The birdlife around Red Hill Nature Reserve was even better than usual on this Saturday morning. I saw my first Dollarbird of the season and two species of Corellas were around. There was also a Laughing Kookaburra in a hollow. The wonderful birdlife combined with a warm, sunny morning made it a great start to the day. I hope you like the photographs below.
Read MoreWatching six wonderful Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos was a great experience - Photographing at Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 27 April 2019
Some birds have characters that shine through. They do not just appear in the landscape, they liven it up. You cannot help but feel there are emotions and thoughts there deeper than normally ascribed to birds. To me, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos are just such a bird. I stopped to watch six of them go about their lives on Red Hill Nature Reserve. They each had their own lives, they were so absorbing to watch. I heard their cry from a distance, fortunately they were in an area near where my path was heading. It was just such a beautiful way to start a Saturday. I hope you enjoy the pictures below.
Read MoreA walk around Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 15 September 2018 - more Gang-gangs!
I decided to head back to the same part of Red Hill Nature Reserve I was at last weekend to see if I could find more Gang-gangs. It had been such a pleasant spot and the return walk home last time was very enjoyable. The weather was not bad but again the clouds kept blocking the sun at all the wrong times. Despite that challenge I did see more Gang-gangs, in fact I saw two pairs in the one location. I also saw a number of other birds including some Yellow-rumped Thornbills and a Red Wattlebird. I ended up just sitting and watching the Gang-gangs for about 30 minutes, they may now be the birds I have most photographs of. it was a really nice start to a Saturday.
Read MorePhotographing at Lake Burley Griffin on Sunday, 9 September 2018
I arrived at the edge of Lake Burley Griffin a little later than planned this morning. My intent was to try to photograph some cormorants and, perhaps, a darter I often see at the lake's shore on my bike rides to work. Unfortunately, they were not around this morning, maybe because there were already fisherman at the spot or maybe they were just not there this morning. I decided not to waste my time at that spot so I moved a bit further around the lake. I am glad I did shift along as I found far more birdlife. Unfortunately, it was a challenging morning for photographing as the sun was often blocked by clouds. That further reduced the light getting to the area I was at, which was already having trouble with the light because of the tress. Despite that, I enjoyed being at the lake's edge. There were rowing boats out on the lake and cyclists regularly passing on the bike paths. The birds were out and I only wished the sun had been out as well. I hope you like the photographs.
Read MoreA walk around Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 25 August 2018
We decided to have a quiet weekend this weekend so I took the opportunity to go for a walk around Red Hill. The weather was against me again as it was a very cloudy start to the day with the sky mainly filled with ominous, dark grey clouds that seemed to mean business but were too high to really be serious about raining. While they did not open-up when I was out they kept the sun hidden away reducing the ambient light. Despite the lack of good lighting I still had an enjoyable walk. I saw some sights I had no hope of catching with my camera because of the light condition but it was a lovely start to the day. As always on Red Hill there were kangaroos, cockatoos, rosellas, wood ducks, magpies, etc. The hill is getting ready for spring with all the birds seeming to know the seasons will change soon. I have noted some locations of nesting magpies so hopefully I can return shortly to photograph the feeding of young ones. I hope you enjoy these photographs.
Read MoreA walk around Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve on Sunday, 12 August 2018
I hopped in my car for the 15 minute drive to the Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve. It was an easy trip as google maps had already given me an idea of how to get there. It was slightly cold when I started walking, which was not surprising as the starting point was labelled as a 'frost hollow'. However, the walk warmed up as the sun rose. The bush also started to come alive with birds. I really had a lovely few hours wandering around in this bush setting just on the verge of Canberra city itself.
Read MoreA walk around Red Hill on Saturday, 21 July 2018
Saturday morning was cold but another lovely day to go for a walk around Red Hill in Canberra. I really noticed the morning chorus of bird calls as I climbed the hill. With the sun rising earlier every day after the winter solstice the light was flooding over the terrain with its golden rays. The birds dominating the sounds of the hill at the moment are the Australian Wood Ducks. Winter is still here but I am being optimistic that the Wood Ducks are starting to think about breeding, which, to me, means spring is on the way.
Read MoreA foggy walk on Sunday, 15 July 2018
This morning was cold and foggy around where I live. I was initially hesitant to go for a walk thinking the fog would cut down the natural light so I would not be rewarded with any good photographs for braving the sub-zero weather. Initially my walk started out like I feared with not much bird life. However, I went further up Red Hill to see what I could find, which turned out to be the best option. I saw some Crimson Rosellas feeding, which I used to practice fill flash photography with. I was happy with the results but the small branches in the way meant the photographs were really not worthwhile. I also found another group of Satin Bowerbirds, which were too quick while being too much in the shade to properly photograph. The other birds I saw, which I was able to photograph, are below.
Read MoreAt the Bird Bath on Monday, 9 July 2018
I had just arrived home this morning after finishing off some personal errands when I saw a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo enjoying some seed from the hanging feeder. I thought it was too good an opportunity to miss so I grabbed the camera. As I headed out to take some shots I noticed a Pied Currawong enjoying a bath so I snapped a few shots of it first. I love the shot at the top of the blog. Pied Currawongs have a bit of a bad reputation as birds that attack the nests, eggs and young of other birds. Although, around my neighbourhood the Currawongs tend to come off third best. Often they seem to find a source of food on the ground then a Noisy Miner comes to chase them off. While the Miner is still chasing the Currawong a Magpie will arrive to eat whatever the Currawong had started on.
Read MoreMorning walk on Friday, 6 July 2018
I took the day off work to carry out some personal errands, which also gave me an excuse to walk back from Phillip. I took my camera with me as I was walking in the morning so I was hopeful I would be able to take photos of the birds I encountered along the way. It was a windy morning with clouds blowing across the sun but I was still able to take some photos. The light could have been better but it was not too bad. I found some more Satin Bowerbirds as well as a flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, who I sat and watched for a little while.
Read MoreA walk around the Federal Golf Course on 23 June 2018
Saturday morning was shrouded in fog for most of Canberra until well after the best light for photography had gone. I felt somewhat cheated by losing a morning when I could have been out practicing my photography while enjoying the birdlife around the area. Later in the day I went out well before sunset to see what I could find to photograph. Even when I went out the sun was already low over the ridge of Red Hill meaning there was not much good light left. It is also that time of the year when there does not seem to be much diversity in the birdlife, just those birds who stay all year round. I also wondered if the short winter days made it harder for birds to feed in the afternoon and still have enough light to return to their night time locations. Despite what I have just written, I still enjoyed going for the walk as well as having a chance to see another part of Red Hill.
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