I've just got back from a trip to FNQ and have so far only gone through my photos from Day 1. Day 1 included a visit to Cairns cemetry to see the Bush Stone Curlews. One particular bird caught my eye when it raised its wings in amongst the gravestones. To me it looks angelic but the bird is also known as the Devil Bird to Aboriginals due to its mournful cries at nightime.

This image was captured in colour but I think it looks better in sepia. Unfortunately the face of the bird is slightly OOF. The image has been cropped just to respectfully remove the name on the gravestone.

EOS 1D Mk IV, 300mm, 1/250sec, f4, ISO 200.

You've created a great atmosphere here, Jon. The conversion to sepia has definitely helped with the atmosphere. The bird almost looks like a Gargoyle with its wings raised up like that. They are a very common bird here - definitely one of the calls of the bush.

When my mother was a young child growing up on the family farm (not too far from where I live now), she used to scream at night everytime she heard the curlew's call - that was until my grandmother showed her the bird one day which made the noise and pointed out its knobbly knees. She wasnt scared of them after that

A superb image Jon!! The conversion to monochrome works really well and adds to the mood of the image. The face does'nt look out of focus to me and the wings up pose is perfect for the image. Well seen and well captured

Fantastic pose and great setting. A lot to like here, and the removal of colours really tops this image off

Ashwin

pretty scarry amongst the gravestones monochrome works well as said, very moody

great capture of the Curlew ampungst the G/Stones, the B&W works well with this shot.
I am yet to see one of these birds, one day I hope.

Peter

Creepy!

What an unusual looking setting! Love these birds, such beautiful eyes they have.

Great to see you posting Jon! Look forward to seeing some more shots from the trip too
This is such a unique image - love the title too. That wings up pose is indeed so angelic but also like a gargoyle - bizarre!

Beautiful image Jon. I really like how mood and composition of this image.

What an image. I love your expression of it in monochrome. Yes the angel and devil motif is good. The headstones in the cemetry do fit the motif and mood well. Good one

Thanks for all your comments guys

With the mention of gargoyles, I throw down a challenge for somebody to get a photo of one of these birds doing this on top of a gravestone! There were about 50 birds present when I visited so I am guessing one or two must occasionally land on top of the stones. Now that would be a picture!

Jono