All around us the birds seemed to be saying ‘thank you’.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
We were at Victorian wetlands on the final Sunday of the duck shooting season. We saw two shooters ambling along the road with their shotguns over their shoulders and found evidence of other shooters (spent cartridges and feathers mainly) but in other respects the day was amazing, with Welcome Swallows hawking for insects beside us and a Grey Shrike-thrush landing on the open window sill of my car and singing so loudly, it was remarkably wonderful. And then there was this Black-shouldered Kite that hovered above me until my arms ached from hand-holding my long lens.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
I’m sharing heaps of photographs of this magnificent bird as each shot shows something different in the tilt of its head, the look in its eye, the shape of its wings, the furl of its primaries and the fanning of its tail. I just couldn’t work out which shot I liked the best.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
As we headed out to western Victoria we drove through some extremely heavy rain and it’s clear from the kite’s underparts that its feathers are wet where it had landed to capture a recent feed. They eat mice, heaps of mice, but also grasshoppers and other critters of a similar size. I have shared photographs of them eating mice while perched but they often eat insects on the wing.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
I love the tilt of its head in the shot above and the way its holding its wings.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
And in this shot its the clarity of the colour variation in its wings along with the way it has fanned its tail.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
It was quite challenging to get the exposure right for a white bird against a cloudy sky but I think the high key drama works well to emphasise the blacks and greys, and piercing eyes, of this raptor.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
Only three more to go! Watching this amazing bird use its feather to hold its place in the air, was truly awe-inspiring. It seemed to be connecting with me in a remarkable way. It made eye-contact, a lot. It hovered close to me, flew away and returned almost immediately.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
I’ve cropped in with this shot to show more detail of its fierce looking bill and stunning eye. Although the light was pretty poor there was just enough for a catchlight.
Canon R5, Canon RF 600 f/4 L IS USM
Shivers of loveliness.
Happy birding, Kim
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Majestic images Kim – a big thank you for these and your work with CADS.
Thank you Fiona, for both of your kind comments. The number of submissions is astonishing, I can’t stop thinking about the inquiry and hoping this really will be the end of the horror of recreational duck shooting.
Such a magnificent set of images, truly so special!
You are magnificent! The birds were thanking you more than me.
You have a great eye, and are a truly talented photographer.
I have always thought that the stupid apes who enjoy killing beautiful birds, are actually enraged because they themselves cannot fly! They are killing the birds, because they ENVY them! Birds are so much more beautifully designed than us lumpy, earthbound humans – imagine being able to soar up and away like that!
Have you ever read Roald Dahl’s kids’ book’The Magic Finger’? It’s about a group of bloodthirsty bird shooters – then magically, their roles are reversed, and the birds get hold of their guns, and start hunting the hunters – much to their horror! It is savagely funny – with a powerful message. Keep up your marvellous work – no wonder the birds are grateful to you!
Thanks for your heart-warming comment Deirdre. Roald Dahl was such a brilliant writer and bird watcher – I love The Magic Finger! He advocates for birds in The Twits and some of his other stories too but it’s midnight and I can’t think of them. That’s an interesting thought about shooters…
Wow, wow and wow. What a privilege to see this magnificent bird – let alone to capture so many stunning shots.
It stayed with me EC, it was really remarkable, especially when it left but then came back to me – I have goosebumps just thinking about it.
Spectacular photos of such a handsome bird! Loved reading your story too, thank you.
It was quite amazing Donna, I felt very moved by the beauty especially juxtaposed as it was to the horrors.
Wonderful news and doesn’t Mother Nature and her beautiful, clever, unique creations know when to celebrate.
This gorgeous bird shows us all the only reason for killing is for food and to feed their young.
Hope all your family and wildlife warriors are doing OK. Everyone who visits these sites during this horrible event suffer mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and in many ways the pain or visions never go away.
It is wonderful to read these animal welfare organisations are all demanding an end to the senseless, needless slaughter of our unique and beautiful native wild birds.
https://rspcavic.org/victorians-will-say-good-riddance-to-duck-hunting-today/
Let us hope this is the last time you will see shooters carrying 12 gauge shotguns around our vital and important wetlands and witness the carnage. 9000 submissions and the compassionate, caring Victorians demand the killing stops and duck hunting is banned forever.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi
I’ve been feeling very strange and helpless this week. All we can do now is wait… and make comments and write letters, and read submissions (some of which are sickening, thankfully not the biggest percentage in the first 2000). I have so much admiration for the rescuers who spend so much time out there Barbara, they are truly inspirational. That’s a beaut quote to share and reminds me of some of the poetry written by William Blake.