Over Christmas 2018 I was up in Sydney visiting some of the locations I grew up in; many, many years ago. So, yes, this post is a little delayed. Indeed, even though I was only there for three days, I have three lots of photographs. Initially, I was planning on doing just one large post, to get this out of the way. However, as I was looking through the photos it brought back the good memories of both my youthful days as well as the lazy, family-oriented Christmas I had just enjoyed. None of these photographs are particularly earth shattering but this post, along with the next two (plus one more of the animals around my parents’ house) did let me see a side of Sydney I have not seen in any detail for a number of decades. The various places also allowed me to see how the wildlife I grew up with in Sydney has endured and, in some cases, has changed. This first post is about a lovely Christmas Eve morning I spent walking around the tip of South Head in Sydney, from Camp Cove out to the actual headland itself. I did not expect to see a New Holland Honeyeater out on this bit of headland that marks the entry to Sydney Harbour. I was also thrilled to get some pictures of a Little Pied Cormorant, a bird I see in Canberra but is also happy to fish in saltwater as well. I hope you enjoy the pictures below.
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.
Read MoreFox on the run
I am the first to admit these phots are not in focus. I feel that I missed this opportunity. I was out for my usual walk around Red Hill with my camera this morning as a way to practice with it while also just admiring the wildlife that exist so close to my house. During my walk I heard a group of Noisy Miners squawking their warning call. I saw some Eastern Grey Kangaroos bound away then a rabbit followed suit. Neither of these animals made sense as the cause of concern to the miners, yet the birds were still calling while heading in my direction. I wondered if it was a dog loose who had spooked them. Then I saw the slight red rushing along the ground, realising there was fox out. The Miners were chasing the fox. There were four miners taking turns swooping the fox, while alerting their kin, along with the rest of the area. I realised this scene was approaching the fire trail I was on, and would cross it not far away from me. I switch my camera, took a site, thought I was in manual without checking then I also forgot to focus. Fortunately, I was not in manual and the setting did not focus automatically on the fax. I had done a good enough job in getting the camera positioned so I was ready to capture the action but I had forgotten to check the setting as well as to use the proper focus procedure. Even though these pictures are worse than even my learning standard currently is I wanted to post them as the subject matter is interesting. The fox is easily seen in all three photos while the birds are a bit more challenging. In the top photo the Miner is at about 1 o'clock to the fox, in the middle photo the bird is now forward of the fox at about 11 o'clock while in the final photo their are two birds; one forward at about 11 o'clock and one behind, low to the ground, in the shadow at about 3 o'clock. After they cleared the track I could hear the birds continue on until they were out of ear shot. I suspect the fox did not have a bird breakfast this morning.
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