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Swamp Harrier

Swamp Harrier (Image ID 48147)
Photographed byJim Schultz on Sun 19th Sep, 2021 and uploaded on Tue 21st Sep, 2021 .
Resolution1400x1089
Viewed336
ID48147
CommentSwamp Harriers are regulars at Herdsman Lake in the Perth Metro area. Depicted here is an older male of a particular light colour on the breast and belly, which is said to have caused a lot of furore with regards to species identification; it has even been suggested that it is some kind of hybrid. However, I am willing to stake my hat on the fact that is an old male Swamp Harrier, as the males of this common species of raptor are known to become paler with age. Although this particular bird seems unusually pale even for a very old and greying male Swamp Harrier, it is far too plainly coloured to be anything but in my view. The five wing tips and in-flight fanned tail are also giveaways; nor is there any barring on the underside of the tail. Given that I habitually see the brown juvenile and immature Swamp Harriers at Herdsman Lake, it is my considered opinion that the species breeds here, successfully and year after year. Time of capture 10:28. [Moderator's Note: GRC; ABG states that older males have darker brown heads, underparts whitish with dark streaks; lacks bars in tail. This bird is without doubt an 'older male']
EquipmentOlympus OM-D E-M1X with Olympus 300mm f4 IS Pro ED M.Zuiko lens & camera rig support: Velbon Neo Carmagne Carbon Tripod with Manfrotto Ball Head Art 498RC2; standing in the open on shore of lake.
Camera settings: Exposure Program/Shooting Mode: ‘Manual’; shutter speed 1/5000 sec, f4 & ISO-400. Metering Mode: ‘CenterWeightedAverage’; Focus Mode: ‘Continoues AF+Manual’ and Drive: ‘Sequential shooting Silent-low (2 frames)’. Image Stabilizer on (S-SIS AUTO) & In-Camera-Sharpness +2. Bird recognition firmware: On
Post Processing: FastStone for viewing & sorting, Olympus Workspace for Tif conversion and metadata; Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw/CC 2020 for 154% crop, selective work and general post-processing incl. removal of disturbing elements and halos; Topaz Pro plug-in DeNoise for blanket sharpening and noise control. ‘Australian Bird Guide 2019’ for species’ distribution confirmation and colour checks.
LocationHerdsman Lake, Western Australia
Keywordsmale, in flight, adult
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