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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

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Magpie-lark

Magpie-lark (Image ID 42818)
Photographed byMichael Hamel-Green on Thu 8th Oct, 2020 and uploaded on Fri 9th Oct, 2020 .
Resolution1400x852
Viewed374
ID42818
CommentMagpie-Larks are some of the more approachable birds in our local park, if you discount the ever cadging Rock Pigeons, Silver Gulls and White Ibis. Peewees do not want anything from you but nor do they seem particularly perturbed by your proximity. They go about about their foraging on the grass in front of you as if you weren’t there. Perky, pretty, exuberant, irrepressible. One Magpie-Lark family has established itself as “monarchs of the glen” on a rocky bend in the Merri Creek just above Coburg Lake. The parents, with a juvenile in tow, have built themselves a beautifully constructed Grecian urn-style mud nest plastered perilously onto a high bough overhanging the creek. This photo captures a Mudlark family life moment. The juvenile (in the middle) is complaining bitterly, expecting its parents to always be on hand to feed it. The mother, on the other hand, has different ideas, flying off to put the finishing touches to making a soft doona within her new domicile. So now the juvenile must rely on his father (to the right). Indeed, just a few moments earlier, the father was sighted dutifully delivering an insect into the youngster’s gaping beak. The photo captures very clearly the distinctive Peewee plumage differences between males and females, and between adults and juveniles. The adult female in flight has a white face above and below her beak, and lacks a white eyebrow. The adult male has a black face above and below the beak, and very distinctive white eyebrows. The juvenile (or possibly immature) youngster has its own mix of features, including the dark eye and beak, white throat, black head, and eyebrows.
EquipmentNikon Z7 with Nikon 300mm PF f/4 telephoto and Nikon 1.7 Teleconverter
500mm
ISO 1000
1/2000th f6.7
LocationCoburg Lake Reserve, Coburg, Victoria
Keywordsmale, female, juvenile, in flight, adult
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