Flight #4, a photo from Victoria, East

Photographer's Note

Melbourne has only one species of megabat (big bat), the Grey-headed flying fox. Like all flying foxes it is vegetarian eating nectar, pollen and fruit from native and exotic (non-native trees), does not have echolocation, uses its eyes and ears like humans. It has night vision as good as a cat. The bats can be seen each evening just after sunset flying across Melbourne to its various parks, gardens and backyard trees.
Here is one at Yarra Bend where there is a colony of between 3000 - 7500.

(this was taken using a 1.4 teleconverter and cropped substantially)

jrleborgne, Matthew-Watt, ktanska has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Matthew-Watt (5934) 2007-09-09 0:28

Hello Stephen,

I am no fan of flyingfoxes. They always leave a mess in our yard and eat our bowen mangoes. In summer swarms of them fill the skies over Brisbane (we have a few species here) as we have a large colony at the local bushland reserve. THis is a great shot mate, the bat is in perfect focus, and the movement of the wings helps give an active feel to the image. The dead branches make it a bit more exciting also, rather than just plain sky.

Matt

jrleborgne (1554) 2007-09-09 0:35

Hello Stephen,

That's the first close-up portrait of a bat I see !
Good composition and excellent focus.
Thanks for sharing.
Jean-Renaud

Greg1949 (9011) 2007-09-09 0:52

Stephen, this is a really mpressive shot. The head and shoulders are frozen risp in focus yet 1/400 didn't completely stop the wing tips, they must beat then furriously. Great capture.

Greg

grendel (213) 2007-09-09 1:33 [Comment]

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ktanska (44492) 2007-09-10 0:21

Hi Stephen,
A perfect capture on a tricky animal to shoot on the fly. I tried it in Sydney, but as they only made quick hops from tree, totally unpredictably I was always too late. The head is sharp, and that's what matters.
Kari

istanbl (333) 2008-10-28 15:00

hi, alot of good photos in your gallery..this one is really very nice captured..thanks for sharing, regards..

michelleknight (112) 2010-07-01 9:14

Hello
Another great shot of a bat. I like the movement of the wings, & the clear shape of the body. Your framing is also very nice.
Michelle

clic (76) 2010-07-09 15:27

G'day Stephen
Dracula transformed as a bat to the point of reaching
a landing site!
Many compliments for this neat take and the original poster!
Hava goooodweeeeegend!
Robert
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