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Kiss Kiss


Kiss Kiss
Photo Information
Copyright: Sue Thomson (SueThomson) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 116 W: 0 N: 192] (603)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 400D, Sigma 150mm F2.8 APO Macro DG HSM
Exposure: f/8, 1/100 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-13 1:58
Viewed: 5002
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I found these two lovely Scaly Breasted Lorikeets getting very cosy together, in the bushland near my house. They were making a lot of noise and were quite happy for me to get close to take a photo. No doubt, they were preoccupied with each other....aint love grand!

It was late in the afternoon, so the sun was peeping through the bushes and there were quite a few shadows. Nevertheless, I was very happy to see them enjoying themselves and especially for letting me get the shot!

I used aperture mode, and hand held using ISO 400. I am not that great at hand-holding so a shot at 1/100 is pretty good for me – yeah! Happy to hear your thoughts on what aperture works well when wanting to get 2 birds both in focus like this situation.

The Scaly-breasted Scaly Breasted Lorikeet is 24 cm (9.5 in) long, which includes a 10 cm (4 in) tail. The sexes are similar in adult plumage, being generally green. The crown and sides of head are emerald-green slightly tinged with blue, while the feathers of the back of the neck and throat and breast are yellow, broadly edged with green, giving scaly appearance. The tail is green with the base of the outer tail-feathers marked with orange-red. The lower flanks, thighs and undertail-coverts green are strongly marked with yellow, while the underwing-coverts are orange-red. They have orange-red eyes, and their bills (beaks) are dark coral-red. Their legs are generally grey-brown.
Juveniles are similar to adults in appearance, but their tails are shorter. Eyes are pale brown or black, and bills are brown with some yellow markings or orange with brown markings. The Juveniles don't bite as hard either!

The contact call of these birds is a metallic, rolling, continuous screech in flight. They have a shrill chatter when feeding. While resting, they have a soft, gentle twitter. Although, these birds can be quite noisy as mating season draws nearer. These birds are often making loud tweets/squawks when looking for their food.

This lorikeet is common in most timbered areas of Eastern Australia from Bamaga the tip of North Queensland, south to Illawarra district on the New South Wales south coast; also on some offshore islands. They are generally confined to coastal plains and adjacent tablelands; occasionally found along watercourses west of the Great Dividing Range. They are abundant and mostly sedentary in north; less numerous and nomadic in the south. They favour open, lightly-timbered areas and melaleuca thickets.
The lorikeet's predominantly green plumage blends so well with foliage that the bird is hard to detect. An observer beneath a tree where scaly-breasted lorikeets are feeding may take some time to spot the birds. Their dark coral beak is often the first indications to their whereabouts. They seem to favour open, lightly timbered areas, but may be seen in melaleuca thickets when the trees are flowering.

The Scaly-breasted lorikeet is usually seen in small flocks, flying overhead, or feeding among the outermost branches of flowering trees. They frequent most timbered areas and are often seen in gardens and parklands - even in large cities. Scaly-breasted lorikeets are extremely noisy birds and attract attention by their screeching and chattering.
Scaly-breasted lorikeets have similar habits to the related Rainbow Lorikeet, and the two species often group together in mixed flocks. Both species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, but they also eat blossoms, berries, other fruit, icecream, seeds, and insects and their larvae. They are very fond of cultivated fruits and often cause damage in orchards; they also raid sorghum and maize crops to feed on unripe milky grain.

Scaly-breasted lorikeets fly swiftly and in a straight path. As they pass overhead the sound of their rapid wing-beats can be heard along with their high-pitched call.

Breeding occurs in all months except March and April though usually August-January in the southern part of its range. These birds nest in hollow trees, usually high above the ground, with a layer of wood dust serving as a mattress at the bottom. They usually lay two eggs, rarely three; they are white, oval, and about 26 X 20 mm. Incubation lasts about 25 days. Males spend time in the nest hollow, but apparently do not share in the incubation. Both parents feed the young, which leave the nest six to eight weeks after hatching.

Notes: www.wikipedia.com
boreocypriensis, Argus, uleko, zulfu, falke, spalaxtr, gracious, NinaM, darwin, haraprasan, bahadir, fthsm, rcrick, Art_R, pablominto has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To boreocypriensis: ThanksSueThomson 1 07-13 02:15
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Sue,
What a lovely shot fill with love:). Perfecly composed and detailed too. Great shot indeed. TFS.
Have a nice sunday my friend!
Cheers,

Bayram

  •      
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-07-13 2:19]

Hello Sue, Long note and nice shot. Good view and sharp picture. Focus is spot one. Ganesh smiley tmrw

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-07-13 3:17]

Hello Sue,
A superb capture of a pair of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets keeping up the pair bond. The pose, lighting, sharpness and POV are all excellent. I have only achieved a poor shot of one of these, but to take such a fine shot of a pair is fantastic!
Thanks for shring this delight, which is going into my favourites!
Cheers,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-07-13 3:18]

Hello Sue,
Wonderful capture of this gorgeous pair of Lorikeets! You've captured them in a lovely pose and the light makes the colours so bright and lovely. Great focus on both and sharp details too. Very well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer [C: 685 W: 0 N: 2] (43)
  • [2008-07-13 7:26]

A perfect capture of these lovely lorikeets Sue. TFS. Regards,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • falke Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 153 W: 18 N: 479] (1863)
  • [2008-07-13 8:20]

I wish I had such amazing birds around our house too! Excellent photo with amazing colours and perfect sharpness and a great composition!

Best regards/Bengt

Hi Sue,
Very funny and beautiful. Sharpness, colors and composition great. Fantastic birds. TFS,
Regards,
Mustafa

Hello Sue,
You had a good controlled exposure and focus in this beautiful image of Lorikeets, and very loving indeed!
good pov with excellent sharpness, nice colour and details
well done
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-07-13 11:56]

Hello Sue,
A wonderful photo of this pair of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. Excellent colours and the focus is very sharp. Pose, light, composition and POV are fantastic.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • darwin Gold Star Critiquer [C: 259 W: 0 N: 403] (1401)
  • [2008-07-13 16:09]

Hi Sue
Very nice shot under difficult light conditions
Sharpness,details and color are all very good
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2008-07-13 20:00]

Hello Sue,
lovely capture. Great moment to and right timing to click your shutter.
Very clear and sharp subjects with the surroundings shown.
Great colours and composition of the birds.
Lovely shot to be shared.

regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-13 21:46]

Hello Sue

I really find the plumage colours appealing.
Excellent pose captured.
This is a lovely capture.
The pov and dof are excellent.
Great job.
TFS

Rob

Hi Sue,
A beautiful couple of lorikeets kissing together. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hello Sue
What a beautiful shot of these Lorikeets. Perfect! TFS.
Regards,
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • fthsm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 172 W: 56 N: 512] (3689)
  • [2008-07-14 4:49]

I know they are not much rare but I couldnt see one of these birds yet. Nice photo, beautiful composition and excellent notes.
TFS,
Fatih

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer [C: 773 W: 3 N: 1157] (4077)
  • [2008-07-14 7:27]

Wow, Sue, those birds are colourful and in looove! It is a very good capture that you've done, a real beauty! I love the light falling between the branches, with light/shadow texture. The details and sharpness are amazing and here in America, they keep those Beautiful creatures in cages, with their wings cut... what a sight to watch them love each other and be free! Thank you so much,

Francine

pts tomorrow

Hi Sue, lovely couple in great pose, fantastic colors, splendid details and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

What a sight to have so close to you. This would only be found in a zoo here.
Nice composition of the two.

Hi Sue,

Beautiful shot of these two Scaly Breasted Lorikeets, I really like the way the light is coming though the trees and falling on these two, wonderful colours, d.o.f and framing all perfect, really nice work,

Many thanks Rick :)

  • Great 
  • Art_R Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 244 W: 20 N: 839] (3892)
  • [2008-07-16 6:29]

Hi Sue , great photo , what a nice moment to capture these two love birds , great detail color and composition , a lovely share , thanks :-)

regards
Art

Hi Sue

Lovely picture. Great dof and pov. Nice composition and I love their colours. How nice to capture 2 together.
Di

Hello Sue,

A cute situation is well recorded!
Fine interaction between the birds, and they are captured with great details in the plumage...
A well composed presentation with vivid colours!

Greetings,
Pablo -

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