Hi MacNara, My thoughts were along the same line too but when I compared it to a small bit of footage I have of a female Masked Woodswallow there was a slight difference. Even though the female has a light mask you can still notice it and with this one you can't see one. Whether this is due to over exposer or lighting, or a different bird I do not know. Thank you for your help.Masked Woodswallow female (not much mask), I would think. The camera exposure has slightly overexposed the bird, while leaving the sky much bluer than the eye would see it. (My Canon cameras regularly do this; I still can't work out how to overcome this.)
That i do not know.What different bird could it be?
I think it must be just the photo features I mentioned. Or maybe juvenile or moulting females have some differences?
Anyway there are several excellent Australian bird experts on Bird Forum, so I expect one or more of them will come along later.
I think Dee might have meant a different 'bird', not species LOLWhat different bird could it be?
Back of head is slightly overexposed - the rest varies between correctly exposed and underexposed, depending (unavoidably) on shadow (sky looks sky-coloured to me - skies vary). If null auto-exposure gives you overexposure, then just set to underexpose by ⅓-⅔ stop. If (as often in sunlight) light varies widely across a scene, expose for the brightest bit (or overexpose that just slightly) and try to recover as much as possible of the dark bit in post-processing.camera exposure has slightly overexposed the bird, while leaving the sky much bluer than the eye would see it . . . I still can't work out how to overcome this
Thank you for your input on this matter.Obviously a woodswallow but something's bothering me about it being Masked 🤔. Maybe the amount of white in the tail. I've got woodswallows wrong before, so I'm probably being over cautious, but are we sure there aren't other options, eg some plumage of Black-faced?
Thank you for your help.Black-faced woodswallow. Can't see a reason to confuse it with masked woodswallow. See pics 1 & 6 for tail-pattern which confirms it.
Thank you for responding.I think Dee might have meant a different 'bird', not species LOL
I agree with Masked Woodswallow, saw quite a few of these in the Queensland outback, especially Bowra.
Thank you for your input.Yes masked woodswallow
Black-faced Woodswallow for me tooBlack-faced woodswallow. Can't see a reason to confuse it with masked woodswallow. See pics 1 & 6 for tail-pattern which confirms it.