I always love seeing Rainbow Lorikeets, their colour and something about their behaviour makes them a joy to watch; although they are competing with other native birds in Canberra. Still it was great to see them during my first visit back to Red Hill Nature Reserve in a very long time. Due to a number of reasons I had not been to Red Hill for a while so it was great to walk around it again. That said, unfortunately, Icon Water have repaired the leak from the water tank on the ridge meaning that there was no more stream running down the hill, and the area was now dry. Despite that unfortunate change, Red Hill was still mainly the same and I finished off my walk watching a group of six Gang-gang Cockatoos. I hope you like the photographs below.
Black Mountain tower seen from Red Hill about half an hour after sunrise
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/11 and 1/80 SEC])
A wood shelter made on Red Hill Nature Reserve catching the mottled sunrise
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/4.5 and 1/100 SEC])
Two Galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus) were preening themselves high up on a dead tree branch. They were calling at the same time before they launched into the sky with their screeching call announcing where they were. There are a number of Galahs around who were enjoying the longer grass and weeds in the suburban parks.
The second photo shows a female Galah from a couple that were on a living tree further along the hill. I heard them before I saw them, as I could hear the cracking sound of a strong beak on wood. I always look when I hear that sound to see what bird is around. Although I was attracted by the sound, I first saw the quiet male who was sitting on a branch preening himself before I noticed the female below him chewing at the exposed dead wood inside the tree. The bird would chew at it for a bit, before looking to its right. It did not seem worried by my presence and kept chewing the wood.
Two Galahs on a dead tree branch
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
This female Galah was happily chewing at the tree but would look around occasionally
(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])
There were several Australian Ravens (Corvus coronoides) around and this one was in a different part of the dead tree as were the two Galahs that were preening themselves. This raven was looking around and calling, There were other ravens calling as well and it looked like this one was replying to the other birds. I love the black sheen on the plumage of this raven.
An Australian Raven high on a tree branch looking towards another raven
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
The same raven calling
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
There were a couple of Grey Fantails (Rhipidura albiscapa) quickly flitting through the branches with their twirling call and erratic flight. Unfortunately, for my photographing, they decided to stay in the branches, with the sun roughly behind them making it hard to obtain a decent exposure. Still, I was having fun so I was not that worried.
Grey Fantail in a tree canopy
(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 pair of Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans) were grazing on the ground, which is common on Red Hill. What interested me was that one of them had some yellow feathers on its belly.
Crimson Rosella feeding on the ground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 286mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
This Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) had found a nice tall branch to perch on, giving it a view over everything. It did not stay long before it was off again.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 286mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
A group of six Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum), three pairs of males and females were flying between several trees in a small area. It was almost like they were flying from one tree, displacing the gang-gangs there, which then flew to the next tree, displacing the gang-gangs there, which eventually flew to the tree where the first pair were, displacing them and starting the cycle again.
Gang-gang 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 1/400 SEC])
I saw a group of Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) at the start of my walk but they were high in the tree with the sun almost directly behind them, discouraging me from taking a shot. I was therefore very happy when I saw two lorikeets still in the tree. They were perched quietly in the tree and not bothered by my presence. When they dropped down to fly away, I felt they had not gone far. Moving around the tree, I saw one of them peering out of a hollow. I was surprised to see the bird in a hollow, as it is a bit late for them to be breeding, unless they were just enjoying the hollow as a place to rest. Still, it was a nice way to conclude my walk with these beautiful birds.
Two Rainbow Lorikeets on a branch, possibly looking down to their hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
At least one of them later flew to the hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/250 SEC])
There are always Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) on Red Hill but I had a memorable encounter with this juvenile male. Sometimes when kangaroos are hopping away from some disturbance, they do not notice a still person in their way until the last moment, when they stop or perform a sudden turn. This male was hopping away from something, he was bounding through the trees, making a noise as he crashed through small branches and pounded on the leaf littler. He stopped not far from me but was looking back from where he had come. It took a little while for him to realise I was there. When he finally saw me, he did not bound off immediately but looked at me, then he looked around and then back to me. I was not going to photograph him but I realised there was a wonderful rim light effect with his fur that I just wanted to capture. He eventually hopped away but I did like the fur in the photograph below.
I loved the way the sun caught the fur of this juvenile male Eastern Grey Kangaroo
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 220mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])