Fantail Warbler. Fuinha-dos-Juncos.
Common English and Portuguese names for the bird Cisticola juncidis, here perched on a maize tassel. It’s a small insectivorous bird with a characteristic “zit…zit…zit…zit” call and a zigzagging flight, easy to spot in flight but not always easy to figure out where it landed, as it rarely chooses such a conspicuous perch as in this photo. A funny thing is the Portuguese common name, which means marten-of-the-reeds. Yes, marten as in the mustelid. I don’t know why.
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© Nightjar, all rights reserved.
Wonderful photo!
The light and focus are just perfect
Thank you, jazzlet and Giliell. This was one of those situations in which it was hard to keep my hands steady, I was so excited with the opportunity. I had been chasing this bird for ages and this was the first time I got a decent shot of one.
That’s an adorable little bird. The zig-zag flight pattern reminds me of Nuthatches here -- they have an erratic flight pattern, which makes them extremely difficult to target in flight, which is the point, I suppose. Makes it harder for raptors, too.
Oh, I know that excitement, too! It can take forever to get some birds, they are so elusive. I’m still hoping to get a Cedar Waxwing one of these days.
Well it certainly wouldn’t do fro the ‘Mystery Bird’ feature in the really serious birdin magazine my brothers subscribe to, far too clear a shot!
My most wanted bird is still the golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus. I’ve heard them and I think I saw a glimpse of one once, but that’s about it. It may never happen, but I’m still hoping…
A great picture, as stated, the light is beautiful. Also the bird has a slight cartoonish characteristic to it, even though the picture is totally photographic.