A farmer’s fence stretching into the waters of Lake George, with the windmill farm in the distance and water birds in the foreground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 125, 100mm, f/11 and 1/400 SEC])

Lake George has water again, bringing some beautiful wildlife - Lake George, January 2022

BirdsinCanberra January 9, 2022

After about twenty minutes of easy driving, after taking the exit off the Hume Highway onto the Federal Highway heading towards Canberra, motorists will see a long, steep-sided hill range to the right with sporadic tree covering. To the left, Google Maps will display a large blue body of water, Lake George. For most of the last decade, people would have suffered cognitive dissonance looking at Google’s blue symbology but when they looked to where the water should be they would be confused by the dry, withered flat ground passing the car window. However, with the rain of the past 18 months the lake is almost back to its glory days. It is easily visible from the Federal Highway and a stop at Weereewa Lookout shows a body of extensive water covering the area between the high ground to the east and west. It is great to see the water in Lake George again, and to see the beautiful wildlife the water is supporting. I visited the lake twice recently and was thrilled with all the birdlife as well as the interesting insects. I of course took my camera with me and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Australian Wood Duck female calling by a small pond(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/320 SEC]) — Australian Wood Duck female calling by a small pond
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/320 SEC])

Superb Fairy-wrens, Australian Wood Duck and Galahs - Photographing at Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve on Sunday, 16 August 2020

BirdsinCanberra August 19, 2020

Sunday’s weather might not have been great but the available light was better than it had been for a while so I decided to head back to Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve. The recent heavy rains across Canberra meant that the reserve was very wet. At one stage I found myself walking up a slight hill yet there was pooling water amongst the grass, even on a slope. Lighting wise, there was a bit of cloud hanging about but the sun was coming through. Canberra is at the end of winter so the days are getting longer and the birds appear to be starting their mating preparations, with the Wood Ducks calling and male Fairy-wrens showing their blue plumage. I went a slightly different way to the path I travelled last time, wanting to explore more, although I still found myself climbing up a hill. I am glad I went out for the morning and I am glad the light gave me a chance to get some shots. I hope you like the photos below.

A male Red-rumped Parrot preparing to drink from a remnant muddy pond(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC]) — A male Red-rumped Parrot preparing to drink from a remnant muddy pond
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])

Watching different species of thornbills interact when magnificently coloured Red-rumped Parrots arrive - Photographing at Kama Nature Reserve on Sunday, 16 June 2019

BirdsinCanberra June 28, 2019

Kama Nature Reserve presented itself as a place to shoot some reasonable photographs on an overcast June Sunday morning. I am glad that I tried this new location because I was able to take photographs on a day that was not ideal for such an activity. Kama Nature Reserve has relatively open country so on an overcast day there was likely to still be sufficient natural light for photography. The conditions were not great for taking photos but I was able to photograph two species of thornbills that were interacting around a nearly dried pond. There were also a number of parrots, including the ubiquitous Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and the beautifully coloured Red-rumped Parrots. The area was a wonderful location, which I enjoyed, despite the less than ideal natural lighting. I hope you like the photographs below.

A female Rufous Whistler giving its morning call

Photographing at Campbell Park Woodland on Monday, 31 December 2018 - a Gerygone, treecreeper and a pair of Dollarbirds

BirdsinCanberra January 6, 2019

This was my first visit to Campbell Park Woodland. I had heard about this site for a while and I knew it would be quiet as far as the office buildings were concerned. Because this site backs onto office blocks used by the Australian Department of Defence there is a lot of parking at the site as well as intimidating signs warning visitors of trespassing. On. my walk to where the woodland began behind a fence I was worried I may have been misled about the site as there did not appear to be much birdlife. I decided to head towards a small dam I could see on my Google Maps app because all animals need water. That was when the morning lived up to its deserved reputation. Just around this small dam I saw a treecreeper, an immature woodswallow as well as Dollarbirds. I was told by somebody I met at the dam that there was another dam further on that is also good. Unfortunately, I ran out of time so could not get to the second dam. That will be for another day, and I will use the Canberra Ornithologists Group Campbell Park Woodland map as a guide. I hope you enjoy the photos below.

A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo drinking at the remnants of a small dam

Photographing at Callum Brae Nature Reserve on Sunday, 18 November 2018 - Looking so dry for birds and turtles

BirdsinCanberra November 23, 2018

I thought I would try a different design approach with this post. Rather than upload multiple photographs of the same subject, I thought I would instead use one picture only to portray the subject. The ‘less-is-more’ approach. I think it helps de-clutter the post if nothing else. I will see how it goes but I thought my walk around Callum Brae Nature Reserve on Sunday, 18 November would be a good post to start with. Callum Brae was looking so dry. The vegetation was still that light Australian green colour so much flora seems to be in Canberra but the dams were looking very empty. In approaching one small dam I was unable to photograph a Little Pied Cormorant that I had scared off. I was amazed to see it at that remnant of water, I am not sure what it had been hunting. There was also this old, stone-lined run-off channel that seemed to taunt modern visitors with how much rain once must have fallen on that land to justify constructing that diversion. Now, it is grass-covered with saplings well established, as if saying no water will flow along its course again. There was still birdlife at Callum Brae but it was the first time I saw several species of birds come down for water. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

A female Pacific Black Duck on one of the sall waterholes at Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve

A walk around Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve on Sunday, 12 August 2018

BirdsinCanberra August 17, 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.

A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo resting in a pine tree

Morning walk on Friday, 6 July 2018

BirdsinCanberra July 22, 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.