A Rainbow Lorikeet takes flight
Rainbow Lorikeet launching from a balcony
Canon EOS R1 with a Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM Lens [ISO 8000, 800mm, f/9.0 and 1/3200])
I am very self conscious when I am carrying my long lens near houses and I normally would not point it towards someone’s residence but sometimes I have to make exceptions, such as for this photo. In late October I was briefly in Sydney and out for a morning stroll. I had been walking along a harbour beach seeing what birds I might find but there were slim pickings. Then walking along the road behind the beach I saw a group of Rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) perched on a house’s balcony. I was guessing that the owner fed them or maybe there was water there, because the birds appeared comfortable perched on the railing. However, being Rainbow Lorikeets, they didn’t stay still and I could see individuals starting to fly. I arrived in front of the house with just a few birds remaining. I felt very uncomfortable pointing my camera with a long lens at the person’s balcony but I reasoned that the blind was down and there was no movement that I could see inside the house. The final lorikeets started to take off and this was the photo I took of the last bird launching itself. In typical lorikeet fashion it was calling the whole time. So often you hear these colourful birds before you see them. I was so happy with this shot and the colours really stand out while also somehow matching the house behind. Lorikeets have a tongue that has evolved with hair-like structures at the end to make it easier to gather nectar and pollen. Lorikeets also enjoy fruit, sometimes making them a challenge for orchard owners. However, being pollen eaters, that means they also spread pollen, helping to bring on the next generation of plants.
