Red Hill Nature Reserve was the first place I went to photograph on that Saturday as my son and I were going to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for a walk later that day. The wind picked-up in speed throughout the morning and the clouds were coming across so Red Hill ended up being the best location for photographing that day. I rushed through Red Hill because I needed to get home so we could get to Tidbinbilla while it was still the morning. Because I enjoy Red Hill I wanted to go for a quick walk there before heading off to Tidbinbilla. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
This Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus) pair was in a tall, isolated eucalyptus tree in a park between the houses at Hughes. The female appeared to be on the branch preening while, I am assuming, the male was inside the hollow doing something, as only the tail was visible. The hollow did not appear very deep, although in other photos only the very end of the tail is visible so there may have been more depth than is apparent in this photo.
A pair of Galahs at a hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A male Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum) was in a hollow previously used by Rainbow Lorikeets last year and possibly by Crimson Rosellas this year. This male was positioned quietly in the entrance, appearing to almost be guarding it. A Crimson Rosella was outside chattering away, almost sounding alarmed, in my interpretation, annoyed at losing the hollow. The male Gang-gang made no noise but finally reversed into the hollow where I lost sight of him.
Male Gang-gang Cockatoo in a tree hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC])
This was the Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) that was making the alarmed chattering noises outside the hollow.
Crimson Rosella
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
These Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) were in the same tree I photographed two weeks before but at a different hollow. They were initially outside the hollow but went to the lip of it. They lined up beautifully on the lip and commenced mutual preening. First one, then the other, then back and forward. They would preen one bit of the head, then swap; next time preening a different part of the head. They appeared to be enjoying it, with tongues occasionally being displayed like an extra sign of enjoyment. I thought this preening may have led to mating but first one, then the other flew off to a branch near the hollow. They did not stay long there before flying southwards. Lorikeets always seem to have so much character and I enjoy watching them. I suspect one of these may have been still a young adult given the lighter coloured iris of the bird on the left in the photographs.
Rainbow Lorikeets looking like they are snuggling up
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
Somebody is having a good time
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
The bird on the left is doing what a lorikeet can do because it is a lorikeet, they are always entertaining
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
This juvenile Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) was in the same tree as the lorikeets. Neither species seemed antagonistic to the other. This magpie was calling, possibly for food. Eventually an adult arrived to feed it but I had moved on. I believed it was fed as I heard the crescendo of pleading, before the pleading sound became muffled, as something appeared to enter the throat, most likely food.
Juvenile Australian Magpie in the same tree as the Rainbow Lorikeets
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
A group of three Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae) were in an area of crowded small trees, just near the water tanks. They all appeared to be adults. They were not bothered that much by my presence and were mainly monitoring the ground, possibly looking for food.
One of the Laughing Kookaburras
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC])
Another of the Laughing Kookaburras
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
This Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) appears to be sleeping in the photograph but I suspect it was just protecting its eyes from the strong wind. Cockatoos have regularly been at this hollow but it always appeared too shallow to support a nest. This cockatoo flew off while I was photographing. It was screeching as it was flying away.
This Sulphur-crested Cockatoo was probably not sleeping but was closing its eye against the wind
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Pied Currawong was in the front yard of a house. It was still in shadow so I cracked the ISO right up. There were three Noisy Miners apparently trying to chase it off, probably because currawongs will target the eggs of other birds for food. They did not succeed, the currawong seemed to move at its own pace. The currawong appeared to have been successful with food as it had a grub in its beak. The food may have been for a young bird as the currawong did not eat it on the spot.
Pied Currawong looking for food while being hounded by Noisey Miners
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 3200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
A different Pied Currawong was nesting in a tree near the start of the Fishing Gap trail at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. This currawong remained on the nest without making any noise.
Pied Currawong on its nest
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
This is a Protea flower, a native of South Africa, which originated from a shared ancestor with the Waratahs found in Australia. I like this flower and was testing. various lens in different lights to try and capture the flower. Wikipedia gives a good introduction to these plants:
Protea /ˈproʊtiːə/[1] is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of South African flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: suikerbos) or fynbos. In local tradition, the protea flower represents change and hope.
Protea flower in our front yard
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 188mm, f/13 and 1/320 SEC])
We finished our morning with a late lunch at the brilliant Salotto restaurant in Kingston
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 2000, 100mm, f/10 and 1/80 SEC])