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.
Read MorePhotographing around the Vaucluse foreshore in Sydney on Christmas Day 2018 - Watching ravens enjoy seafood and a cockatoo enjoy a drink from a multi-million dollar swimming pool
Sydney has a wonderful harbour and a great way to see it is along the Vaucluse foreshore walk. This walk is a well maintained trail that goes from Nielsen Park to the Hermitage Foreshore Reserve in the shadows of the atmospheric Rose Bay Convent. Low tide is a great time to walk along the route, as the rocks are exposed meaning you can drop down from the path to follow right beside the water. As always Mum had out done herself with Christmas lunch so I really felt the need to go for a walk. I grabbed my camera, as I figured I would see what I could find while I walked. I am so glad I did as I enjoyed the subjects I came across. I expected the walk to be relatively quiet because it was Christmas Day, however, it appeared backpackers have extended their Christmas on the sea beaches to these harbour spots as well. There were three separate parties of young people enjoying the day with a wealth of accents audible as I walked past. They were in high spirits but keeping their parties ordered with very little litter. One group was very well prepared with a generator powering a DJ table as well as a refrigerator. Despite the noise there were still a number of birds around. It was all just part of the rich tapestry of a Christmas in Sydney. I hope you enjoy the pictures in this post.
Read MoreLooking for Gang-gang Cockatoos in Hughes on Sunday, 26 August 2018
I have often seen a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos in a group of trees on the way home from work, when I do not have my camera. We also once had a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos come to our backyard feeder; on the day I was rushing to an appointment so I did not have a chance to get my camera to take any photographs. On this Sunday, I decided, since the weather was so nice, I would try to find the Gang-gang Cockatoos that seem to frequent this neighbourhood. I am glad I went out, as not only did I briefly find the Gang-gangs, I also captured a few other interesting sights with my camera. It was a lovely finish to the weekend.
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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