighting Rob. A new species for me to view. Where was this little one observed?
Excellent detail, colours and bg. Well done!

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on August 6, 2010 at 11:50 AM

beautiful bird with a nice fluffed up pose, Rob. a nice setting as well.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 6, 2010 at 2:04 PM

Rob, What a great capture!
Excellent colors in this lovely little bird, wonderful detail, great perch and eye.
My only little nit is that little blip of leaf in the lower left corner. I'd clone that out and also perhaps the small horizontal twig at the left bottom, just to clean the area up. .
Now, perfect!

Sandy r
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on August 6, 2010 at 3:56 PM

Excellent shot Rob, I like everything about this, such interesting color to this bird, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on August 6, 2010 at 4:49 PM

Wonderful!

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on August 6, 2010 at 5:33 PM

Very interesting fluffed pose, nice background.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on August 6, 2010 at 5:56 PM

What an awesome looking bird Rob. Love the overall comp too. Very unique puffed pose makes this special for me.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on August 6, 2010 at 7:11 PM

That fluffy pose is just great Rob. No nits, just wonderful.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 6, 2010 at 7:48 PM

Beautiful fluffy bird, excellent photograph Rob

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on August 6, 2010 at 10:45 PM

Very nice image Rob. I must say there are some beautiful birds down under. If you are not baiting these birds I'm impressed as to how close you are able to get to so many species.
Thanks for posting,
Ronnie G.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on August 7, 2010 at 7:23 AM

What a cute lil puffball! I like every thing about this.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on August 7, 2010 at 12:26 PM

This is awesome, what a great shot of this cool species

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on August 8, 2010 at 1:32 AM

The soft fluffy feathers in red, black and white are stunning against that pale background. Thank you for posting this beauty.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments