Glossy Ibis / Plegadis falcinellus / 彩䴉

            A Glossy Ibis catches some unidentified critter mid-air between its beak.

This Glossy had been feeding close to the river’s edge, when it suddenly manoeuvred itself into the perfect position under the bright sunshine to show-off the incredible iridescent spectrum of its feathers, with hues ranging from bronze to violet and from turquoise through to magenta, all of which can be seen on a single feather.

For those who’re curious: “These glossy or iridescent colours result from the diffraction of sunlight by platelets at the tips of the wing feathers. The tiny platelets act in such a way to interfere with light rays to produce the opalescent coloration.” (Source: Universities Space Research Association)

The winter of 2024 / 25 is only the 6th time since 1978 that a Glossy Ibis has been seen in Hong Kong.

Thank you for your interest, views, faves, comments and awards ! This image was captured in Hong Kong 香港. (Better viewed on a larger screen.)

© This Image is under full copyright Rick C. Graham. © All rights reserved Rick C. Graham. © This image is subject to international copyright laws and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transferred or manipulated without the express written permission of Rick C. Graham.

Taken on: January 28, 2025

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Camera: Sony ILCE-9, f/10.0, 1/3200 sec, 840mm, ISO 1600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-9
Lens:	FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	1/3200 sec
Focal Length:	840mm
ISO:	1600
Exposure Bias:	-1.3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	ILCE-9 v6.00
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