Wild Bird Trust photographers of the week

I have two pictures chosen by Wild Bird Trust in this week’s edition of Top 25 Wild Photographs of the week. One is from my vacation to Australia earlier this year and the other is from a Black Grouse lek that I visited last month here in Sweden.

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo picture is actually taken on the last morning in Hobart. I was sitting eating breakfast when I heard birds in the backyard. I had seen them around the house a couple of times before and one of those times they landed in the fig tree. That time they landed on the opposite side which meant I couldn´t take any good photos, as the tree actually is in the backyard of the neighbour, a Swedish-Australian couple.

I left the breakfast table to take a peek and in the top of the tree there were two Sulphur-crested Cockatoo’s. I went back inside to fetch the camera to see if I could get a picture or two. One of the wild birds had now gone to the opposite side of the tree, but one was still in the top clearly visible.

This is one of the first pictures I took and one of a few in which the Cockatoo has a raised crest. I am not sure if it was a reaction to me coming out from the house. Still I don´t think so as the bird soon started to feed on the figs.

It was nice to be able to see, and photo, the bird having breakfast and I think it stayed for almost 20 minutes before the pair took off to new pastures.

The second picture is one from my last trip to the Black Grouse lek.

The lek wasn´t as fierce as it can be and this is one of the few times when I managed to get something more than just the normal stationary Black Grouse photo.

I saw this behaviour early in the morning when the wild bird both jumped and shrieked at the same time. My mind was initially set on fighting scenes, but this was the only proper action picture that I managed to take.

I think it is an interesting picture with a nice bokeh and great colors. The flapping wings brings a little action to the scene as well as the opened beak on the Black Grouse. A nice picture with a low perspective, just as I wanted it to be.

I like both pictures and I would like to thank Wild Bird Trust for including them in their Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the week.