Kama Nature Reserve presented itself as a place to shoot some reasonable photographs on an overcast June Sunday morning. I am glad that I tried this new location because I was able to take photographs on a day that was not ideal for such an activity. Kama Nature Reserve has relatively open country so on an overcast day there was likely to still be sufficient natural light for photography. The conditions were not great for taking photos but I was able to photograph two species of thornbills that were interacting around a nearly dried pond. There were also a number of parrots, including the ubiquitous Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and the beautifully coloured Red-rumped Parrots. The area was a wonderful location, which I enjoyed, despite the less than ideal natural lighting. I hope you like the photographs below.
What appears to be a slightly spooky, heart-shaped tree hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 135mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC])
The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) appeared to dominate the area of the reserve closest to the road. I was concerned these introduced birds would be the only birdlife I would see the whole morning. They were flying around most of the the old, dead trees in the upper part of the reserve.
Common Starlings seemed to dominate the first area I transited
(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])
Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans) were readily apparent after I had walked a short way into the reserve. I saw the first one on a branch of a toppled over tree. Not far away was a juvenile, with its greenish plumage, consuming something from the back of a leaf. I am not sure if the bird was eating something or drinking some water off the leaf.
On my way out, a Crimson Rosella was feeding on the ground. The bird was not troubled by my presence, indeed it walked towards me at some stage, although it kept its eyes on me. I could see it was eating the low vegetation as it walked along.
A juvenile Crimson Rosella enjoying something on a leaf
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
A mature Crimson Rosella using its right claw to hold some food
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/200 SEC])
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) are always around, and a lovely sight they are as well. This particular one was part of a group of three but the other two flew off quickly. I thought this one would also depart the tree where the photograph was set but it stayed still, even as I walked closer to the tree.
There is always a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo around
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata) already seem to be up in the trees with the female ducks calling. I heard, then saw, at least two females calling. Their call was a steady, constant sound, with their heads describing an arc as the birds called. I read that ducks, in general, tend to pair in the winter, although they will not breed until later. Although most guide books I counsulted stated these wood ducks did not start to breed until September, this story from the ABC three years ago suggested that ducks in Adelaide may have been breeding from June. I am not sure, I am wondering if this is just the behaviour of birds pairing up or preparing for mating.
Female Australian Wood Duck calling from a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC])
A group of three Buff-rumped Thornbills (Acanthiza reguloides) flew down to the small remnant pond while I was looking at it. Initially, I was not sure what birds they were, as I could not see them clearly. When I moved to the dried edge of the pond the three birds departed. I thought they had gone; spooked by my arrival. Fortunately, they returned shortly afterwards. The light was not great so I had to increase the ISO, open up the aperture and slow down the shutter speed just so I could take photographs. Because these birds are always moving, I did not want to slow the shutter speed too much otherwise they would just be a blur. I ended up sitting cross-legged in the slightly moist mud around the pond so I could steady the monopod the camera was on. The birds were not concerned by my presence while they foraged along the far side of the pond in the ground-covering vegetation. The birds tended to move in one direction, rather than stay in one location. They covered most of the far side of the pond while they were grazing. About half-way along, I thought a fourth member joined the trio. Later, when looking at my photographs, I realised it was a juvenile Yellow-rumped Thornbill. There appeared to be some disagreement between the two species as one bird, I am not sure from which species, seemed to regularly fly at a bird from the other species. Thornbills often move in mixed groups so I am not sure what I was observing, and I am not sure which species was causing the problem.
A closer look at one of the Buff-rumped Thornbills
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
The group of three
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
The Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa), which was probably a juvenile because of the eye colour, eventually moved away from the three Buff-rumped Thornbills. It moved around by itself in one area, slightly closer to me, but at the end of the pond, rather than on the far side. As a quick aside, I mentioned the eye colour because adult Yellow-rumped Thornbills have a lighter coloured iris whereas juvenile birds have a brown tinge.
A juvenile Yellow-rumped Thornbill
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
Three Red-rumped Parrots (Psephotus-haematonotus), a brightly coloured male and two females, flew to the pond while thornbills captivated me. The three parrots landed on a branch sticking up through the muddy surface of the water. One of the females appeared to wash her head, spinning her head quickly to remove the excess water. The other two were content to drink the water. They did not seem to notice me, not surprisingly as I was sitting quietly in the mud with my hood pulled over my head as protection against the cold. They did not stay long, flying off to the trees nearby. You can see in the photograph at the bottom, the male was not concerned his tail feather was in the water, nor did wet feathers hamper his departure.
A female Red-rumped Parrot enjoying the water
The male Red-rumped Parrot making the origin of the species’s name very clear
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC])
Eastern Rosellas (Platycercus eximius) were also around in numbers. I saw a number of these birds in trees. These rosellas are harder to approach than their crimson cousins. The eastern variety is easily spooked, readily flying off.
An Eastern Rosella on a tree branch
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
A small mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) also came to the pond while I was sitting motionless there. I was so intent on photographing the Red-rumped Parrots, I did not turn around, even when I heard loud thumping near me. I was not sure what was going on with these kangaroos. As I said, I heard the loud thumping from their hopping because they came reasonably close. They would hop towards me, seemed to reconsider, before about turning to jump away. The small one in the middle of the photograph was the one who came closest. I am not sure if they saw me as a human, or were just not certain what I was. They were not too concerned when I turned my camera towards them; finally departing when I actually stood up.
Some of the Eastern Grey Kangaroos that wanted to come to the dam
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 158mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC])