Thursday, March 26, 2009

A Nine Month Investigation

FF
About nine months ago during my first visit to the vine forest and as I was extricating myself from the stinging barbs of a vine, I caught a glimpse of a startled bird as it darted away. What was striking was the white bars on its greyish wings. I thought that it would be easy to identify but how wrong I was. A month ago I caught another glimpse of the greyish bird with the sergeant’s stripe on its wing. I was beginning to think that I was imagining the bird.
FF
FF
For the past two days I have been walking a new route to take some pics of a flowering gum tree and I am amazed to see a pair of these birds catching insects over a small billabong. After some patient watching, it turns out these birds are Dollar Birds Eurystomus orientalis which I have often seen perched on a branch, but never in flight.
FF
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What a beautiful sight they are in flight. One moment they can seem a dull grey but then turn into a turquoise blue with an emerald sheen. All the while showing off the light patch on their wing tips. Who would have guessed!
FF

To see some amazing pics of Dollar Birds go to:
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/mendistan/472234722]

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