Miscellaneous small birds.

A selection of small birds taken around Gunjur. 

I find when in a new area one of the best ways to go about photographing small birds is to first do some reconnaissance. Look for areas where birds are visible in abundance, for example a (relatively low) fruiting bush, or in arid areas, a water source. Once an area is located, half your work is done, next comes the waiting game - the use of a hide made of scrim net or similar and a sturdy tripod can save an aching upper body and a lot of time as birds will generally approach a hide more readily than a human with a large camera. 

Bronze manakin, male - taken by a small pool near dusk.

Black-fronted red bishop

The one I didn't do justice to, but in this case, the view was enough to make my day, a stunning male African golden oriole, what I wouldn't give for a pristine portrait of this bird..!

A green wood hoopoe, very different in appearance from the more familiar European hoopoe.

The use of a 1.6x body, an extender and patience can turn a 300mm prime into a fantastic lens for bird photography. Especially in good light typical of the tropics. For this reason and the advantage that it is easier to fly with a 300mm f2.8 as hand luggage than a very weighty 600 or 800mm I think a 300 and a set of extenders is a good compromise for a temperate bird photographer who travels and is prepared to spend time waiting in a hide.

Next up, sunbirds!