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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

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Golden Whistler

Golden Whistler (Image ID 46580)
Photographed byMichael Hamel-Green on Sun 6th Jun, 2021 and uploaded on same date.
Resolution1800x1092
Viewed325
ID46580
CommentI had heard the strikingly beautiful call of this male Golden Whistler the day before at the Royal Park Wetlands but for the life of me I could not find him. I was not helped by the fact that he decided not to keep up his operatic solo. John Gould noted “there are few birds that possess a more animated and lively song” (Vol.2). In my mind, the Golden Whistler ranks as the Pavarotti of Australian song birds, and most certainly in the same league as our other beautiful soloists, such as Butcherbirds, Grey Shrike-thrushes, and Lyrebirds. The next day I went in search of him again at Royal Park. This time there were no beautiful arias to be heard, even at a distance. Then, in a leafy area of scrub that I was exploring, my Golden Whistler suddenly appeared right in front of me, quietly flitting from branch to branch, attired in his handsome black cap, white judge’s bib, brilliant yellow waistcoat, and scalloped olive green jacket. Here he is looking very quizzically at me, possibly wondering what I was doing trespassing within his private domain, and certainly not in the mood to give me his version of Nessun Dorma. Much as it would lighten the gloom of a Melbourne winter lockdown you can’t have everything at once. An uplifting song one day, a beautiful sighting the next. I was more than happy.
EquipmentNikon Z7ii, Nikon 300mm PF f4, TC1.4, focal length 420mm
ISO 1250
1/350th f5.6
Monopod
LocationRoyal Park Wetlands, Parkville, Victoria
Keywordsmale, adult
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