Mangrove habitats are such fascinating ecosystems because they straddle the worlds of land and water because of tidal movements. I was fortunate in January 2022 to have time to head down to the ever beautiful Jervis Bay where I ignored the stunning white beaches because I was heading for the wonderful Currambene Creek to explore a mangrove habitat. Although the beaches of Jervis Bat are deservedly famous for their beauty I was captivated by being among the mangrove trees. I was captivated by the life in the habitat, especially the crabs. The Red Fingered Marsh Crab has such striking colours with its lime green carapace contrasting with its red claws. I was fascinated to see these crabs moving on the exposed trunks of the mangrove trees. Even more fascinating, was when I approached the trees, the crabs did not head into the water but they shot up the trees to holes and crevices higher up in the trunks, well above the hide tide mark. While it was not significant behaviour it still brought home to me how this habitat provided for different creatures in a variety of ways and how much I enjoyed drifting between the crooked trunks of those amazing trees. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MorePurple Swamphen chicks, parrots and other great wildlife enjoying the green from the rain - photographing around Canberra in January to March 2020
The start of the year felt very busy, I was out and around Canberra but I did not seem to have much time. I was out photographing but I could not find the time to process and organise the photographs I had taken so I ended up with a lot of photos and no blog posts. Although I do not like composing long posts that cover several photographic trips I thought that would be the best way to allow me to publish the photographs below. There are a mix of photographic styles and subjects from various parts of Canberra with a number of different subjects. Some of these were captured while I was out specifically looking for photographic subjects, others were shot while I was out doing other things but had taken my camera with me. There are a number of birds and other animals below. I really enjoyed photographing the Purple Swanphens, even if they are common birds. I was also happy to photograph the Australian King-parrots that visited my garden because they are truly beautiful birds.
Read MoreA Gang-gang cockatoo nestling and Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos using a hollow - Photographing around Hughes-Garran on Saturday, 4 January 2020
The birdlife around Hughes-Garran seemed to enjoy another respite from all the recent smoke because the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were out in number and I was even lucky enough to see a Gang-gang Cockatoo nestling. The Gang-gang nestling was particularly interesting as there was a concern among those interested watchers that this season would be a bad nesting season for Gang-gangs because of the drought and fires. With all this activity primarily in one spot I spent most of my morning walk near a single tree. I was enjoying looking at the birds coming and going but by doing so I was able to catch some shots I really liked. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreGang-gang cockatoo, Galahs, magpies and currawongs at my birdbath - Photographing at home on Sunday, 29 December 2019
Bird baths can be real saviours for birdlife in the current hot, dry and smokey conditions in Canberra. I have a bird bath in our back garden in Canberra which the local birdlife has been using regularly over the last few weeks. I took a camera out a few days ago to photograph the Galahs, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Australian Magpie and Pied Currawongs that visited it during the morning. The birds were able to have a drink while I was able to enjoy seeing these wonderful creatures in my garden. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreGalahs, Rainbow Lorikeets and a male Gang-gang cockatoo in hollows - Photographing around Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 26 October 2019
Red Hill Nature Reserve was the first place I went to photograph on that Saturday as my son and I were going to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for a walk later that day. The wind picked-up in speed throughout the morning and the clouds were coming across so Red Hill ended up being the best location for photographing that day. I rushed through Red Hill because I needed to get home so we could get to Tidbinbilla while it was still the morning. Because I enjoy Red Hill I wanted to go for a quick walk there before heading off to Tidbinbilla. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreBeautiful Galahs feeding as well as a Golden Whistler and pardalotes - Photographing at Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 24 August 2019
Red Hill Nature Reserve started a bit overcast but then the sun came out lighting up everything. I did not travel far this morning because I was trying to find some of the small birds again I had seen previously. I am glad I did not go too far as I was rewarded by being caught between trees as a mixed flock of small birds flitted through the area. The low light made photography a challenge, especially with small birds. Later in the morning, when the light was better, I took some photos of two very common birds, a Pied Currawong and Galahs, because I really wanted to use the light cast on them. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreTwo types of beautiful honeyeaters, Crescent and White-eared - Photographing around Cotter Dam on Sunday, 21 July 2019
Cotter Dam is one of Canberra’s water sources, part of the city’s watershed to the south, thus giving the Australian Capital Territory its elongated shape. The urban area is in the north of the territory while lovely bushland is in the south. I thought it would be worth a trip to the area around the dam to take some photographs. If the wildlife opportunities were slim I figured I would take a photograph of the dam itself. The weather was forecast to be sunny so I was looking forward to a fine morning to take some nice pictures. Unfortunately, a fog rolled in, covering the whole area. Even the dam surface was obscured. The wind disturbed the top of the fog allowing some views of distant mountains but the thick body of the fog remained. I was still able to see some birdlife but photography was a challenge. Unfortunately, I missed a shot of a lyrebird on the trail because the fog was thick, reducing the light. I was trying to set up a low light shot but I do not know if my movement disturbed the bird or the sound of two trail runners coming up behind me spooked it but the bird moved off the trail and I could not see where it went. Despite losing that shot, I was able to take photographs of two types of honeyeaters. Later on that day I took my camera out around home to take some more photographs. I hope you like the photos below.
Read MoreA group of Gang-gang Cockatoos in a tree are a great start to the day - Photographing at Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 22 June 2019
Red Hill Nature Reserve once again beckoned me. There were a number of birds that are always around, including a group of Gang-gang Cockatoos in one tree. This mini flock included some immature birds. Not far away Grey Butcherbirds called across the landscape, marking their presence. While none of the birds I saw this morning were exotic or rare I thoroughly enjoyed watching them. Later that day, Yerrabi Track at Namadgi National Park was the goal for my son and I. We walked along the track to the top of the Boboyan Trig Point. The walk was a lovely way to spend the morning. I was not able to photograph any birds but I enjoyed the scenery. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreWater birds in the fog and Brown Thornbill looking for food, plus some amazing looking insects - Photographing at Uriarra Crossing Reserve and home on Sunday, 2 June 2019
I enjoy being beside a slow-moving river, there is something relaxing in the sound of the water leisurely flowing past. I enjoy it even more when there is birdlife going about its business while I watch the events unfold. That is probably why I again found myself sitting beside the Murrumbidgee River on a cold, foggy Sunday morning at Uriarra Crossing thoroughly engrossed in the moment without worrying about the frigid temperature. There were some lovely birds down near the river, including a Little Pied Cormorant and a White-faced Heron sharing the convenience of a toppled-over tree. This post also includes some photographs at the bottom that I took at home later that morning, when I was supposed to be cleaning up the backyard. In moving some wood I came across some fascinating creatures I just had to photograph, before I returned to cleaning up the garden.
Read MoreWhen the wings of small birds sound like rain and some lovely shots of spiders at night - Photographing around Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 6 April 2019
The title of this post probably requires an explanation but it truly reflects the sounds I heard on that Saturday morning at Red Hill Nature Reserve. I was standing in a small, rocky clearing under a cloudy sky when I noticed some Grey Fantails. They were joined by other small birds in the young gum trees that formed the edges of this open area. The birds were all constantly moving through the foliage in search of food. The quantity of flapping wings on leave started to sound like large rain drops hitting the leaves. The noise was so convincing I looked up several times to see if it was raining. The sight was fantastic, all these little birds darting backwards and forwards in the tree. I found it hard to take any photographs as I would try to focus on a bird but it would fly-off, I would then turn to another bird to repeat the same frustrating process. After a while I stopped photographing, instead, enjoying the moment with all these little birds flying about me. This wonderful experience reminded me how lucky I am to live near Red Hill. I hope you enjoy the photographs.
Read MorePhotographing at Parsley Bay Reserve, Sydney, on Boxing Day, 26 December 2018 - Eastern Water Dragon posed for me and some crabs gave me good shots
I always think Parsley Bay Reserve is one of those under-appreciated places. It has a family friendly beach with a shallow sandy bottom that extends far out into the bay. It also has interesting animals running around it. When I used to scuba dive I always looked forward to diving in Parsley Bay as I would always see something interesting. As a child I loved walking thought the bush at the back of the reserve. I recall one night coming down to collect tadpoles in a pond, high up toward the back of the reserve, when a largish eel made an appearance, possibly attracted by my net disturbing the water like a struggling morsel of food. The place has always held a fondness for me, so I was really happy to wander around the park with my camera on Boxing Day 2018. Although I was happy to photograph a currawong at its nest and to see a cormorant, I was even more excited to photograph a water dragon and some crabs, two animals I had been hoping to photograph that day. I hope you enjoy the pictures below.
Read MorePhotographing at Red Hill Nature Reserve on Sunday, 9 December 2018 - Gang-gangs in hollows and nesting Rainbow Lorikeets
Usually I walk around Red Hill Nature Reserve early on a Saturday morning but as I was out on Saturday with an ANU Continuing Education course I was attending, I visited Red Hill on Sunday morning instead. (I will write more about the course very shortly, especially our field trip to Mulligans Flat.) I varied my route ever so slightly this morning, as I try to do regularly, which allowed me to see a few more birds than I would have seen on my usual path. Red Hill is such a treasure so close to where I live, it is always worth going for a walk. I hope you enjoy these 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 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 MoreSunday morning walk on 3 June 2018
I enjoy going out for a Sunday morning walk as many birds are starting their day with birdcalls as well as feeding. People are also very understanding, when they see me taking photos, they wait for me to finish so that they do not scare the birds. Canberra has a wonderful assortment of birds making any morning walk an enjoyable experience. I was happy with this morning's walk as I was able to get some good photos of Australian King Parrots and the there were even some female Satin Bowerbirds out.
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