photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
through_the_lens | all galleries >> Galleries >> Peter Hemington, England > Unidentified Bird
previous | next
15-MAY-2010

Unidentified Bird

As several of you shoot birds, I wondered if you could help me identify this frequent visitor to our garden. It's quite tame and you can get close without it flying off. It's solitary and other birds do not react to it. It's a great mystery to me, as I just can't find it in any birds books yet.

Pentax K10D
1/350s f/6.7 at 100.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment | share
Deb Booth 20-May-2010 22:28
hahahahaha! What fun! I think this is the very rare Azura Cerama.
Cindi 16-May-2010 19:47
LOL! Made me smile!
Terry 16-May-2010 17:15
Sorry I missed the fun, Pete. What would life be like
with a little humor - thanks!
Pete Hemington16-May-2010 10:16
Thanks guys for entering into my joke, especialy Hal with his treatise, we have China clay pits in nearby Cornwall, next time I'm down that way I'll take my binoculars and a long lens. Let you know. Perhaps a couple of rednecks from down your way could come and clear out the pigeons near us and leave the space to the real garden birds. I'd put Orange Billed White-winged Blue Bird somewhere safe first.
Rudi 16-May-2010 07:26
This is great capture, these little guys are usually very wary of people. Oh wait... wrong gallery! ;-)
I actually laughed out loud when I saw this. It still bring a huge grin to my face every time I see it. Thanks for sharing this one. :-)
Michael Edwards16-May-2010 04:03
Pete:
Come to the US, head south, and I'll pick you up, take you around, and in no time, you'll see for yourself things which are....how should I say it Hal...?
Unspeakable?
I'll post some things over the next few weeks to demonstrate.
Meanwhile, my gallery titled "Rural Scenes" might help, as will "Out of Business"
pbase.com/meephoto...
Michael Edwards16-May-2010 04:00
Hal, you know whereof you speak, Buddy...
Only someone who has spent time in Alabama knows...don't we?
hal 16-May-2010 02:42
Ah yes, l know it well, Pete.
lt's the Orange-billed, white winged, Blue Bird.
Commonly see around succulents. Not really tame but rather indifferent , ignoring
humans and dogs (canis bow-wowis) alike.
lt is immune from attack by house cats (Felis Kitty-Cattus)
Quite rare in Devon,UK, but commonly seen in China (and is often called Porcelain.)
Also frequently seen in Plastic and rarely in durable materials
like steel (carbon ironicus)
ln the State of Mississippi, USA, the bird is reportedly hunted by Humans with red necks,
who have been known to report to the newspapers, the bird's strange habit of flying
only when shot at.
Newspaper reporters have since discovered that what the Humans with red necks
were referring to was the bird's ability not so much to Fly, but it's ability
to Fly to Pieces when struck by accurately aimed Shot.
The local newspaper in Biloxi MS, reported losing two of its staff, who failed to fly
in a demonstration by the Humans with red necks, of how the Orange Billed White-winged Blue Bird was shot.
Michael Edwards16-May-2010 01:16
Don't bring him to Mississippi...some redneck will shoot at him...he might break.
Guest 16-May-2010 00:59
I'm stumped.