Monday, May 3, 2010

Me and a Common Iora

I whistled, I jumped and I even waved my hand, but it never bothered to show me its full portrait. Birds are always as funny as us; sometimes they were too cautious and disappeared on the spot, but they treated me as though I was transparent at another time.

I was at the most twelve feet away from this Common Iora, and looking at my size it certainly believed this distance was very safe. No, no, I am wrong; it had never looked at me, it glimpsed at me.

I simply lost my ego in front of this small bird. Thinking of you my friends, I was still negotiating for a full portrait. My ego was then kept aside. But this would not help; as time was ticking away, I was still what I was: a silly dumbhead.

I whistled and waved good-bye while I was making my move, but I never looked back. It might not tease me because it was so cool. In the end we have to content ourselves with these few pictures.

Later part of the story:
Yen told in his blog that spider silks were used by this Common Iora in order to reinforce the structure of their nest.

17 comments:

Harshi said...

Aww.. a really cute birdie and a shy one too.. for hiding away like that. I'm sure you'll get a great capture of it the next time.. or the next.. or the next.. or the next.. =D

PS: It's amazing to hear that it uses spider fibrils. That reveals this is no ordinary Iora but a dignitary living in a bullet proof mansion! ^__^

Diane AZ said...

What a beautiful bird, and smart too, for using spider webs to make a strong nest and for ignoring the waving, jumping, whistling man with the camera!

Ayie said...

gotcha! rainfield's lenses are fast enough to catch that little peeper =)

happy monday!

Mike said...

Rainfields, very colourful bird, clearly not shy but still difficult to get that full shot.

BTW thanks for the link to the birders blog.

Kirigalpoththa said...

Nice shot! You have done well to spot it.

Anonymous said...

I am learning names of different types of birds from your blog! :)

Rick (Ratty) said...

These are much better pictures than you think. The combination of the bird and the nest is great. I tried to get one like this today, but the bird flew to another branch when it saw me.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

ts do you wear when you go tramping? isn't is muddy like in Sarawak?

Anonymous said...

The nest is really interesting looking. I like the head peeping out of it..Great photo rainfield!

rainfield61 said...

wenn:
Thanks

Harumi:
or the next? I'll go for another one, I have my ego.
LOL.

Diane:
They are as intelligent as us, I do agree.

Ayie:
I thought I am a cowboy to draw my pistol fast enough for the bird.
Haha...

Mike:
No thanks. Hope the links are useful to you.

Kirigalpoththa:
I have a sharp pair of eyes. I can see you as well.. ... ....

Mei Teng:
I am sharing the knowledge I have learned from other bloggers.

Ratty:
I am looking at the nest in my garden. It is belonged to a common Tailorbird. It must be very interesting to wait for the baby birds to grow, and grow, and until one day, to fly away.

Ann:
I never go tramping. It is muddy on the mudland, like in Sarawak, but not on the trail.

Icy BC:
The head is peeping out, looking for us.
Look at it again, do you have that feeling?

Bengbeng said...

perhaps if u waited some more

fufu said...

yeah i always flirt the birds :) when there's a chance =p

LifeRamblings said...

i bet this bird will look absolutely beautiful in full portrait.

CH said...

You seem to have good times at Seberang Jaya, but I miss your story about Cerok Tokun.

Redzlan aka Tabib said...

Wow!.. you found a common iora nesting. Show us the chicks soon.

Loshini said...

Been missing from cyberspace and am catching up on all blogs. Your posts on all these birds are fascinating. Capturing them on lens is quite an achievement! :)

Joanne Olivieri said...

Rainfield, these are great shots. Though he was shy, it made for a good story too :)