Snakebird calling!

I have spent a lot of time this week photographing this young Australasian Darter in all kinds of weather including wind, rain and shine.

Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
1/1000, f5.6, ISO 4000

These large water birds make me smile. They can look so graceful and elegant, and at other times so gangly and ungainly. They are generally solitary birds but when a few are dotted around a lake, or gracing the edge of a small island, they feel compelled to call to each other with their strange ratchet-like gargles and clicks. Today I was trying to interpret their contact calls. Maybe it was something like, ‘I’m fine over here on the south side, how about you?’ ‘All good here too, just sheltering from the wind’. The more time I spend with birds the more I think it is totally appropriate to be anthropomorphic.

Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
1/1250, f9, ISO 1600

Darters are similar, in some ways, to cormorants. They often share the same habitat and both species dive to catch fish. Darters swim very low in the water with just their heads and the top part of their necks stretched above the water which makes them look especially snake-like. I still have many images to look through including some swimming shots which may be usable for another post.

They forage by diving and spearing fish with their long, sharp bill. Their catch can be eaten under water or brought to the surface where it is tossed so it can be swallowed head first. Although they eat mainly fish they will also take insects, turtles and some vegetation.

Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
1/800, f9, ISO 1600

This darter is a young male, it will darken considerably as it gets older but will retain the white neck stripe that makes getting the exposure right for photography a bit tricky. Even in these three shots he seems to go from graceful to gangly to manic.

Their eyes are particularly fascinating. I often find light eyes a bit creepy in birds but the darter’s pale yellow iris contrasts magnificently with the black pupil and other markings. Oh, that thought has reminded me that it must be time for the winter mystery images, I have a few ideas to sift through.

It has been fun to spend so much time with the darters this week. Other birds wandered nearby including a Magpie-lark that came so close I could have reached out and touched it. Today I sat at the edge of the water, on the coot-pooped grassy bank, my camera cradled in my lap, and I watched the comings and goings of numerous species. It was delightful, I’d be back there now if it wasn’t dark.

Happy birding

Kim

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