The male Northern Red Bishop or Orange Bishop is a gorgeous little weaver, native to the sub Sahara Desert, Africa. From Wikipedia: The Northern Red Bishop displays prominently, singing high-pitched squeaks from tall grass, puffing out his feathers or performing a slow hovering display flight. It builds a spherical woven nest in tall grass.
As most of you may know, I live in Irvine, California…nowhere near Africa. So why did I sight this little fellow here? I don’t know. I asked one of our local Audubon leaders and she believes that this was a captive exotic that either escaped or was set free. Or perhaps, as I suspect, he just has a very, very poor sense of direction. Either way, he is a magnificent bird and I hope to see him around again soon.
Paul Marto
Paul has been passionate about photography since the early 80's. Nature, wildlife and action shots are his favorites. He loves the challenge that arises from the unpredictability of his subjects when he is trying to capture the perfect wildlife moment. He is a native of California and has spent the last 28 years in Orange County. Mr. Marto grew up in Carmel Valley, so it is no surprise that he gravitated towards wildlife photography. Mountain bike riding, hiking, tennis and playing the electric guitar round out the list of pursuits for this UC San Diego graduate. He has a beautiful wife and two adorable children. Paulâs work has recently been highlighted by National Geographic, Sea & Sage Audubon Society, The Environmental Nature Center, The O.C. Register, Irvine World News, WildlifePhotographyNews.net, Irvine Valley College and Photo of the Day.com. He is a recent winner in the City of Irvine 40th Anniversary Photo Contest and his works have won numerous on line photo contests as well. Juried into a number of organizations including LagunaArt.com, AmericaFineArt.org, Artists of America, Gallery 104, RAWArtists.org and TurningArt.com. He is active within the Irvine Unified School District and gives presentations on wildlife photography. "Through my photography, I am trying to bring awareness to the abundant collection of wildlife that cohabit the Orange County area. The more we know about these amazing animals and their requirements, the better prepared we will be to live a peaceful coexistence with them. I strive to present brilliant photographs of these wonderful creatures, large and small, in a way that will both inspire and educate.â
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