A garden can be a realm of nature that surrounds a house, however it is more than just a collection of plants. A thriving garden is also a thriving ecosystem where various interplays happen between a variety of organisms all living out their own life cycles. The rear garden of the house in Narooma is a green sanctuary that is not large but I can enjoy and wander around in. It is also a place that a variety of birds visit. We are lucky having a lush nature reserve behind us that birds visit our garden from. One visitor we had was an Eastern Yellow Robin. Fortunately, I was walking up the stairs to the garden with my camera when this little bird decided that a garden statue of a cowering dragon made the perfect perch. It landed on the dragon’s head, like that was the cause of the dragon’s distress. I was worried that lifting my camera would scare the little robin away but it disregarded my movements. It remained there long enough for me to take several shots, trying out slightly different angles as well. The bird was delightfully posed and made my afternoon with its presence. I was really happy with how the shot turned out and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreA walk around Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve on Sunday, 12 August 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.
Read MoreA walk around Wanniassa Hill Nature Reserve on Sunday, 5 August 2018
I was taking our green waste to the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre early on Sunday morning, which I thought was the perfect excuse to then do some bird photography. I got going early so I could hit the Wanniassa Hill Nature Reserve while the morning light was still shining on it. Given the way the sun was coming up in the north-east I went to the north facing slope at the start to use the available light. The birdlife was a bit sparse initially, with some small wrens flitting from shrub to shrub while crows and parrots flew high overhead. I thought I had chosen the wrong place but eventually the birds came out in a way I was able to photograph. Below are the results.
Read MoreCasuarina Sands Reserve on 17 June 2018
Well my wife decided I was definitely crazy this morning when I left for the golden hour in apparent sub-zero temperatures to go to Casuarina Sands Reserve on the Murrumbidgee River, about 20 minutes drive from the centre of Canberra. The drive was quiet, with few cars on the road. Casuarina Sands Reserve itself is a peaceful. little area on the southern bank of the Murrumbidgee River in the Cotter area. There is a sealed-road carpark with flush toilets. The light was not great as the sun was just making it over the surrounding hills at the time I had to return home. What sunlight there was struggled to cast any brightness on the area as there were a few clouds hanging about. With all that said, I am keen to return on a more suitable day as the location was a lovely spot with a lot of potential for birding as well as bird photography. The photos below are not great because of the lighting but I saw today as a good chance to work on the exposure triangle to try to get some good shots. I have also purchased Adobe Lightroom so I am trying out my editing skills as well. As always, I hope you like the photos.
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