I had not been to Jenolan Caves for about 20 years, so I was really looking forward to this visit after our time in Sydney. It is always risky to build up too much anticipation about an activity, in case there is no way reality can match those expectations. I did not have that deflated anticipation with Jenolan Caves, it more than exceeded what I was hoping it would be. This was just a trip for my son and I, with my wife deciding she would rest better at home. We stayed overnight at the caves itself, so I could photograph on Sunday morning. I had not really thought about where I would go for photographing but upon arrival, when I saw a river walk track I thought that sounded interesting. I was able to take some landscape shots but I was most excited about seeing a lyrebird in the wild. These are birds I have only seen in zoos yet are so significant in bird evolution as well as being a bird readily identifiable with Australia. It was just such a magical morning. I was on a high already even before joining the River Cave tour we were on; again, I was not disappointed. (Sorry, no photos from inside the cave as I felt my skills were not up to doing the caves justice.) I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
A waterfall downstream from the Blue Lake but with the reflected blue of the limestone minerals
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 27mm, f/22 and 30.0 SEC])
Further down stream at a small rapids looking upstream back to the waterfall
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 18mm, f/20 and 20.0 SEC])
A rock formation that created a nice apex of a triangle with the stairs on the right and waterfall on the left
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 18mm, f/22 and 15.0 SEC])
The famous Blue Lake at Jenolan Caves taken from the closest point to the caves entrance looking to the blue water in the distance
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 18mm, f/22 and 15.0 SEC])
Ok, one photo from the River Cave of the Pool of Reflection with both the above water and below water lights on
(Apple iPhone SE)
I was worried my morning walk would not yield any birds, as I could hear some but they were hard to see or they were too far away. On my walk out to the turnaround point I was certain I could hear a lyrebird but I could not see it. On the way back I had stopped again at the small waterfall in a fruitless attempt to photograph fish from the surface. While I was there, I again heard a lyrebird call. I walked back a little to look. Then a little patch of ground on the slope moved, it was a female Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae). Her plumage blended so well into the ground cover I would have missed her if she had stayed still. I was fascinated looking at this Gondwanaland native, one of the oldest order of birds. She did not seem bothered by my presence, although she did flinch at the camera flash but did not flee. She would scratch at the leaf litter with her claws before using her beak to pick something up. She was on a steep slops but had no issues moving. She would stay in an area for a while then move slightly to look at a different clump of leaf littler. After about five minutes she shifted a more substantial distance, possibly 10 metres before flying onto the bottom branch of a short shrub, where she preened herself. She was behind too much foliage by this stage to photograph but I enjoyed just looking at her. I was so thrilled to have seen a wild lyrebird. It would have been nice to have heard some mimicry in her call but I was certainly not disappointed.
The female Superb Lyrebird searching the rocky slopes
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 153mm, f/5.0 and 1/250 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)
While I was photographing at the blue lake two Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) swam very close by. I suspected they were used to being fed so had lost most of their fear of humans. It meant I could take some close ups but I still had my shorter lens on initially as I had been shooting the lake. I eventually changed to my telephoto for some shots. They were feeding on what I think were water plants near some rocks but they also were putting their bills firmly into the vegetation on the edge of the water.
A Pacific Black Duck looking for food along the fringes of the lake
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 182mm, f/5.6 and 1/250 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)
Walking back up to our room I saw this Southern Old Lady (Dasypodia selenophora) moth on a metal plate. I am not sure if it was dead or just exhausted. I did not want to disturb it to find out but I did take the opportunity to photograph it. The eyespots are very obvious in this photograph.
A Southern Old Lady moth on steel decking
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/250 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)