Gasteruptiid wasp female with a prominent ovipositor at the rear
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/16 and 1/180 SEC] with a Raynox DCR-250 Super Macro Lens and Canon 430EX III-RT flash)

Macro in Canberra - November 2023 to March 2024

BirdsinCanberra October 17, 2024

Capturing the image of this wasp made my day. I had seen it flying around from leaf to leaf, and I was hoping that it would settle on one for a while. Eventually it did and I was able to take some photos. To me, the thing that draws your attention is the long, white-tipped tail, which is the ovipositor for this Gasteruptiid wasp female. She will use it to penetrate the cells of solitary bees and wasps, in order to lay her egg beside the host species egg protected in the cell. Her egg, however, will hatch first allowing her offspring to feast on the egg or larvae of the host species. It seems cruel but this wasp has evolved to reproduce that way and is an example of the small world around us humans. This is my favourite photograph among the ones below because it shows the delicate beauty of this wasp and also shows the variety of animal life around us. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Lage Brown Mantid noticing me getting closer
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/18 and 1/180 SEC] with a Raynox DCR250 Super Macro Lens and Canon 430EX III-RT flash)

Praying mantis looking at me and other macro subjects - Home, ACT, October 2022

BirdsinCanberra November 3, 2022

The pseudo pupils of the Large Brown Mantid made this alien-like insect appear like it was looking directly at me. No doubt the mantis had detected my approach but the raised triangular head with the large eyes was exactly the shot I was hoping for. The mantis had been resting on a black garden stake when I went searching for macro subjects to try out my recently purchased Raynox DCR 250 Super Macro Lens, which simply clips onto the front of my Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. I was thrilled when I came across the praying mantis because it was such a spectacular macro subject, especially when it lifted its head. After a while, it seemed to sense that the camera was not a threat so it returned to a relatively normal position even though its large eyes were still slightly tilted toward my lens. I enjoyed my time playing around with my new lens and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

A seed pod from a tree lying on the tiled ground
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1600, 100mm, f/9.0 and 1/125 SEC])

Photo challenge to find subjects in an urban car park - Civic, ACT, February 2022

BirdsinCanberra May 9, 2022

This is a different kind of post and it is basically only pictures. One day in in February my wife asked me to drive her to a shop in Civic because she wanted to learn the way to get there. Once we arrived, she would do the shopping while I stayed in the car. Rather than just wait in the car I decided to take my camera to challenge myself to find some nature subjects in an urban car park. To equip myself properly, I took two lens, my Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM and Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM. I don’t think any of the shots that resulted are fantastic but it was a fun challenge, made even harder by the wet, overcast weather that robbed me of good lighting. I hope you like them.

Thanks for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the Australian Capital Territory has on offer. All the best until the next post.

The morning sun highlighting the blue of a Purple Swamphen
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 227mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Chasing the light on Lake Burley Griffin - Lake Burley Griffin, March-April 2022

BirdsinCanberra May 3, 2022

Being a completely amateur photographer I find that my photography is confined to weekends so I am often reliant on the weather being nice on those days. Unfortunately, it seemed that in Canberra the first half of 2022 had many weekends with inclement weather meaning that the light was not great. I still took my camera with me when I kayaking but it was discouraging when the light just did not seem to be there. However, it did give me a chance to play around with some moody light conditions. Fortunately, there were also days when the sun was out providing lovely light, such as the morning I came across the Purple Swamphen above. These are very common birds around Lake Burley Griffin, especially close to reeds where they roost of a night. It is easier to ignore them after a while because they are so common but when the light hits them and the blue of their feathers shine, they become a glorious sight to see. Over two months in 2022 I saw the lake in different light conditions and I wanted to share the result. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Black Swan eating in the early morning, reflected in the lake
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Overcast summer mornings on the lake - Lake Burley Griffin, ACT, January 2022

BirdsinCanberra March 10, 2022

At the start of 2022 the weather in Canberra was anything but summer-like. I even stopped taking my camera with me when I was paddling on Lake Burley Griffin because the light was always bad and the weather meant the lake was never calm. That said, I often regretted not having taken my camera because I would then see a subject I thought would make a lovely photograph. In the end, I was glad that I took my camera with me more often than not because even on the bad mornings I felt I found things that were special, like a pair of Black Swans feeding near the shore where the water reflected their curving necks. It would have been magical if the water was still but it was still a special moment to watch these lovely birds so close to shore. I enjoyed the moment and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Brayshaw’s Homestead looking north to the grey clouds
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 200, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1000 SEC]

Wildlife along a wet Settlers Track - Namadgi National Park, ACT, January 2022

BirdsinCanberra March 6, 2022

Walking along trails of green grass under grey clouds that occasionally drizzled rain while at other times opened to reveal glorious blue skies helped refresh my son and I. The fresh wind moistened by humidity and light precipitation was never too strong, just enough to keep us cooled while we walked along the Settlers Track in Namadgi National Park. The birdlife was around but hard to see, but there was other wildlife and natural subjects to photograph. The two well-preserved former settler’s homes seemed out of place among this natural beauty, but the lack of activity around them emphasised that they were from a time past. While we enjoyed admiring the natural surrounds of these abodes their isolation reflected a different time, and it was nice to know that we would be hopping into a car and driving back to our home with its modern connectivity to the world. Still it was invigorating to feel the surrounding world of trees, creeks and animals for a few hours. I hope that you enjoy the pictures below.

The brightness of an Australian Pelican in the morning half-light is the perfect analogy for spring emerging from winter
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

A lake transforming in spring time with birds and people - Lake Burley Griffin, October 2021

BirdsinCanberra November 16, 2021

Over the last few months I have posted a lot of photographs from Lake Burley Griffin because that body of water has been one of the few places where I could go during lockdown to see wildlife while exercising but also be assured of maintaining social distance. The COVID restrictions also meant that there were less rowers on the lake making the water quieter and easier to approach the birds that I saw. The cormorants, darters, pelicans were still on the lake, still living their lives while we, the people of Canberra, monitored the progress of the pandemic through the daily press conferences. I drew a great deal of solace on the lake, relaxing in the placidness and being captivated by the birds. I also experienced the seasonal relief as Canberra emerged from the cold, short days of winter to the longer, sunny days of spring with the assurance that summer was around the corner. Spring was always a good time in Canberra because the plants and animals returned with more verve ready to start new generations. The lake was also changing while the season moved from winter to spring. With the seasons transitioning winter seemed to struggle to maintain its grip, making for coolish mornings where a mist commonly rose from Lake Burley Griffin. That mist sometimes masked the finer details of birds but it also added plenty of atmosphere. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Australasian Darter female calling from a branch(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC]) — Australasian Darter female calling from a branch
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Spring Birdlife on Lake Burley Griffin - Lake Burley Griffin, October 2021

BirdsinCanberra October 8, 2021

The weekend of 2-4 October 2021 was a long weekend in Canberra with a public holiday on the Monday for Labour Day. It was also the Sunday morning where Daylight Saving Time started so clocks were put forward one hour. The effect was that we all lost an hour of sleep and for the following month the sun will appear to be catching up to when it was rising before as it gets incrementally earlier each day. I was fortunate to be able to go paddling on both Saturday and Monday, with most of my sitings occurring on Saturday due to the then extra hour of daylight I had when I started my paddle before Daylight Saving Time commenced. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being out on Lake Burley Griffin both days but I will be waiting for the light to return to the same time when I start my paddle. Still, spring was upon the city, with so much birdlife active on the lake. Many of my favourites such as cormorants, darters and pelicans were out as were the seasonal Australian Reed Warblers. With COVID lockdown restrictions eased the lake was getting busier but there was still enough birdlife around to make the paddle a truly enjoyable experience, especially coming around an island to see an Australasian Darter beautifully posed on an isolated branch. Roll on spring and summer, I am looking forward to the birds and other life being active again. I hope that you like the photographs below.

Great Cormorant shaking its wings (Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC]) — Great Cormorant shaking its wings
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])

Australian Pelicans, Great Cormorant and other waterbirds - Lake Burley Griffin, September 2021

BirdsinCanberra September 29, 2021

September has arrived with the slightly warmer mornings than the previous few months plus the sun rising earlier. Simultaneously the ACT Government extended the COVID lockdown exercise time out to two hours. With all that in mind I decided that it was time to take the camera in the kayak again on to Canberra’s iconic Lake Burley Griffin. Because of the longer time for exercise I could now go for a longer paddle and still have enough time, and light, to take photographs. What amazed me on the first paddle was only when I took the first few photographs of the beautiful, darkly coloured Australasian Darter did I realise how much I had missed kayak photography. I think it was the combined elements of the peaceful water, drifting towards wild birds and just capturing the beauty of the moment. I was so thankful to be out again on Lake Burley Griffin with my camera and, particularly on my first trip, the weather was lovely. I don’t have many shots below from my two trips but I hope that the pictures show some of the beauty that I saw and I hope that you enjoy them.

Gang-gang cockatoo male eating some wattle blossoms(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] with internal flash) — Gang-gang cockatoo male eating some wattle blossoms
(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] with internal flash)

Gang-gang Cockatoos at hollows and a male Satin Bowerbird - Red Hill Nature Reserve, September 2021

BirdsinCanberra September 18, 2021

Canberra’s COVID-related lockdown continued but we were now allowed to exercise for two hours a day but just in the local area. Fortunately, I live a few minutes walk from the wonderful Red Hill Nature Reserve, a lovely escape among the suburban housing. Because of the lockdown the neighbouring Federal Golf Club was closed meaning its greens were empty of people and perfect for some photography. In fact, the whole of the reserve seemed to be free of people, making it a truly lovely experience. I figured that I would go for a walk that Sunday morning with my camera because I sensed that part of the reason for the exercise extension from only one hour a day to two hours was to help the mental health of Canberrans. So, I felt that walking with my camera would also help relieve the lockdown blues, which it certainly did that lovely morning with Gang-gang cockatoos, a male Satin Bowerbird and some lovely Laughing Kookaburras acting as photographic subjects. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

A European Bluebottle may not appeal to everybody but I love the contrasting metallic blue with the rust red eye(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash) — A European Bluebottle may not appeal to everybody but I love the contrasting metallic blue with the rust red eye
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)

Flies, spiders and a beautiful flower - Lockdown macrophotography August/September 2021

BirdsinCanberra September 9, 2021

I suspect that most people would not appreciate the beauty in flies, especially a blow fly, more so an introduced species like the European Bluebottle. Most people would understandably fear the fly-borne filth and disease or detest the low-pitched humming noise. However, I love macrophotography of these specific tiny creatures because their colours are wild, like some miniature drone with a metallic blue abdomen and a gold mask through which two rust-red eyes are protruding. They are almost garish in their shiny colours but they symbolise why I enjoy macrophotography, because sometimes having a different perspective can show beauty in anything. Finding beauty is especially important at present, with Canberra still in COVID lockdown, so I am happy to find the tiniest bit of beauty to help keep me bright. Because of the necessary restrictions I am not getting out on the weekends so I am once again taking trips into my garden jungle to see what wonderful creatures I can find. Recently, the warmer weather and longer days started to bring new floral life to the garden so insects are out, as well as the spiders that feed on them. This is the start of a great time to photograph nature. While I can’t travel far, I can search our yard for more subjects to practice macrophotography on. Unfortunately, while the weather over the last two weekends was not great I just felt I needed to have the camera in my hand again so I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Two lethargic Tasmanian devils, not the most exciting picture but they are my favourite animal(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC]) — Two lethargic Tasmanian devils, not the most exciting picture but they are my favourite animal
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])

Visiting the National Zoo and Aquarium - December 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 7, 2021

Two dozing Tasmanian Devils was not the most exciting image to create interest in a post, I agree but they are probably my favourite animal and they were the one subject I really wanted to photograph when my son and I visited the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra during December 2020. Yes, 2020. If nothing else the current COVID lockdown in Canberra has allowed me to catch up on some of the backlogged images that I should have uploaded. I know that zoos can be controversial and that the image above could also be seen as a less than ideal daytime shelter for a primarily nocturnal animal, especially during a hot Canberra summer. However, zoos are also playing a role in conservation. At present a facial tumour disease is decimating the wild population of devils in Tasmania so zoos are important breeding centres to try to preserve this species while scientists work on a cure. Zoos are also places for people to go to have a safe encounter with wild animals. Sure, people can watch animals on TV but at a zoo they can see, hear, smell and even touch the animal with often not much between them. It can become more of an experience because more senses are brought into play during the encounter.

Two Rainbow Lorikeets on the feeding stand
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets become lockdown photography models - Lockdown photography, August 2021

BirdsinCanberra August 27, 2021

The COVID-19 related Lockdown continued in Canberra and it was a necessary step to keep the population safe. However, it was still a weird time, trying to work from home but not really being able to, but not being able to leave home when the weather was great for photography. I also felt guilty if I was away from my computer during the day and therefore not doing the office work but as a counter I figured that I no longer had to commute to work so that time now became my time to look for photography subjects in our garden. I was fortunate of an afternoon because things happened around the garden. The previous post had some lovely Gang-gang Cockatoos that flew in on one day and for this post some vivacious Rainbow Lorikeets dropped by to provide colour and noise to our locked-down home. These wildly coloured birds that remind me of wonderful, youthful summers in Sydney really made my day. I hope that you like the photographs below.

Female Australian Wood Duck calling from a tree while some rain drops fall(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 3200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC]) — Female Australian Wood Duck calling from a tree while some rain drops fall
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 3200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Great weather for ducks on a raining, winter morning - Photographing at Callum Brae Nature Reserve, August 2021

BirdsinCanberra August 19, 2021

The weather over the last few weekends of July then into August was generally wet and overcast, in line with that old saying of “good weather for ducks.” Because of those conditions, I had not been out photographing for a few weekends so I was really missing something. Although Sunday, 1 August, was another drizzling and overcast morning I decided to go photographing regardless. I could wait for perfect weather but who knew when that would come. Besides, I would not always have perfect weather so I had better practice with less than ideal circumstances so that I was ready to photograph the beauty of nature in all climatic conditions. With that resolve I headed to one of my favourite spots, the nearby Callum Brae Nature Reserve. Over the few years that I have been photographing I was used to seeing Callum Brae as a dry habitat but the rain over the last 18 months had given new life to it. I was keen to see how the environment was changed with rain falling. If I found no other animals, I knew that I would see ducks. Despite the scattered showers and overcast conditions I thoroughly enjoyed my morning wandering around the beautiful but soggy reserve. I hope that you like the photographs below.

Common Brushtail Possum standing in our garden one morning(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/320 SEC]) — Common Brushtail Possum standing in our garden one morning
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/320 SEC])

Possum in our garden in the day and other disconnected winter photographs - June 2021

BirdsinCanberra July 4, 2021

One morning, almost two hours after sunrise, the native birds visiting our garden were making a massive din; squawking and calling. There were Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Noisy Miners and probably some others as well. The noise drew my attention because it sounded alarmed, something was worrying all these birds. I assumed the it was someone’s cat, or, more exotically, a feral fox that had come into the yard. Cautiously, I went outside where I was surprised, and very much delighted, to see a Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) standing up in our back garden. These are nocturnal animals so not what I was expecting during the day. It stayed standing on its haunches for a while, meaning that I had enough time to grab my camera from inside the house. The possum remained upright for a little while when I returned. Its focus was fixed across the garden in the direction of a large iron bark, like it was not interested in me. I was captivated by the possum so I never examined what it was looking at. Then, it suddenly darted across, to where it was looking, causing the birds to make even more noise. The possum ran about two meters up the iron bark before effortlessly jumping onto the top of the wooden slat fence between us and our neighbour. The possum ran along the top of that narrow fence towards the rear of the garden, where I lost sight of it behind the garden shed. The cockatoos perched on the power line continued to observe it for a few seconds more, calling loudly among themselves while looking downwards to where the possum must have been dashing. Possums and cockatoos compete for tree hollows so I could understand why those two species did not get on.

Two Greenish Grass-darts mating on the lavender in our garden distracted me one Saturday morning(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 500, 100mm, f/14 and 1/200 SEC]) — Two Greenish Grass-darts mating on the lavender in our garden distracted me one Saturday morning
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 500, 100mm, f/14 and 1/200 SEC])

Admiring the beauty found in small creatures around my garden - January to May 2021

BirdsinCanberra June 14, 2021

I don’t know how many different species of insects and spiders inhabit the tiny bit of nature that we cultivate in our garden but they are a constant source of amazement to me. I sometimes wonder, when I watch them go about their lives, if they register that our garden seems different to the expansive bush not far away. Do they even notice or do they see the red bricks of our house the same as sandstone rocks out in the scrub. I feel frustrated when they flee from my lens, don’t they understand that I mean them no harm, indeed I just want to photographically capture their stunning life form to display to anybody who will look. But I console myself that they can’t understand that a hulking shape getting nearer is no threat to them because even a herbivorous animal can still accidentally tread on a fragile, tiny creature ending its life right there. Occasionally, I am lucky because these tiny animals go about their business oblivious to the whir of my camera drive snapping their private moments. That was the case with the two Greenish Grass-darts that top this post. I was able to lie headfirst in one of our lavender plants, using a reflector to light the engrossed insects while I snapped away happily. They were not the only beautiful creatures that I came across earlier this year. With the aid of my macro lens I have been fortunate enough to peer closely at the co-inhabitants of the area that we live on, seeing the stunning detail that they have evolved to live their lives. That is one of the reasons that I love macrophotography, a true portal to a different world. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Male Superb Fairy-wren, still displaying his breeding season blue plumage, on a frost-covered plant(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]) — Male Superb Fairy-wren, still displaying his breeding season blue plumage, on a frost-covered plant
(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])

Frosty morning with small birds at Callum Brae Nature Reserve - May 2021

BirdsinCanberra May 24, 2021

The Sunday dawned with the forecasted sub-zero temperature accompanied by a heavy frost. I had been thinking about the forecast the whole week, watching It firm as a morning below freezing while the weekend approached. I was wondering how I could use the conditions to my advantage to take some winter-like photographs. Eventually I decided that I would head to Callum Brae Nature Reserve again so that I could walk through the narrow connecting corridor to Jerrabomberra West Nature Reserve with its open, grassy fields. I was hoping that the grassland would provide some opportunities for frosty morning photography. During my trip I was happy that along the way I saw some beautiful little birds, including a Striated Pardalote that was in a nicely lit part of a tree. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

A male Superb Parrot eating Broad-leaf Privet(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1600, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC]) — A male Superb Parrot eating Broad-leaf Privet
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1600, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])

Beautiful Superb Parrots paid a visit to our garden - April 2021

BirdsinCanberra May 16, 2021

This is a very shot post because on the Friday before Bigfigtree and I were due to go to Corang Arch the next day I observed what I decided was a very good omen for our trip. I really wanted to post these photographs but I had no story ready that they fitted so I have made the photographs a post in and of themselves. The good omen was that I had just returned from work that Friday afternoon when I saw that there were four, possibly five stunningly beautiful Superb Parrots (Polytelis swainsonii) in a Broad-leaf Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) tree eating the berries. I thought that I saw three males and two females but later I could only count two males. Initially one male was high in a eucalyptus tree in our neighbour’s front yard, while the other parrots were in a tree in our garden. When I approached the tree in our yard most of these bright green birds flew straight to the eucalyptus but at least one male stayed behind to continue eating on what he must have decided were very delicious berries. He was the main subject of the photographs because he resolutely continued to eat on a branch that was exposed and closest to me. Occasionally a cloud would clear from the sun and he would be lit up beautifully by the late afternoon glow. Eventually, most of the other birds returned to the privet tree to eat more of those tiny berries but the females were generally on the inside of the tree.

Acacia Tree Hopper climbing up a wattle stalk(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/10 and 1/200 SEC]) — Acacia Tree Hopper climbing up a wattle stalk
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/10 and 1/200 SEC])

Animals beside a dirt road between destinations in March 2021

BirdsinCanberra April 20, 2021

I think we all know what it is like when a plan does not turn out as expected. That happened to me on a weekend in March 2021 but I had a whole new experience so I was not that upset. I found myself photographing beside Mount Franklin Road when I should have been following it to my planned destination. Canberra had experienced some heavy rain the weekend before so I checked the ACT service page to see if there was any news on the status of Mount Franklin Road, was it open or closed. Unfortunately, there was no information so I had to take my chances. That Sunday, 28 March, I drove towards my objective to the south-west of Canberra, ever hopeful that the dry weather over most of the week would mean that the roads were safe and open. The first, and clearest, indication that was not the case was when I turned onto Brindabella Road where a sign post gave the status of the surrounding dirt roads and Mount Franklin Road was closed. Being incredibly optimistic, and having already traveled half-way to the destination, I pushed on, only to find that the Mount Franklin Road was indeed closed, with a locked steel gate across it to emphasise that point. However, there was still bush around and the closed road meant that I could walk along its dirt surface without fear of being run-over by a car, so I grabbed my camera bag to go for a hike in order to see what subjects there were. I ended up having a fantastic morning, mainly with macro subjects. At times I found myself lying in dewy grass, my head buried in a shrub trying to get the right angle for a shot and thoroughly enjoying the experience. I also had a chance to use my drone to shoot some pictures of the Murrumbidgee River in flood. I hope that you like the pictures below.

Frilled Bark Moth with half a wing missing - the struggle for life in the macro world is always ongoing(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/20 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash and five shot focu… — Frilled Bark Moth with half a wing missing - the struggle for life in the macro world is always ongoing
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/20 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash and five shot focus stack)

Small animals, big battles - Cataloguing the struggles of nature with macro photography in November and December 2020

BirdsinCanberra March 25, 2021

Coming home one day I saw a moth with half a wing missing on a wall of our house. I almost went past it thinking that it would not make a good subject because it was so damaged. However, it got me thinking about how these tiny creatures that we barely notice in our daily rush experience very real struggles to avoid being killed either as food or in some other dispute. This post was inspired by the number of ‘incomplete’ little creatures I started to notice around my house. While photographers understandably concentrate on taking the perfect shot of the perfect specimen, I wanted to look at documenting the struggle that is invisible to us most of the time but is happening in our own gardens. These are not cute and cuddly creatures but are animals that we can see if we take a moment to notice the small, exciting world just outside our door. I hope you find the photos below to be of interest.