The Kea is a New Zealand endemic, locally considered something of a trickster and a pest. This was taken during a lunch break along the Milford Track several years ago. He posed for just a moment and then spotted another hiker's unattended lunch which he grabbed, bag and all, and flew into the forest leaving a trail of apples and sandwiches. Had I known then what I've since learned from BPN, I might have wished for a turn of the head, a better perch, a slightly lower angle to separate the tail from the railing, a cleaner bird (looks as if he's already had some lunch); and also a flight shot -- he has beautiful scarlet underwings. C&C welcome.
Hi Bill - cool looking bird - had not seen one before, agree with your self critique. The HAP may want to talk to you - they will probably let you off with a warning as you have mentioned it yourself :)
The on camera flash has not done you any favours - looks a little over flashed to my eye's.
Keep em coming :)
Hey, Bill, your "if I knew then what I know now" rings true for me, too. I look back on some of my images that, at the time, I thought were really quite good---and now, well, I'm glad Artie, Alfred, Fabs, James and crew brought us BPN!
Hi Bill,
This is one cool looking bird...the head angle...well, lets just say that back in the day you captured Mr. Bird intensely looking at something that caught his attention...:D:D I like the color of his plumage...I agree with your self assessment...thanks for sharing such a cool little guy...:):cool:
Thank you all. Katie, you are so right. It's amazing how much I have learned in the last six months from BPN, and how very much more I still have to learn. My hat is off to everyone at BPN.
Kea
