We are lucky in the ACT to have the Murrumbidgee River, the second longest river in Australia, flowing through a corridor that is set aside as a reserve to keep the river free from too much development. We are also further fortunate in having such easy access to the river. On a whim, I decided that I would spend this month, May, photographing around the Murrumbidgee corridor in the ACT, conceiving #MurrumbidgeeMay, because I am sure the world needs more hashtags. I photographed at a number of locations including Cotter Bend (on the Cotter River but it flows into the Murrumbidgee), Casuarina Sands, Tharwa Sandwash and the confluence of the Molonglo and Murrumbidgee rivers, just near the ACT’s border with NSW, where the Murrumbidgee River leaves the ACT. I had a really enjoyable time and was joined by a good friend on a number of the trips. It was a good time to photograph because the river had a lot of water in it because of the recent rains. I also purchased a DJI Mavic Air 2 drone, which I started to use during May, allowing me to get some different angles on the subjects I was photographing. Unfortunately, we did not see as much wildlife as I would have liked, but it is now solidly autumn so there is less food sources readily apparent. I was still fortunate to see a Little Pied Cormorant, an Eastern Grey Kangaroo that had little concern about humans. a White-faced Heron, as well as a number of other wonderful animals. The lovely scenery was also a wonderful reward for getting around to these locations. I hope you like the photos below.
Bullen Range with the sun just lighting it up, seen from Cotter Road
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 100mm, f/14 and 1/100 SEC] four shot panorama)
A placid Murrumbidgee River at Casuarina Sands with a moon reflected and a Little Pied Cormorant on the far right
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 24mm, f/10 and 1/60 SEC])
Mist rising from the Murrumbidgee River at Casuarina Sands
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/40 SEC])
A sunbeam lighting some leaves in a quiet creek off the main river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/5.6 and 1/100 SEC])
Acacia among the conifers on the bank of the Cotter River
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/9.0 and 1/60 SEC])
Fungi growing in the burnt remains of a tree stump
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/80 SEC])
Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa Sandwash
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/30 SEC]
This picture shows Canberra’s recent weather events - the ash on the bank from the bushfires of January 2020, the cracked sand from the prolonged dry spell in late 2019 and the different water levels where the recent rains have increased the river level
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 35mm, f/8.0 and 1/80 SEC])
Gudgenby River just before it joins the Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa Sandwash
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 35mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
A different view of the Gudgenby River from a drone
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/320 SEC]
A third view of the Gudgenby River
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/80 SEC]
Typical autumn fog rolling in across the Murrumbidgee River near Tharwa Sandwash
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Where the Molonglo River (bottom) meets the Murrumbidgee River (top)
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/40 SEC]
Vertical shot of the confluence with the faster flowing Molonglo River entering from the bottom left showing some turbidity in the water
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/60 SEC]
Molonglo River rushing under the last footbridge before the confluence
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 16mm, f/16 and 0.6 SEC])
Looking upstream along the Molonglo River from the foot bridge on a foggy morning
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 200, 35mm, f/16 and 0.4 SEC])
Murrumbidgee River near the confluence with the Molonglo River
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 200, 35mm, f/8 and 1/50 SEC])
An old river bed near the Murrumbidgee River
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/15 SEC]
Old, dead tree near the Murrumbidgee River
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 35mm, f/8 and 1/25 SEC])
Sun playing through the fog on the hill near Uriarra Crossing
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 105mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
There were two Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) swimming down near Cotter Bend. They were originally coming down the river but then they saw me and swam back up the river slightly, before heading to shore. These may have been a pair but I did not see any ducklings. The breeding season for these birds is variable, depending on conditions, which although the temperature is cold now there is plenty of water in the river.
Two Pacific Black Ducks swimming in the Cotter River
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
This Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) was high in this dead tree and did not appear to be doing much. It was not calling, nor even preening. It was looking around but not moving. I did not see another one around but there were plenty of Eastern Rosellas.
Crimson Rosella high in a tree
(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])
A Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) was sitting on a submerged tree branch in the river at Casuarina Sands. It preened itself for a little while but primarily sat in the shadow, occasionally looking intently at the water, which had the occasional bubble or other disturbance in it. I tried to get closer but even though I was on the river bank, and a distance away, it still took off when I was at the closest dry land point to it. The bird did not fly far, just to the weir in the middle of the river. The river was reasonably high with the retaining wall out to the weir underwater as well. The cormorant did not stay long there and took off west along the river in the direction of the pumping station. They really are flighty birds that do not like humans getting close, even in a recreational area where humans must regularly visit.
Little Pied Cormorant
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])
It later moved to the weir in the middle of the river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
This White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) was in the Molonglo River near where the river meets the Murrumbidgee River. The heron was disturbed by something as we approached the river as it flew from the area near the footbridge, calling in flight, before landing closer to the path we were approaching the river on. When it saw us it moved from the river’s edge to a nearby dead tree. On the way back the heron was once again in the shallow part of the river between the foot bridge and the first bend in the river to the south of the bridge. When it saw us it flew further up the river but still near the path we were on so as we approached closer again if flew back up into the dead tree, calling as it ascended. It appeared to be by itself although there was a Little Pied Cormorant in the river as well.
White-faced Heron looking for food in the Molonglo River
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/125 SEC])