Last year, "Greater", the Greater Flamingo at the Adelaide Zoo, South Australia, died at the ripe old age of 83 years.
I remember seeing the flamingo standing on one leg right from the time when I was a child many years ago.
The bird was beautiful with its stately plumage and not much went unnoticed as the bird watched people pass by its home.
I'm sure its photo has been taken countless times but here's the photo which I took and made into a series of interactive jigsaw puzzles.
I've had the pleasure of seeing flamingos in the wild when I was trekking in South America, but they were never that close that I could have touched them like "Greater" at the Adelaide Zoo.
Maybe you don't agree with animals and birds being kept in captivity, but many modern zoos these days love and respect the creatures they care for and provide them with food, a home, safety (free from predators) and their own free medical health plan.
And for the people who aren't able to travel to places from where the animals come, zoos provide a tiny glimpse of wildlife which lives on our planet.
Animal and bird photography can be a bit tricky at times, so patience is required. Standing or sitting quietly and not making any sudden movements is also essential.
In a walk-in bird aviary a telephoto lens isn't really necessary unless you want close ups of plumage etc.
However, a telephoto or zoom lens can be of real benefit when photographing in the wild and you are unable to get really close to the subject.
The
Birds Interactive Jigsaw Puzzle CD is available for purchase below. Here's the link for more information on
my jigsaw puzzles on CD.
