As autumn bites ahead of winter the birdlife on Red Hill Nature Reserve becomes harder to find, with many species departing for warmer parts. Some birds will stay through the winter, such as the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and the Australian King-parrots, a species which will mostly disappear as it warms up. Even the insects become harder to find as the temperature drops. This Saturday morning I was lucky to spend time photographing a wonderful group of juvenile Australian King-parrots who were more focussed on food than me. I heard Yellow-tail Black Cockatoos in the distance but I could not see them. I thoroughly enjoy my Saturday walks on Red Hill, an area I have really gotten to know over the past 12 months. I still find new places, which leads me to new ideas for photographing. When the birds are hard to find I look for other shots and I have two shots, which I hope are interesting, for different reasons, below. I have also included some photographs from a walk I took back from Woden Shopping Centre.
A real tree fork - this fork must have been left in the tree for years as the tree had grown around it
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 400, 34mm, f/8.0 and 1/40 SEC])
The new dawn through old fire damage - the morning sun seen through a blackened, fire-charred arch at the base of a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/11 and 1/30 SEC])
There were about five or six juvenile Australian King-parrots (Alisterus scapularis) feeding on the fruit of the tree pictured. They were happy to perch on the tree, allowing me to get a bit closer. These plants are not tall, meaning I was at eye level with the bird. They seemed to keep an eye on me but were fully occupied eating. They were moving from plant to plant in the area, but not going too far.
A juvenile Australian King-parrot, these birds love these shrubs
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/60 SEC])
Off Red Hill, back in Hughes, I saw a small group of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) waiting at a house where the homeowner puts food out for them. I saw one particular cockie on the front lawn, not waiting for food, but going after the roots of the grass. The cockatoo was not phased by my presence, at one stage it started walking in my direction with a mouth full of roots. It is hard not to love these birds that are full of character. They are such a part of the Canberra urban environment, especially around Red Hill.
A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo feeding on the roots of a lawn
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1600 SEC])
The Friday before my walk above, I had to go to Woden Westfield for an appointment after work so I made sure to take my camera as I decided to walk so I could look for things to photograph on the walk back. I am glad I did take my camera, and macro flash, as it opened up a different experience to that I normally have when I walk this route. I did not find much but I tried to look at how I could photograph the parts of the natural world I encountered.
New growth on an Oak Tree stump
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 35mm, f/16 and 1/200 SEC])
Trying a dandelion shot
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 40mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
This Concealer Moth flew past me when I was in the overflow canal than runs to the east of Woden. It landed on the rock wall at the top of the canal. It did not object to me approaching it to take shots with my flash. This family of moths generally feed on dead plant matter.
A Concealer Moth on the side of the run-off canal
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 42mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
I was looking at a tree with Sugar Ants climbing down its trunk, when I noticed what I believe was a Spiny Ant (Polyrhachis spp) climbing in the opposite direction. It bumped into at lest one Sugar Ant without any interaction. I am not sure where it was climbing too but I was interested by the lack of reaction from the Sugar Ants to the Spiny Ant. Apparently these ants cannot bite but instead spray formic acid from the gaster.
A Spiny Ant climbing a gum tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 200, 52mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)