The annual lirralirra winter mystery pics are here with no specific theme this year; a tail, some bills, some eyes and and another that’s my favourite ever.
Mystery 1
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DIII, Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM EXT
I think Mystery 1’s mouth is quite amazing, and not a food choice that would interest too many birds.
Mystery 2
1/1250, f/10, ISO 800, focal length 540mm
Canon 5DIII, Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM EXT
Such a gorgeous eye colour! This bird walked towards me before lying down for a snooze.
Mystery 3
1/800, f/7.1, ISO 200, focal length 286mm
Canon 7DII, Canon 100-400L IS II USAM
If you recognise this bird you might also know it’s approximate age.
Mystery 4
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DsR, Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM EXT
The detail above gives the species and also a clue about the gender.
Mystery 5
1/500, f/5.6, ISO 1600, focal length 170mm
Canon 5DsR, Canon 100-400 L IS II USM
Birds have such a wide diversity of bill shapes, sizes and textures. This image was taken at Healesville Sanctuary.
Mystery 6
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DsR, Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM EXT
I think the pinkish detail above looks as though it has been knitted.
Mystery 7
1/640, f/7.1, ISO 640, focal length 321mm
Canon 5DsR, Canon 100-400 L IS II USM
This mystery should be fairly obvious, though there are similar species.
Mystery 8
1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 1600, focal length 321mm
Canon 5DsR, Canon 100-400 L IS II USM
Mystery 8 is my favourite, I think it looks absolutely amazing. I love the details it’s possible to capture with a long lens.
If you missed lirralirra’s previous winter mysteries, here are some links you might enjoy, some are trickier than others:
The mysteries are often quite hard to identify and even getting a couple right when there’s no information about size, behaviour or habitat is pretty amazing. I’ll keep any comments with answers under wraps until next week’s reveal.
Happy birding and mystery solving
Kim
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I figure there’s a pelican and a cockie. Are you sure the other ones are birds! LOL
How funny. Yep, they are definitely birds. You’re right with the two you mention.
I’ll be sharing the reveal very soon.
Mystery 1 – Cape Barren Goose
Mystery 2 – Pied Cormorant
Mystery 3 – Juvenile Silver Gull
Mystery 4 – Nankeen Kestrel
Mystery 5 – Female Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
Mystery 6 – Australian Pelican
Mystery 7 – Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Mystery 8 – Australian White Ibis
Great photos. Great fun. Thanks Kim.
You nailed it Neil! 🙂
Omg this one was really hard!!
1. Cape barren goose
2. Cormorant
3. Hooded plover
4. Grey fantail
5. Yellow tailed black cockatoo
6. Pelican
7. Sulphur crested cockatoo
8. Ibis!? Sacred or straw necked.
Not bad at all! Though I think number four will give you a bit of a chuckle, maybe number three too 🙂
I’m about to post the reveal…
Eek I don’t know many of these so major guesswork
Cape barren goose
Little pied cormorant
Silver gull
Black shouldered kite
Yellow tailed black cockatoo
Pelican
Sulfur crested cockatoo
God knows! Maybe an ibis??
That’s some pretty impressive ‘major guesswork’. Six correct, god was right about the ibis 🙂
I’m about to share the reveal…
1. Cape barren goose
2. Pied Cormorant
3. Juvenile Silver Gull
4. Nankeen Kestrel
5. Female Glossy Black Cockatoo
6. Australian Pelican
7. Little Corella ?
8.Australian White Ibis?
Only missed two Josefina, and you’re the first to say the the Silver Gull is a young bird.
I’m about to share the reveal…
1. Cape Barren Goose
2. Pied Cormorant
3. Silver Gull
4. Male Nankeen Kestrel? This one has me a little unsure; birds of prey are not my strength in birding.
5. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
6. Pelican – yes the pink does look knitted!
7. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
8. White Ibis
Great photos, Kim!
Only one incorrect, wow! And even that one was close.
I’ll be sharing the reveal shortly
Colour me awed.
I think the first might be a Cape Barren Goose.
Mystery the sixth? Perhaps a pelican.
And the seventh a cockatoo, I am guessing a sulphur crested, but there is none of the yellow down to confirm it.
I will come back (no doubt numerous times) to ponder the others.
Those three are all correct!
I’ll be posting the reveal shortly
Hi Kim,
This is fun! I will advertise on Ku-ring-gais website/social media
1 – very tough…. first thought Cape barron Goose
2 – pied cormorant
3 – hmmm maybe a Grey Teal
4 – Nankeen Kestrel
5 – Glossy back-cockatoo (female?)
6 – Pelican
7 – Sulphur crested cockatoo
8 – Im going to guess Jabiru but could be Ibis…. Lock in Jabiru
Thanks for adding it to the Ku-ring-gai website/social media Jacob
I’m just about to publish the reveal, you got most right, should have locked in the other one on 8 so I counted that as half right 🙂
1. Cape Barren Goose
2.Pied Cormorant
3. Juvenile mute swan
4. Nankeen kestrel adult male
5. Red-tailed black cockatoo. Female adult
6. Australian pelican
7.Long-billed corella
8.Australian white ibis
Awesome! Six correct, pretty amazing.
The ‘reveal’ will be published shortly
1: cape barren goose
2: cormorant?
5: yellow tailed black cockatoo
6: pelican
7: sulphur crested cockatoo
I’m seriously impressed!
The ‘reveal’ will be published soon