Not sure if this is the same Japanese Thrush..... this one didn't go in to bathe...

This shot was taken a few minutes earlier. She was harangued by the Bulbuls, but chased them off.... finished her bathing & then left....

A couple of Japanese White-eye shots from today...

Yellow-browed Warbler - one of 2 visiting today....

Wow, some amazing shots in there!

it really looks like building your own bird-bathing pond has paid of generously in fantastic photo opportunities. How close can you get to the birds before they're spooked away?

I have a little fountain with plants, small fishes and a little waterfall on my own rooftop. The birds seem to love it, gathering frequently, several species at the same time. But as soon as I enter the rooftop carefully, they all fly off.

Some advice, please? Should I sit quietly in my rocking chair 10 metres away till they return and get used to me and my tripod?

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Thanks L-G.
Some advice..... is difficult.
You can sit 6" away from them if you have something between you & them that obscures your movements & doesn't show any part of human form...... but realistically......
.......you have a 200mm lens I believe, so to get good photos you need to be within about 6-8' of them.... if you purchase a mosquito net from the village & dye it brown/green, or I have even sat inside one of those big black bin bags with eye holes & a hole for a camera lens & a hole to be able to look thru the viewfinder (if you get the picture), and just keep your movements slow & to a minimum, you can get your photos.
It really comes down to patience... the common birds can get relatively accustomed to you even out in the open..... I have had Bulbuls land within 2' of me without any camouflage, but as soon as I move... they are away.
You can pop up to the house over the next couple of days as I will be around... just give me a call.

In the meantime you may have to indulge me... I can't stop taking photos of the Mugimaki Flycatchers...... here are Mum & Junior bathing together....

Can't stop taking photos of this little lady either........
The Rufous-tailed Robin is scarce and widespread in Hong Kong during the migration season...., sometimes seen, and rarely photographed.
Think it is a female, as I am sure I saw a twinkle in her eye a couple of weeks ago.
Has taken me several days & umpteen hours to gradually move her out of the shadows & into a more open area to be photographed by placing rocks and branches in the bathing area.... all the time taking care not to startle her as she is a real forest lurker.
Anyway..... now.... she is happy to bathe for up to 20 mins at a time and a couple of times a day...... she takes it in turn with another Rufous-tailed Robin that has appeared in the last couple of days..., and possibly a third.
Hope you enjoy her as much as I do..... (apologies as my PS skills do not do her justice)
<a href="http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum-OK/viewtopic.php?p=62852#62852"><img src="http://lamma.hk/Images_2010/2010-11-16_-_Rufous-tailed_Robin_-_D3A_4500.jpg" border="0" /></a>

Hey you guys out there...... was just wondering...
Ever been out on a trawl looking for some action?
Hangin' out in this really quite watering hole...... wondering why you're there & what to do or where to go next.... when this really cute bird suddenly appears out of nowhere.

I mean like.., she is everything you could possibly dream of..... beautiful....,elegant........, full-breasted...., wearing this really hot black feathery body-clinging outfit......., a body to die for...., a pair of eyes that could melt you down to your socks from 50 paces..........
You don't know what to do.....
She just won't look in your direction so you can see the real beauty of her classic features.

You want to get her attention... You need to get her attention..... but you don't wan't to scare her off.

The seconds tick by & it seems like an eternity. She still won't look in your direction!!
You are sure she has noticed you from the corner of one of her beautiful dark eyes as she sips her drink.
The seconds are racing by...... you need to do something drastic and quick.
She may never look in your direction...... she'll just move on to the next watering hole.
The moment & the opportunity could be lost forever.

So you try & impress her...........
.....you take a couple of short sharp shots like a Flaming Lamborghini in quick succession.....
You look up with relish in your eyes expecting that glorious moment...........but she is gone..... your dreams have disappeared into thin air in the blink of an eye.
You take another couple of shots at the same watering hole in frustration...... or in the forlorn hope that she might magically reappear.

How would you deal with it?
Would you keep hangin' out in the same watering hole?
Would you go back there day after day?.... hoping
... or would you just forget her and move on?

Anyway was just wondering.....
<a href="http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum-OK/viewtopic.php?p=62857#62857"><img src="http://lamma.hk/Images_2010/2010-11-16_-_Blackbird_-_D3A_4603.jpg" border="0" /></a>

This 1st winter male Blue & White Flycatcher came in today.... don't know if it is the same one that was here on the 13th as I think they are just passing though...

Haha - love your allegory. I guess sometimes you just click and sometimes you don't...

Yes Zep..... yes

Seems the Blue & White Flycatcher above is a new one.... so makes 3 different ones have visited the garden.

Seems also that I have had at least 3 different Rufous-tailed Robins visiting. But no way I can tell which is which.
But now..... Am pretty sure.. the first images are of 2 different birds that came in to bathe today... they weren't too friendly toward one another, but at least they share a bath...
<a href="http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum-OK/viewtopic.php?p=62852#62852"><img src="http://lamma.hk/Images_2010/2010-11-16_-_Rufous-tailed_Robin_-_D3A_4453.jpg" border="0" /></a>

And some Rufous-tailed Robin bathing shots from today..
<a href="http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum-OK/viewtopic.php?p=62852#62852"><img src="http://lamma.hk/Images_2010/2010-11-23_-_Rufous-tailed_Robin_-_D3A_5914.jpg" border="0" /></a>

At least 4 of these Yellow-browed Warblers visited the pond today...

A Red-whiskered Bulbul from several days ago....
At times there seem to be about 50 of these either bathing or queing up to bathe.

Greater Coucal.....

Daurian Redstart......

Chinese Bulbul......

A different female Japanese Thrush..., possibly 1st winter....

More Rufous-tailed Robin shots.
From about 16:00 to about 18:00 on each of the last 2 days there has been a continuous bathing fest.... one would bathe for about 10 mins... leave... and then another would arrive a few minutes later.
Don't know if is the same ones returning each time or a bunch of them taking turns.
For a very secretive and not often photographed bird...... they are very very obvious.
So with little else to photograph while they're at it.... another photo....
<a href="http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum-OK/viewtopic.php?p=62852#62852"><img src="http://lamma.hk/Images_2010/2010-11-23_-_Rufous-tailed_Robin_-_D3A_5899.jpg" border="0" /></a>