Scaly Thrush, Shanghai

[Craig Brelsford]

Here's the second thrush in my recent "urban birding" series.* Unlike the Japanese thrush, the scaly thrush (also known as the White's thrush) winters in Shanghai and is common. With its natural camouflage, the "tiger-spotted ground thrush" (Chinese name) can feed unnoticed just meters away from pedestrian thoroughfares in the busiest inner-city parks. I found this one resting motionlessly on a fallen tree in Zhongshan Park, across the street from my apartment in downtown Shanghai. Because he was so still, and because I have become adept at stabilizing my camera, I opted for a low ISO and slow shutter speed. This shot is uncropped.

Device: Nikon D300
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Focal length: 600mm
VR: OFF
Aperture: F/6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/1.3s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Metering: Center-Weighted
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 250

Other notes: Shot in mirror-up mode. Used shutter-release cable.

*For the first thrush, a Japanese, click here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...hai&highlight=

[Dan Brown]

Awesome bird Craig! I'd love to see one myself! I like the exp and sharpness but wish to see the whole bird!

[Colin Driscoll]

Wow, it was motionless to get that sharpness at 1.3s. You sure it wasn't stuffed :D We have the same bird here in OZ but not an urban bird. In fact quite shy and rarely seen.

[Craig Brelsford]

Sorry, Colin, but where exactly is OZ? I see you're from Australia.

[Colin Driscoll]

Ha, I wondered when I wrote that how well it was known that OZ is short for Australia (OZ is inhabitated by Aussies pronounced Ozzie). The Scaly Thrush inhabits the coastal SE of OZ.

[Craig Brelsford]

OZ . . . OK, got it!

[Stu Bowie]

Craig, good angled pose, and I like the colours on the thrush. Pushing up your ISO will in turn give you more ss, which in turn should create more sharpness. I would also blend in the two lighter areas in the BG.

[Craig Brelsford]

Hello Stuart, and thanks. What exactly is ss?

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Craig, SS = shutter speed mate. :)

Certainly looks sharp at web res to me and you handled very well. Wonderful pose and as Colin said, our local the Scaly aka Bassian Thrush is a bugger to get a good shot of. they are skulkers and hide as far away from people as possible. Do you have a species name for this guy? (scientific)

[Craig Brelsford]

Do you have a species name for this guy? (scientific)

Hi, Ákos. According to my Birds of East Asia by Mark Brazil, the taxonomy is muddled, but we're probably looking at a Zoothera dauma. I think that the Australian bird is considered to be a separate species.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Thanks for that mate. I believe (from memory) ours is Z. lunulata. Yes, taxonomy is a real pain. :)

[Craig Brelsford]

Regarding what Ákos and Colin were saying about the shyness of the Australian Zoothera, let me add that here in China outside of city parks the scaly thrush is a tough bird to shoot. I was in a more natural setting in Jiangsu recently and couldn't get near scaly thrushes. I've discovered that a bird that ends up in an inner-city park has two alternatives: either get out entirely or adapt. My scaly thrush found itself adapting-- it had to become less secretive, less shy. It was still very much a wild bird but one highly influenced by the human-modified environment. For these reasons, in China at least, it is, ironically, often preferable to shoot certain species within the city of Shanghai than in more wild areas.