Longtails: The Bermuda Dream

A Photographic Exhibition by Dr. Reg Grundy

A Review by Charles Zuill

Dr. Reg. Grundy's photographs of longtails, including a wall of backlit photographs, which is currently on exhibition at the Masterworks Museum, is, indeed, a splendid show.

The Longtail is sometimes said to be our national bird, although others claim that title for the Cahow.

Whatever the case may be, the White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), a.k a. as the Longtail in Bermuda, unlike the endemic cahow, is very wide-ranging in its distribution, being found it tropical waters, throughout the Pacific, the Indian oceans, as well as the Caribbean.

Except when nesting, it is largely an oceanic bird, spending most of its time far from land.

Considering the question about our national bird: although the Cahow played a significant role in Bermuda's early history, few Bermudians have ever seen one.

Every Bermudian knows and has frequently seen the Longtail. Even the blind are aware of its distinctive cry.

For us Bermudians. the Longtail is a harbinger of spring. You might have noticed that with its first yearly sighting, sometime in February or thereabouts, it usually gets written up in the local newspapers.

Its crackling "kee kee" cry is like music to our ears. It suggests good things to come. Furthermore, its incredible beauty and grace is a sight we never tire of seeing. The Grundy exhibition is therefore, one that all must see.

That said, the Longtail, like the pink cottage and the gombey in art, is often considered a local artistic cliché. It takes an exceptional work to rise above that category, but this exhibition, in every case, does just that.

Recently a lecture on the longtail, was given at the Masterworks Museum by David Wingate, who was introduced to the audience by Reg Grundy. In making the introduction, Dr. Grundy stated that the longtail is his favourite bird and in this exhibition, that attraction shows.

Dr. Grundy has an eye for the beautiful, but in order to capture the Longtail in motion, as he does, he uses the latest in photographic technology.

Indeed, at the lecture, he stated that he uses long lenses, so as not to intrude on the birds personal space. More than that, however, bird photography takes patience and a great deal of luck.

I am sure that for every great picture, he must take scores of other photographs, that just do not meet his high standards.

Dr. Reg. Grundy, who has a home in Bermuda, originates from Australia, where he began his career in broadcasting, first in radio and then later in television. Since then he has become one of the most successful Australian and international entrepreneurs and media and television giants.

In recent years, however, he has devoted his time to another of his passions; wildlife photography.

In 2005, Longtail Press published a book of his photographs, entitled simply, "The Wildlife of Reg Grundy".

I noticed that a copy of his book is also on show at Masterworks.

The exhibition continues through August 29, 2009.