S.I. Bush Robin

[nikkortorokkor]

Male South Island Bush Robin

SRT 101, Phenix f4-5.6/70-210 tele-zoom

200 print film, cropped from landscape to portrait.

Missed his feet but got the catch lights.



Female S.I. Bush Robin sitting on my foot. These birds ain't shy. She's taking off because of the mirror slap. Too fast for the shutter!

lens, MC ROKKOR - PF f1.7/55mm.

Cropped from landscape.



Here she is, taken with a Phenix f3.4-4/28-70 zoom on the same SRT.

[John Parry]

These are great - you have a steady hand Michael!

Regards - John

[kiev4a]

Michael:

I really like the first shot. I wish our birds were that tames!

Wayne

[nikkortorokkor]

Thanks guys.

Bush Robins attraction to humans is down to the insects that we stir up, but their antics really are charming. Sometimes called 'the bush fireman' because of their attraction to light. If you light a match and stick it in the ground (flame up - of course) the ever-nosey robin will come and peck it out.

Unfortunately the non-streetwise nature of New Zealand's birds means that many have become extinct or suffer declining numbers. Cats, Dogs Wasps, Possums and especially Mustelids (stoats, weasels and ferrets) imported by our English forbears have have had devastating effect. Victorian birders filling the demands of the world's museums and private collection didn't help either. At least one species was hunted to extinction to fill glass display cases.

Collecting cameras is much more benign.

[Michael Fraley]

Michael,

Good focusing -- must have been fast work! I especially like the first one.

[nikkortorokkor]

fraley said:

Michael,

Good focusing -- must have been fast work! I especially like the first one.

Thanks, Michael.

Yes, it was fast work, Bush Robins hop and look, hop and look, so although they are 'friendly' they still make you work up a sweat!

Still, they're not as bad as squirrels. It was not until I visited the States and saw my first one 'in the flesh' that the full meaning of the term squirrelly really struck me.