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.

A Handmaiden moth (*Amata nigriceps*) appearing to getting to toss its head like a horse
(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 DCR-250 Super Macro Lens and Canon 430EX III-RT flash)

Macrophotography of some invertebrates on the South Coast - Summer 2023-24, South Coast NSW

BirdsinCanberra May 28, 2024

The colouration of the Handmaiden moth (Amata nigriceps), and similarly coloured moths, used to confuse me when I was younger, as to whether they were dangerous or not. Now, I can appreciate the beauty of that simple colour combination. Fortunately, one of them flew into the garden at Narooma, where it landed on the wood of a raised garden bed. I managed to get to an angel in front of the orange and black moth without scaring it off, where I took the above shot. I really liked how the moth seemed to be in the process of shaking its head through to its who body, just like a horse would do. This was just one of the photographs that I took when I had a pleasant time over a few months focussing on macro photography at Narooma, trying to capture shots of a number of little creatures. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

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.

A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets are always a nice sight (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]) — A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets are always a nice sight
(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])

Full dams bring beautiful animals to Callum Brae Nature Reserve - April 2021

BirdsinCanberra May 8, 2021

I was so used to seeing the small, ex-farm dams at Callum Brae Nature Reserve as half-filled or completely dried vestiges of a wetter time in Canberra that I was shocked when I finally saw them full. It was not only a very positive sight but I was seeing life back in them and around them. Back in February 2020 I phtoographed the dams when they were completely empty, with their cracked dirt floors exposed to the heat of the sun. A little bit of rain soon afterwards provided some liquid covering but I did not expect to ever see them actually full. When I did see them finally full on a recent trip I also saw some Eastern Snake-necked Turtles swimming in the brown water but I have no idea where they came from. Besides the filled ponds I was delighted to see a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets at a hollow. It is past the breeding season but I am always happy to see these truly gorgeously coloured birds that can never be quiet. I hope that you enjoy the photographs 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.

Twig-like Katydid on our fly screen door(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite) — Twig-like Katydid on our fly screen door
(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)

Macro photography around home in November and December 2020

BirdsinCanberra March 21, 2021

Sometimes home is a great place to take photographs because there is a wild jungle in the garden with all sorts of wonderful creatures contained within. Over the summer of late 2020 I found myself always taking a camera with me when I was out gardening or doing other things in the yard. I always wanted to be ready to take those fleeting shots of the amazing tiny animals that keep us company but we barely notice. Sometimes, an overturned clump of mud would come alive with life or a pruned branch would reveal an insect upon it. This led to a lot of random photographs that did not really fit in other posts so I knew that I would have to do a compilation to include them all. Over time I became fascinated with those small creatures and I find macrophotography allowed me to see them in far more detail than my eyes did. Sometimes they were not so small, like the truly amazing looking Twig-like Katydid at the top of this post. In the small ones, sometimes the shots revealed colours that we were not able to see, I became amazed at the colours in some flies. I know that insects and spiders are not everybody’s favourite subject but I find them fascinating and I hope that you like the photographs below.

Emerald Moth at night around Blue Waterholes(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 200, 100mm, f/14 and 1/180 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite) — Emerald Moth at night around Blue Waterholes
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 200, 100mm, f/14 and 1/180 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)

Natural beauty of the Long Plain, Kosciuszko National Park in March 2021

BirdsinCanberra March 17, 2021

My good mate and fellow photographer BigFigTree said he wanted to try to get some atmospheric shots of the wild Brumbies on the Long Plain in Kosciuszko National Park, and that there was a spare seat in his car if I wanted it. I jumped at the chance so we decided to do the trip over the Saturday and Sunday of the Canberra Day Long Weekend. I am so glad that he invited me because it opened my eyes to a whole wilderness just on the outskirts of Canberra that is so beautiful. We had a great couple of days, stopping to take photos, camping beside the beautiful Blue Waterholes and just moving at a slower pace. Our Brumby photographs did not turn out well but we found so many other subjects. He is a great photographer and I would recommend checking out his Flickr feed, linked above. It really was a fun two days and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Rainbow Bee-eater in a tree on an overcast morning at Gigerline Nature Reserve(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC]) — Rainbow Bee-eater in a tree on an overcast morning at Gigerline Nature Reserve
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Nankeen Kestrel, Rainbow Bee-eater and some wonderful insects - Photographing at Gigerline Nature Reserve in November 2020

BirdsinCanberra January 19, 2021

Gigerline Nature Reserve sits astride the Murrumbidgee River just south of Tharwa. I had visited part of the reserve before when I went to Tharwa Sandwash but I had not really visited the rest of the reserve. After heading there once, I ended up visiting it twice because I wanted to see more. My first visit was with the plan to walk along the Gudgenby River as far as I could, thinking that the water level would not be too high. I was wrong, the water level was right up and I could barely get to the remaining banks of the river from the surrounding countryside. As part of that trip I walked up to the top of the ridge of the peninsula that separates the Gudgenby and Murrumbidgee Rivers before they join. I am glad that I did because I came across the path that followed the ridgeline down to the tip of the peninsula. I did not have time to explore that path on my first visit so I knew that I would be back. I ended up having two great visits and saw my first wild Rainbow Bee-eaters, truly a beautiful bird. The second visit was a bit of a macro paradise, with so many subjects to photograph. I hope you like the photographs below.

Grey Fantail on a nest(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]) — Grey Fantail on a nest
(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])

Grey Fantail on a nest, Superb Fairy-wrens and a lot of insects - Photographing at Denman Prospect on Saturday, 2 January 2021

BirdsinCanberra January 10, 2021

I had recently ridden my mountain bike through the area of Denman Prospect, not realising that there was some bushland there. I was interested in returning with a camera because Denman Prospect is on the edge of Canberra, facing to the west and north-west, with rural land between it and the mountain ranges. While the bushland was very near a growing suburb I thought that it may be worth a visit to see what wildlife was around. I was so glad that I did visit because I had a wonderful morning and stayed far longer than I planned. I spent most of my morning exploring Stringybark Hill, which did not seem to be an official reserve and contained what looked to be a lot of new growth native forest. I probably heard more birds than I saw or was able to photograph because the bush was reasonably thick, with a dense canopy that hampered lighting but also kept the undergrowth under control. The open areas had tall grass and other plants, keeping me on the look out for my first opportunity to photograph a snake, which did not happen. I really enjoyed my walk and I was constantly distracted by things to photograph. I will certainly be returning to this site in the future. I hope you like the photographs below.

Australasian Pipit with a juicy caterpillar(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC]) — Australasian Pipit with a juicy caterpillar
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])

Australasian Pipits, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and interesting ruins - Photographing at the Glenburn Heritage Precinct on Sunday, 27 December 2020

BirdsinCanberra December 31, 2020

I had been thinking about cycling and photographing at the Glenburn Heritage Precinct for a while without committing to the ride but then I decided to put the idea into practice after some friends were talking about a separate trip that they were planning. So on Sunday, 27 December 2020, I set off very early in the morning for the car trip to the start of the trail. The precinct is on the left-hand side of the Kings Highway just after the road crosses the Molonglo River on the east of Queanbeyan. The area consists of the ruins or remains of a rural community that tried to establish itself in the area in the 1800s. They did not succeed, eventually abandoning their former homesteads and other buildings. They tried hard to make the community thrive, even establishing a school for a period of time but it was not to be. This area has now been turned into a heritage precinct that consists of three trails. Because the ruins are situated in two clusters, the trails form an inverted triangle from the Kings Highway entrance. One trail takes visitors to the western ruins, while another trail heads to the eastern ruins and the remaining trail is a loop that covers both sets of ruins. The full loop is approximately 12 km that follows fire trails, grass tracks or occasionally disappears under overgrown vegetation. I took my mountain bike because I wanted to cover the distance at a reasonable pace but still be able to see things. The trail was not challenging although the Glen Burn Creek had some water in it, so my feet got a little wet crossing it but that was a nice way to cool them off. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning at the precinct, being a little upset when I realised that it was over. I liked seeing the early settler history of the area as well as the wildlife that I encountered along the way. I would go back because I am sure that I would see things that I missed. I hope that you enjoy the photos below.

Gang-gang Cockatoo female chewing on a tree(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC]) — Gang-gang Cockatoo female chewing on a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Gang-gang Cockatoos, other parrots and some cute jumping spiders - Photographing around Red Hill Nature Reserve and Hughes in Mid-October 2020

BirdsinCanberra October 26, 2020

It had been a while since I had visited Red Hill Nature Reserve, despite it being almost right on our doorstep. I had been distracted because normally on Sundays I headed to a number of other locations around Canberra but I felt I had ignored this local jewel for too long. The inspiration for my return was actually a bunch of weeds. I had been driving on a road that runs along the north side of Red Hill when I notices large patches of purple on the hill. I suspected that they were probably weeds but I thought that they may make a nice subject for a photograph. I am glad that a few days later I did go out photographing because I had a wonderful encounter with some Gang-gang Cockatoos that I followed up the next day. While I did not travel far that weekend I had fun, including watching some of the jumping spiders I found around our house. I ended up doing more photography than I planned but I am glad that I did. I hope that you like the photos below.

Speckled Warbler in a tree(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]) — Speckled Warbler in a tree
(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])

Speckled Warbler, Orange-winged Sittella and, at last, frogs! - Photographing at Cuumbeun Nature Reserve on Sunday, 4 October 2020

BirdsinCanberra October 11, 2020

Heading east out of Canberra towards the coast most of Canberra’s residents will use the Kings Highway. We all know that highway well as it winds its way to the refreshing coastal waters during a Canberra summer. I also decided to go for a drive one Sunday morning in October but with the intent to stop much closer to Canberra. I probably expect that most people who drive that road think that the bit of natural bush land on the southern side of the highway just after it climbs out of Queanbeyan is an uncleared development waiting for Queanbeyan to expand. I also had not really given it much thought until I became curious as to what the land was and whether I could photograph on it. The land is part of the Cuumbeun Nature Reserve, which is open to the public. It is a 709 hectare reserve only created in 2001.

A pair of Australian Wood Ducks with 16 ducklings(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/11 and 1/400 SEC]) — A pair of Australian Wood Ducks with 16 ducklings
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/11 and 1/400 SEC])

A large Australian Wood Duck family and macro shooting, including my first frogs - Photographing around Canberra in April 2020

BirdsinCanberra May 9, 2020

I am still trying to get back into a routine but life always seems to get in the way but at least I got out a number of times in April. I was happy to get out at night a couple of times to do some night-time macro shooting. My son even came out with one time to Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve and pointed out my first frog, which I had already walked straight past. As there were school holidays we went out for some afternoon walks around Red Hill Nature Reserve and he patiently waited for me to take some photographs. Even though Canberra was still in the middle of the COVID-19 restrictions it was an enjoyable April and I also made another video that you can watch in this post. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

A Grey Fantail displaying in a shrub(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC]) — A Grey Fantail displaying in a shrub
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])

Spotted Pardalote, Grey Fantails and a White-throated Treecreeper made my morning - Photographing around Black Mountain on Sunday, 5 April 2020

BirdsinCanberra April 17, 2020

With the current COVID-19 pandemic we have to be responsible about going out as we do not want to inadvertently spread the disease. With that in mind it has been a challenge to find locations to photograph so to ensure that I avoid crowds but still get out to exercise while taking my camera with me so I can also photograph. This post is predominantly about a walk I did around the base of Black Mountain but I have also included some extra recent photographs from around Canberra. Unfortunately, the Sunday that I visited Black Mountain was very windy and cloudy, making the lighting unpredictable as the clouds moved across the sun. I was still happy to get out for a walk and because I was able to photograph some birds, particularly the Spotted Pardalotes. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

Two Purple Swamphen chicks about to enter Sullivans Creek(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 200mm, f/10 and 1/640 SEC]) — Two Purple Swamphen chicks about to enter Sullivans Creek
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 200mm, f/10 and 1/640 SEC])

Purple Swamphen chicks, parrots and other great wildlife enjoying the green from the rain - photographing around Canberra in January to March 2020

BirdsinCanberra April 4, 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.

A Pied Cormorant sitting on a wharf pylon(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/10 and 1/500 SEC]) — A Pied Cormorant sitting on a wharf pylon
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/10 and 1/500 SEC])

Seabirds, New Holland Honeyeaters and wonderful shorelife - Photographing around Sydney in December 2019

BirdsinCanberra February 23, 2020

Being in Sydney over Christmas in 2019 was a chance to get away from the smoke in Canberra. It was also a great opportunity to photograph the shore life around the south-eastern side of Sydney Harbour, including the birdlife. Strangely, it was hard to find too much birdlife so I am not sure if the December weather patterns and bushfires had made it harder on Sydney birds than usual. However, I did enjoy photographing some Crested Terns and a Pied Cormorant, although they were at a distance from me so the shots are not the best. I also had the opportunity to do macro photography of some cool insects I found around the place. The weather was mostly pretty good with reasonable light, although there were some gusty winds at time. Still it was nice to enjoy the photographic opportunities I had. I hope you like the pictures below.

Juvenile Galah in a backyard tree(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 227mm, f/11 and 1/400 SEC]) — Juvenile Galah in a backyard tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 227mm, f/11 and 1/400 SEC])

Birds, mammals, lizards, spiders and insects - Photographing around Canberra in early December 2019

BirdsinCanberra January 29, 2020

Bird and wildlife photography in December 2019 was very challenging due to the smoke haze from the bush fires around Canberra. Please understand, I am not complaining as on the relative scale of things, a bit smoke haze was not bad when people were dying or losing their houses and some species of wildlife are facing extinction because of the extent of the fire. Really, I got off very lightly, as I was still able to photograph, even if it was a little difficult. This post is a grab bag of the various birds and other wildlife I saw over that period. I was moving around Canberra, particularly near the Australian National University (ANU) at Acton, doing a few things, generally with my camera close at hand so I could take photographs. I hope you like the photographs I was able to capture and sorry this is so late.

Rainbow Lorikeet calling out from behind the foliage(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC]) — Rainbow Lorikeet calling out from behind the foliage
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC])

Rainbow Lorikeets calling out and a battle-scarred male kangaroo - Photographing around Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 21 September 2019

BirdsinCanberra October 3, 2019

Red Hill Nature Reserve is such an enjoyable place in spring, with so many birds and other animals shaking off the Canberra winter chill. The weather has been very kind in recent weeks with mild, clear mornings, making photography such a pleasure. This morning’s walk was just wonderful, I saw some Rainbow Lorikeets, a bird species I adore. I also was up close with a Laughing Kookaburra, an experience that always thrills me. In addition, I saw a scarred, old, male kangaroo, who paid me no attention, he seemed to have no fear of me. It was so enjoyable photographing him as he barely even acknowledged my presence even though I was only a few metres away. I always enjoy my walks on Red Hill but this morning was extra special. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

A lone male Gang-gang Cockatoo chewing at a branch in Hughes(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]) — A lone male Gang-gang Cockatoo chewing at a branch in Hughes
(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])

Gang-gang Cockatoos are still around and stalking a moth - Photographing at Red Hill Nature Reserve on Saturday, 1 June 2019

BirdsinCanberra June 11, 2019

This Saturday was the first official day of winter, with the weather making the point thanks to a sub-zero start. Despite the cold, frosty morning I was still keen to go our for my usual walk on Red Hill Nature Reserve. I went to the eastern part of the reserve as I had not been there for a while. During my walk I was easily distracted by some water droplets on spider webs as well as a dead tree with fantastic character. I took the usual photograph of the tree but also tried something different by photographing up the trunk to where the branches came out of the tree. I was reasonably pleased with the shot. I was also happy to be able to photograph some Gang-gang Cockatoos again, it has been a while. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

Two rain-drenched Eastern Grey Kangaroos at Mount Taylor Nature Reserve on Sunday morning(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/800 SEC]) — Two rain-drenched Eastern Grey Kangaroos at Mount Taylor Nature Reserve on Sunday morning
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/800 SEC])

Amazing spiders, interesting insects, drenched kangaroos and beautiful scenery - Photographing around Canberra on Friday to Sunday 24-26 May 2019

BirdsinCanberra June 4, 2019

This was not the weekend I had planned nor was I expecting. I started photographing on Friday afternoon when I again had to go to Westfield Woden Shopping Centre so I decided to walk back home while taking photographs. The weather on Saturday, while cold, was fine enough to photograph around Red Hill Nature Reserve. However, on Sunday morning there was rain and I was wondering if I would get out to Mount Taylor Nature Reserve. Happily I did. Monday, a public holiday in Canberra, no such luck, it was bleak; wet and cloudy for most of the day. I think the bad weather made it harder to see birds over the weekend as they had either gone or were trying to find ways to minimise energy loss in the face of the colder temperatures. The kangaroos I encountered on Mount Taylor on Sunday were drenched with rain but their fur coats appeared thick, probably providing needed insulation. Rain drenched birds would be cold but would also find it harder to fly. Sorry, there are no bird photos below but there are kangaroos, spiders, insects, landscape and one dinosaur skeleton (photographed in a museum). I hope you enjoy the photographs.