Rainbow Lorikeet

SCraig · Apr 7, 2013

The Lorikeet exhibit at the Nashville Zoo has been closed for a while for some reason, so I was glad to see that it was back open again today. We don't have any bright tropical-colored birds around here, about the brightest thing we have is a Cardinal, so I always enjoy the Lorikeet exhibit at the zoo. They have a large area that they are free to fly in, and tend to land on the visitors hoping they will get a cup of nectar.

shefjr · Apr 7, 2013

Wow Scott! You have produced some really crisp, sharp photos! Nicely done. They have lovely colors.:thumbup:

MSnowy · Apr 7, 2013

Nice set.

Ratboy · Apr 7, 2013

We have these in abundane here in Aus , every day around sunset 1000's fly into town and feed on the nectar from the palm tree's in the centre of town , get drunk on it , and have a great party getting loud and fighting with each other .....it's a bit of a tourist attraction .

Love shot No 1 ...my fav

oldhippy · Apr 7, 2013

What a great set. I'm torn between zoo envy. and ability envy. Those shots are pin sharp. Thanks Ed

SCraig · Apr 7, 2013

Thanks guys. They are really pretty birds. They have the physical shape and size of a Parakeet, which is probably where they got their name, but the colors are truly gorgeous. It appears that no two have exactly the same patterns and coloration, but I don't know much about them. There could be more than one sub-species or something. All I know is that I love to watch them.

Ratboy, I did know that they were native to Australia but I was unaware of that behavior. They do LOVE the little cups of nectar they sell at the zoo and they know exactly what they are. If someone holds a cup of it out 2 or 3 birds will land on their arm and squabble for it. I can only imagine what it looks like with a few thousand of them. I'd love to see it, I know that!

SCraig · Apr 7, 2013

oldhippy said:
What a great set. I'm torn between zoo envy. and ability envy. Those shots are pin sharp. Thanks Ed

Thanks, Ed. No need for ability envy as they were only a few feet away. In fact I had to back up on several shots to get outside the MINIMUM focusing distance of my 70-300 lens.

Heck, you can't be that far away, come on down here and I'll take you to the zoo

oldhippy · Apr 7, 2013

SCraig said:
oldhippy said:

What a great set. I'm torn between zoo envy. and ability envy. Those shots are pin sharp. Thanks Ed

Click to expand...

Thanks, Ed. No need for ability envy as they were only a few feet away. In fact I had to back up on several shots to get outside the MINIMUM focusing distance of my 70-300 lens.

Heck, you can't be that far away, come on down here and I'll take you to the zoo

Thanks for the invite Scott. Might just take you up on that later this summer. later Ed

Ratboy · Apr 7, 2013

SCraig said:
Ratboy, I did know that they were native to Australia but I was unaware of that behavior. They do LOVE the little cups of nectar they sell at the zoo and they know exactly what they are. If someone holds a cup of it out 2 or 3 birds will land on their arm and squabble for it. I can only imagine what it looks like with a few thousand of them. I'd love to see it, I know that!

You can here them for going for it streets away , i will get some pictures , i have never really thought about taken shots of them ....as a local you sort of forget about them as you have seen them 1000's of times ....

manaheim · Apr 7, 2013

Wow beautiful shots!

I should dig up the shot of my wife with a bunch of these silly buggers on her. It's pretty damned funny. :lol:

SCraig · Apr 7, 2013

oldhippy said:
Thanks for the invite Scott. Might just take you up on that later this summer. later Ed

Any time. Just let me know when you're coming.

Ratboy said:
You can here them for going for it streets away , i will get some pictures , i have never really thought about taken shots of them ....as a local you sort of forget about them as you have seen them 1000's of times ....

That's the same way I am with most of our local birds. I seldom take shots of a lot of them since I feel that if they are boring to me they will be boring to everyone. We just need to remember that the world is a BIG place and what is common to us is something new and interesting to others.

Do take some shots of them some time, I'd love to see it.

manaheim said:
Wow beautiful shots!

I should dig up the shot of my wife with a bunch of these silly buggers on her. It's pretty damned funny.

Thanks, Chris. Much appreciated.

I'd love to see your shot. They are really cool little birds, and they seem to be pretty unafraid of people. Those in the zoo here will land all over people, especially if they have a cup of nectar