Largetail Nightjar

[trident]

Sharing a few pictures of the Largetail Nightjar.
This was shot at bidadari.
canon 20D 400mm+1.4TC ISO800 1/80 f5.6

canon 20D 400mm+1.4TC ISO800 1/125 f5.6

canon 20D 400mm+1.4TC ISO800 1/50 f5.6

[benny]

Pretty!

So now you are more of a photographer than an aquarist?

Cheers,

[trident]

Benny,
I still got 15 tanks of fishes at home and only 1 camera.
This is the place where I pick up photography and will shoot when I am free.

[benny]

I still got 15 tanks of fishes at home and only 1 camera.

Respect!!!!

Cheers,

[StanChung]

I only have 24 hours but zero time
Benny you also have a lot of tanks what. Camera gear to drool after as well.

... Richard, nice capture, like the first one for cropping but the last one for sharpness. 2nd one might benefit from a little burst of flash.

[craftsman]

Well spotted!! Nightjars are difficult to spot! Beautiful pictures!

[trident]

Stan, craftman,
Thanks. This fellow quite easy to spot, it was on a small branch on the ground.
Usually they will sit on the ground and their camo feather will hide them.
Just lucky for me.

[planted86]

is it falling asleep or is it their eyes is so small??

[trident]

Nightjars usually sleep in the day time and hunt at night,
they are nocturnal birds

[luenny]

Do you flash them? Ok, now stop making me drool and bring me to the place already!! :P

[craftsman]

is it falling asleep or is it their eyes is so small??

Actually, I think the nightjar is keeping its eyes a little ajar to watch you, Trident. They are very fidgety creatures. If you get too near, they'll just scoot.

I've taken some shots before of a nightjar on an elevated branch some 25 metres away before, and their lids are completely closed.

The human traffic at Bidadari must be small enough for this fella to feel so comfortable to roost so close to the ground.

[trident]

Luenny, craftman,
I was 3.5m from the bird. That's the minimium focusing distant of my lens.
Some were flashed and some not. I was there for more than 1 hour, have
the luxury to play around abit. Took about 300 shots for this bird.
Bidadari was very quiet that day, only 2 of us there shooting.

[craftsman]

Luenny, craftman,
I was 3.5m from the bird. That's the minimium focusing distant of my lens.
Some were flashed and some not. I was there for more than 1 hour, have
the luxury to play around abit. Took about 300 shots for this bird.
Bidadari was very quiet that day, only 2 of us there shooting.

3.5 metres!!! Wow! Lucky you! ha ha ha... I notice you walked around the bird taking shots from perhaps even a 180% direction.

Where are your other regular bird haunts?

I'm still trying to get a shot of the Asian Fairy Blue Bird at a closer range. But no kakis to go to forest reserve, and must trek so far...

[luenny]

3.5 meters is your minimum focusing distance?? See, always bring your macro lens along.

[trident]

craftman,
Yes I did go round the nightjar.
I still new to birding, so not so many places yet, only bidadari, SBWR and Bukit Batok Nature Reserve. Not sure where to find the Asian Fairy Blue Bird in Singapore, but
I saw some thread about it being shot in Malaysia, Penang Hill.
Do you go birding often? And where?

Luenny,
Next time I bring extension tube, better

[craftsman]

I used to go birding quite a bit, and try and help out with annual bird census whenever possible. But in recent years, got no time as kids are growing up. Fairy Blue bird can find in nature reserve. The central catchment area is still one of the best places to go birding. In the mornings, if you manage to avoid the crowds, and if you know where to go, you can often catch bird "waves" where you just stay in one place, and scores of birds (different species) just keep passing your area, back and forth, back and forth.

[trident]

well if you want to go to the forest reserve to hunt for the Asian Fairy Blue Bird, call me, I'll be glad to go with you and learn something

[mervin]

Asian Fairy Blue Bird - One can hear them all the time, to spot one is not easy let alone get a good shot of it !

Unless there is some fruiting trees.

[trident]

mervin,
You got the Asian Fairy Blue Bird, nice shot

[craftsman]

Wonderful shot!!!! Absolutely beautiful!!!!