Red Hill Nature Reserve was absolutely beautiful in the early Spring sunshine. The weather was some of the nicest Canberra has had for a long time. The birdlife was starting to come alive with some visitors coming back and birds turning their attention to breeding. I did not get far that morning as I was enjoying myself, yet again, among the trees on the slope that faces the southwest. I watched a Weebill hop around some branches. I also enjoyed more pardalotes and a female Golden Whistler. It was a lovely Spring morning photographing some beautiful birds. I hope you like the photographs below.
A Lichen covered rock
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM [ISO 400, 40mm, f/10 and 1/100 SEC])
A Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) appeared to be attempting to mate with another Crested Pigeon. The first pigeon splayed its tail out and commenced bobbing along the branch to the second pigeon. The second pigeon did not respond positively, flying off to a different tree. The first pigeon perched on the branch for a little while before flying off in a different direction.
A Crested Pigeon attempting to mate
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1000 SEC])
Better luck next time
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC])
A female Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) was on a branch of a dead tree. It was calling but I could not see a male. A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flew to the tree close by the duck, scaring the duck away.
Female Australian Wood Duck in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
This is the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) that scared the duck away. It did not stay long before it also flew away.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
A Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) flew to a tree clutching a species of hairy caterpillar in its beak. It rubbed the caterpillar against the branch a few times and also shook the caterpillar vigorously a few times. It eventually ate the caterpillar.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike with a caterpillar
(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])
Giving the caterpillar a good shake
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/7.3 and 1/320 SEC])
Caterpillar all gone
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/500 SEC])
A Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus) was in dead tree, showing some interest in a hollow. It seemed to become aware of my presence and crawled to a location above the hollow. I moved on, just in case I had made it nervous.
A Galah in a dead tree above a hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/500 SEC])
A single Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) flew to the top of a dead tree. It did not stay long before continuing to a different tree.
Striated Pardalote
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/500 SEC])
An Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) was calling from a eucalyptus tree. I did not hear any replies but this was the first one I had seen this season.
Olive-backed Oriole
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/1000 SEC])
Two Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae) were sitting quietly in a tall eucalyptus.
Two Laughing Kookaburras perched quietly in a tree
(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])
At least one Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) was flying between a series of trees, it was calling and occasionally doing a circular flight off a branch and returning to it.
Grey Fantail
(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 Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris) appeared on the branches of a small tree. It appeared to be by itself. Initially I thought it may have been a chick close to fledging as it jumped between branches rather than flying. It also did a lot of preening, revealing a dark spot under it chest feathers. It did not seem too bothered by my presence, even when I started moving closer for better photographs.
Weebill
(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])
The Weebill preening
(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 female Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) was in a grove of tightly-packed, small trees. It was moving with a group of Superb Fairy-wrens. I did not see a male around the grove although there is a male on Red Hill.
Female Golden Whistler
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/250 SEC])
This Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) with joey was just off the side of a track and seemed unphased when I started taking photographs.
Eastern Grey Kangaroo with joey
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])