Boney’s Christmas post 2018

Another year has flown past or at least some of it has flown past.
The winter months of this year saw me locked away in my man cave, hunched over a keyboard, processing some 2,000 + images and uploading them to my new image gallery.
This year has been a huge success for me photographically.
I got first class images, of a number of birds that I have wanted for more than a few years.

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Facebook

I want to thank all the people who have made my Facebook Group New Zealand bird image share so successful. We have a wonderful group of people and a membership of over 1500 people now and still growing strongly. But numbers mean nothing compared to the quality of the members that contribute, not only with their images but with their sense of humour and community spirit.

The Christmas spirit

I wish all of my viewers and customers a wonderful and safe Christmas.
For those who will be putting their Christmas holidays to good use and planning on spending them with a camera in their hands, I wish them all good luck and take all you have learned this past year and put those skills to good use.

Some will have family commitments to consider, while others will be free to just do whatever they want. Either way be careful and drive extra cautiously, don’t overspend and get into debt.
Don’t overeat or drink too much and if you do, blame yourself not those with you lol. Enjoy yourselves and recharge for the new year that is ahead of us.

Christmas should not be about presents, it should be about creating new memories. Years from now the presents will be forgotten, but family adventures will be relived with those whom we shared them with for years and years to come.
As a Christian, for me, Christmas is a time of mixed emotions.
This time of the year many of us will celebrate the Creator God Yeshua being incarnated into His own creation so that all who believe in Him will spend eternity enjoying His creation.
But also Christmas is a time of rampant uncontrolled commercialism.
Whatever Christmas means to you, do all things in moderation except loving one another. Be extravagant when it comes to loving each other and don’t stop when Christmas is over. The best gift we can give anyone is ourselves.
Time is the currency of love that will never devalue and our time is the greatest gift we can give someone.

Some of the highlights of the year

 

Click on the images for more information

pīpīwharauroa the Shining Cuckoo is often heard but seldom seen. I was very pleased indeed with this image as to get a bird like this in flight is something to be well pleased with.
This image is available as a canvas or fine art print in the following sizes.
Image ID = pīpīwharauroa the Shining Cuckoo A-7966

 

Breeding season was in full swing when we visited Whangaparaoa Peninsula this adult pūweto or Spotless Crake is working all day searching and retrieving food for its single chick. This little pūweto has scored big time with a large dragonfly and is hurrying back to impress its youngster.
This image is available as a canvas or fine art print in the following sizes.
Image ID = pūweto the Spotless Crake B189

 

This Year we travelled to the South Island specifically to photograph the pīwauwau or Rock Wren. After spending a wet cold day up the Otira Stream huddled under a rock bivvy we were rewarded with seeing the pair of birds we had been told lived in a particular area.
It was wet and cold but two very excited wildlife photographers made their way down to the car that night, It made our trip south well worth it.

 

The Ahuriri Valley in South Canterbury is my favourite valley to photograph. No matter what the weather conditions the landscape photographer can find something awesome to photograph.

 

Getting a good image of a kārearea or New Zealand Bush Falcon is always a thrill, but getting one flying and in such a pose as this has to be one of the highlights of 2018 for me.
Taken on an overcast day with a bright background I was shooting 2 stops over and the exposure came out perfect.

 

ruru the New Zealand Morepork is nearly always a challenge to photograph due to them being found mostly in dark areas of the bush during the day. This bird was happy to snooze while allowing me close.
This image is available as a canvas or fine art
Image ID = ruru the New Zealand Morepork A-20

Thank you so much and see ya again next year the Good Lord willing ❤