Female Australasian Darter in a sunken tree beside Lake Burley Griffin(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/500 SEC]) — Female Australasian Darter in a sunken tree beside Lake Burley Griffin
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/500 SEC])

Cormorants, Australasian Darter and an Australian Pelican - Photographing and paddling on Lake Burley Griffin in November 2020

BirdsinCanberra November 22, 2020

OK, I admit that this post may seem strangely familiar to the previous one, with an Australasian Darter as the main photograph heading an entry about kayaking on Lake Burley Griffin but the difference is this time I was using my Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. I had a feeling of trepidation this first time I used it, thinking that I was not stable in my kayak but I got used to the weight, loving the extra reach I could achieve with the zoom. I have been out twice now with this lens so this entry has ended up recording two trips that I took on Lake Burley Griffin. I love photographing water birds, especially cormorants, darters and pelicans so you will see some repetition with those birds below. However, the weather on these two mornings were different, the first was overcast while the second was sunny. I hope you like the photographs below.

Australasian Darter with some rubbish around its beak(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 200mm, f/6.3 and 1/200 SEC]) — Australasian Darter with some rubbish around its beak
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 200mm, f/6.3 and 1/200 SEC])

Silver Gulls and an Australasian Darter - Paddling and photographing on Lake Burley Griffin on Saturday, 24 October 2020

BirdsinCanberra November 2, 2020

Canberra has been experiencing a lot of heavy rain and overcast days recently. This has turned Canberra greener than it has been for years but the conditions have not been conducive to taking photographs. Despite the weather I still like to go for a kayak because I dress for getting wet from spray so a bit of rain is no problem. Recently, I have really wanted to improve my confidence of taking a proper camera and lens with me in my kayak so I have a better chance of photographing the wildlife and other things I see when I am paddling. So on this Saturday I packed my Canon EOS 6D Mk II DSLR with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM lens that I placed carefully into a Sea to Summit deck bag on my kayak before I went for my usual paddle on Lake Burley Griffin. I am starting with a lighter camera and lens combination while I get used to using a decent camera from a kayak. I did take this DSLR with the Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM zoom lens when I paddled on the Shoalhaven River but I was not confident using that lens and camera combination from the kayak in the middle of the river so I would head to the shore where I could run the kayak aground while I took photographs, meaning I sometimes missed shots. I think I have the right technique now so after I am feeling more confident I will take my normal camera and lens combination with me. That said, even with the current set up I enjoyed taking shots and I was happy with the photos that I took of the Australasian Darter and the Silver Gulls. I hope that you like the photographs 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.

The huntsman spider on the tree(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite) — The huntsman spider on the tree
(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)

The biggest huntsman I have photographed - Photographing around Lake Burley Griffin on Saturday night, 3 October 2020

BirdsinCanberra October 9, 2020

I feel that I am on a quest to get more photographs of the frog species around Canberra. That somewhat Quixotic quest, given how hard it is to find frogs, saw me out on this Saturday night with a headlamp and my camera walking around a shore of Lake Burley Griffin. I was hoping to find some frogs to photograph, but the title of this post is a bit of a spoiler. I heard a lot of frogs but I could not see any to photograph. I consoled myself when I came across the largest huntsman spider that I have been able to photograph. I really enjoyed photographing this amazing looking spider, but I certainly made sure I did not get too close. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.

Australian pelican swimming along the Molonglo River(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/10 and 1/500 SEC]) — Australian pelican swimming along the Molonglo River
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/10 and 1/500 SEC])

Australian Pelican on the Molonglo, Galahs and little birds - Photographing in a pine forest on Sunday, 27 September 2020

BirdsinCanberra October 7, 2020

Australia has some native conifers but they are in small numbers so there are no massive pine forests such as exist in Europe and North America. The pine forests in Australia are generally commercial pine forests that tend to contain Radiata Pine (Pinus radiata), which is considered a pest outside of these commercial forests because it is such a successful and quick growing tree. These commercial forests are generally open to the public, with a number located close to Canberra, which were generally planted to improve Canberra’s water quality because previous agricultural clearance activities caused too much erosion that carried soil and other substances into the Canberra water supply. One forest sits behind the National Zoo and Aquarium at the south-western end of Lake Burley Griffin, where the Molonglo River continues below the Scrivener Dam.

I had seen a number of photograhs from inside pine forests that inspired me to take some shots as well. The challenge with pine forests is the light, because the conifers are good at blocking out light so when sunlight gets through there tends to be a lot of contrast between the dark and light areas. Pine forests are not my favourite locations to photograph in because most native animals have not evolved to live in them, so they are generally devoid of a rich diversity of life.

With that said, I did find some interesting subjects to photograph on my way to the forest, especially around the Molonglo River where an Australian Pelican was swimming on the river. There were also a number of birds in the trees at the Yarralumla Equestrian Centre where I parked my car so I could walk to the forest.

I hope you like the photos below.

An immature orb-weaver spider moving from one leaf to another in the rain(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite) — An immature orb-weaver spider moving from one leaf to another in the rain
(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 Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)

A rain-drenched orb-weaver spider and rain drops on leaves - Photographing around home on a wet Sunday afternoon, 20 September 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 26, 2020

Sunday, 20 September, was one of those rare occasions when I did not head out somewhere to photograph. There was heavy rain and the rain radar showed that the downpour was going to continue for a while so I decided it was not the morning for photography. However, later that day I thought I would have a walk around our yard to see what subjects I could find to photograph in the rain. I was inspired to try this by a good friend of mine. I was speaking to this friend on the Friday beforehand and we discussed the forecasted bad weather for Sunday. My version of the conversation is that my friend said that I was a wimp for not photographing in the rain, although my friend might dispute that account. However, since this is my blog post, my version stands.

Silvereye on Silver Wattle looking for its next place to feed(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 360mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC]) — Silvereye on Silver Wattle looking for its next place to feed
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 360mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])

Honeyeaters, Rufous Whistler and a multitude of small birds - Photographing at Paddys River on Sundays, 6 and 13 September 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 25, 2020

While I have visited where Paddys River meets the Cotter River, I have only ever driven across the bridge over Paddys River further upstream on my way to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve but never given a thought to stopping there. So I decided it was time to stop at that bridge to explore that area underneath it to see what animals there were. In the end, I visited the area over two successive weekends because I found so much of interest. I was focussed more on the birds but there was other life around, all of which will make me include this location on my regular visit list. It was so tranquil yet so full of life with different species of honeyeaters, and so many small birds whirling around me. Plus there was the reassuring gurgle of Paddys River flowing past me on both visits.

Wild Sulphur-crested Cockatoo at a feeding station in our backyard(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC]) — Wild Sulphur-crested Cockatoo at a feeding station in our backyard
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, flowers and small wildlife - Photographing around home in early September 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 20, 2020

Canberra has been reasonably lucky with COVID-19. As spring arrives there are no lockdowns and people are able to go out with minimal restrictions to enjoy the bush that surrounds and enters Canberra. While I still love getting out to the lovely natural areas around Canberra I can still find some interesting photographic subjects around my own home. Spring has brought out flowers, that have attracted insects and the birds are coming back as well. I thought I would gather some recent photos into a single post of some of the things that I photographed in my garden; subjects that did not really fit into other posts.

The Deakin Anticline seen from the access path on a glorious early spring afternoon(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 16mm, f/14 and 1/80 SEC]) — The Deakin Anticline seen from the access path on a glorious early spring afternoon
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 16mm, f/14 and 1/80 SEC])

400 million year old rocks are worth photographing - Photographing at the Deakin Anticline on Saturday, 5 September 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 20, 2020

400 million years ago Australia was still part of the content called Gondwanaland, small plants had already commenced growing on the dry land and some marine creatures had probably evolved into insects but these were early days for complex lifeforms on land. Vegetation was basic with probably nothing tree-like existing. This was also tens of millions of years before dinosaurs arose. Normally the rocks from this period would be buried deep beneath the current surface of the earth but there is an anticline, where the rock layer has been bent upwards, in the suburb of Deakin that was further expose because it was also the site of white clay mining that was used to help build Canberra.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking for food in the grass(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC]) — Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking for food in the grass
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])

Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Scarlet Robin and Red-necked Wallaby joey - Photographing at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on Sunday, 30 August 2020

BirdsinCanberra September 10, 2020

Sunday, 30 August was just such a beautiful morning it would have been a waste to stay home, sleeping in. Instead, I headed out early for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve to the south of Canberra. Unfortunately, I was too keen, the gates were still closed when I arrived, which was a little unusual because in the past I have driven straight in, even before 7 AM. This day, may be it was a new rule to actually abide by the opening hours, the reserve did not open until its scheduled time of 7:30. While it was frustrating that I could not drive straight in, I spent the time wandering around just outside the entrance photographing things.

When you see scenery like this under a moody sky, your plans for photographing wildlife change(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 125, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC]) — When you see scenery like this under a moody sky, your plans for photographing wildlife change
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 125, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])

Snow on the Brindabella Ranges around Canberra - Photographing around Canberra on Sunday, 23 August 2020

BirdsinCanberra August 27, 2020

I am creating a pattern of starting posts with apologies and this one also starts with an apology. I am sorry, there is only a single picture of a bird below. I set out to meet a friend at the Stony Creek Nature Reserve to photograph birds and wildlife there but snow fell around Canberra on Saturday, 22 August and was still lying on the Brindabella Ranges the next day. As I was driving the 25 minutes to the nature reserve, and I was only about five minutes drive from my house, I looked out and saw the scene in the photograph at the top of the post. There is no doubt that I love bird and wildlife photography but I cannot ignore scenery like that when the sky makes it even moodier thanks to the dawn’s red glow and brooding clouds. I had to pull over to take some photographs. Coincidentally, while I was photographing, my friend phoned to say that he may be late or may not be able to get to the reserve as he was also photographing what he was seeing. We agreed that sometimes, when photographing, you just have to go with what is presented to you. Eventually, we did meet up, but on the road to the reserve where we both had pulled over to take more photographs. I stopped a couple more times on the way to the reserve. I also bumped into a nice guy who, like us, was out photographing the scenery. My friend and I eventually got to the nature reserve but it was then that a large cloud blocked out the sun. While was saw a number of birds the light was not bright enough to get good shots, so I only took one, possibly half-reasonable, shot of a Crimson Rosella. I was not disappointed with the morning because I really enjoyed the scenery and I thought that Stony Creek Nature Reserve was definitely worth another visit. Later that morning, I took my camera out to the yard, while I was supposed to be gardening, to take some shots around the garden. To cap off this very different photographic journey to the one I had envisioned, I had found a wombat skull in my touring around on Sunday and spent a couple of nights during the week trying to come up with the best way to photograph it. All in all, those change of plans on Sunday turned out for the best and I had a lot of fun. I will be back to photographing birds again but I do consider myself to be a nature photographer as well, so it was exhilarating to expand my photo collection that day with some different shots to those that I usually take. I hope 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.

Australian Pelican flying over Sunset Beach at Sunset, one of my last shots of the trip and I love it:-)(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 200mm, f/14 and 1/200 SEC]) — Australian Pelican flying over Sunset Beach at Sunset, one of my last shots of the trip and I love it:-)
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 200mm, f/14 and 1/200 SEC])

Australian Pelican, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lace Monitor and other amazing wildlife - Photographing north of Newcastle, Australia in November 2019

BirdsinCanberra August 12, 2020

This blog post also starts with an apology as these photos are from November 2019 when I was doing some temporary work around Newcastle Airport. I have been busy with a number of other things since then so it took me a while to process all the photographs I had taken. In the past, while I was away for work, when I finished for the day I did not really do much but that November was the first time I was away for work since I took up photography, and I just wanted to go out to shoot photographs. I had taken my Canon EOS 6D Mark II, Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM and Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM with me for this very purpose. From the first day I was determined to head out to photograph. I was very close to the Tilligerry State Conservation Area but there is no public access allowed so I had to contend with walking around the edge. I ended up finding this creek that ran along the western side and there were no signs saying I could not walk along this creek. That creek was fantastic because I could follow it beside the conservation area and move away from the roads. I also wandered off to other locations, trying different directions to see what I could find. I found a number of different areas like marshy ground or overgrown farm fields. I did not have a car with me so I was limited to moving on foot. Except on the last afternoon when I went with a friend down to Sunset Beach for dinner. I was so happy with all the wildlife I saw and I really missed not having my Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM to get better shots. That said, my lens combination really worked out well and that camera gear sat in a small back pack I could take as cabin luggage on the compact aircraft Fly Pelican used for the Canberra to Newcastle route. I had two weeks of solid photography, by myself, just walking around the area, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed myself and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking for food in the dew-laced grass later in the morning when the fog had lifted a bit(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC]) — Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking for food in the dew-laced grass later in the morning when the fog had lifted a bit
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])

Photographing birds in a heavy fog - Photographing at Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve on Sunday, 2 August 2020

BirdsinCanberra August 9, 2020

I am going to start with an apology as the photos below are not the best. The forecast for Sunday, 2 August, was for fog so when I looked out of my front window on that morning and I could barely see down the road, I knew it was not a good day for photographing. I consoled myself that while the fog would make it difficult to photograph I could at least explore Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve to see if it was worth another visit again when the weather was better. Arriving at the reserve I could see the fog was still thick and the light was not penetrating well. I had to crank up my ISO and I knew I would already have grain in the photos because of the water droplets in the fog. The reserve was open country, which was one reason that I wanted to visit, a different type of terrain to where I usually go. I climbed up a hill to see if the fog would break higher up, no luck. I even launched my drone to see if it could break through the fog at its 120 m altitude limit and at least get a photo of the fog layer from above. Again, no luck. Because of the fog I concentrated more on still subjects that I could approach closely, such as the ever interesting dead trees that always have photo-worthy shapes. I did take some photos of birds but they were grainy, so I am not happy with the results. I was going to head out the following weekend but it was raining and overcast so not the best weather again for photography. Despite what I have said, I had an enjoyable visit and really wish to return when the weather is better. I hope you enjoy at least some of the shots below.

My photo as the temporary banner on the ‘The beauty of Australian Nature’

My photo featured as the temporary banner on 'The beauty of Australian Nature' Flickr group

BirdsinCanberra August 8, 2020

Very happy that one of my photos was chosen by Merrillie Redden to be the temporary banner for the awesome Flickr group, The beauty of Australian Nature. The first time one of my images has ever been a banner image on any Flickr group. Made my day on a wet Canberra Saturday. Please visit the Flickr group to see all the wonderful photos there. And many thanks to Merrillie for selecting my photo.

Two Little Corellas at a tree hollow(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC]) — Two Little Corellas at a tree hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])

Little Corellas at a hollow, a number of ducks and other wonderful things - Photographing around Callum Brae Nature Reserve on Sunday, 19 July 2020

BirdsinCanberra August 5, 2020

The sun rise that Sunday morning at Callum Brae Nature Reserve was spectacular, with some amazing hues. I did not have the right lens to take the shot I wanted so I left the macro lens on my camera and shot the sunrise through the trees. The colours did not last long, then they were gone and I did not do justice to what it was like. The sunrise was a nice sight to see as it was the start of a new day and the birds were up and going. There was a group of Little Corellas that were mixed in with some Suphur-crested Cockatoos but not afraid to ensure that they were not pushed around by the larger birds. The dams were still full with two different species of ducks taking advantage of the abundance of water. I also had to continue my photographic fascination with Eastern Grey Kangaroos by taking a few shots of a mob. I hope you enjoy the photos below.

Immature Gold Whistler with a caterpillar(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC]) — Immature Gold Whistler with a caterpillar
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC])

Golden Whistlers, Weebills and a Galah at a hollow - Photographing around Red Hill Nature Reserve in July 2020

BirdsinCanberra July 30, 2020

For one reason and another it has been a while since I have been to Red Hill Nature Reserve, even though it is very near to my house. Recently, I just felt it was time to head back to this wonderful little reserve. That was especially the case when the sun was shining and I had a window of a couple of hours to get out to enjoy the weather. I just grabbed my go to Canon EOS 7D Mark II with the Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM telephoto lens plus the monopod and went up the hill. I am so glad I did. Both times it was mid-morning when the sun was up and the birds were still active but a little quieter than earlier in the morning when I usually go out photographing. Still the light was not too harsh and both times I made this dash I found some great subjects. You can see in the landscape shot below, looking across to the Brindabella Range that there was still a dusting of snow on the peaks around Canberra on the first Saturday. Despite that, the weather was not too cold and it was nice to be outside. I have also included some shots of flowers from our garden. Only the second one is an Australian native but I was enjoying the chance to practice some flower photography with natural light. It was good to be back on Red Hill, even if for a brief visit and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.

Australian Pelican in the Kangaroo River facing the morning sun(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/7.1 and 1/200 SEC]) — Australian Pelican in the Kangaroo River facing the morning sun
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/7.1 and 1/200 SEC])

Australian Pelicans, cormorants and stunning scenery - Kayak photography in Kangaroo Valley in July 2020

BirdsinCanberra July 14, 2020

In early July I went on my first overnight kayak camping trip and I was fortunate enough to experience it in the beautiful Kangaroo Valley over two days, with about 26 km of padding on the first day and 23 km on. the second. I paddled down the Kangaroo River, past Tallowa Dam and into the Shoalhaven Gorge. Because it was the middle of winter the days were short so I did not have long periods of good light for photographing, especially in the gorge where the high sides prevented the sun light getting through, projecting deep shadows onto one side of the gorge. Despite that I really enjoyed the experience and learnt some good lessons for next time, I also felt more comfortable photographing from my new kayak because it was weighted down with camping gear acting like ballast. While I missed some shots, like a White-bellied Sea-eagle, I was still happy with the shots of birds I was able to get from the water. I also felt there was a lot of opportunity to get to areas not readily accessible from a land route, especially the sunken forest with the dead trees sticking out of the river. I have included a video below but I must admit it was not the video I was hoping to create. I did have my drone with me but I did not use it because I felt I was always missing the right light or worried about the wind. I am hoping to do more trips like this but maybe when it is a tad warmer and definitely when the days are longer so there is more opportunity to photograph. While there may not be many photographs below I hope you like the ones there are.

Pink-eared Duck at Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC]) — Pink-eared Duck at Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])

Pink-eared Duck, Black Swan, Coots and a frozen damselfly in the fog - Photographing at Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve in winter 2020

BirdsinCanberra July 12, 2020

Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve is an absolute gem, located in northern Canberra, that is always worth the trip to visit this wonderful place. I had been away for over a year, my last visit to this beautiful reserve was in December 2018, way too long! What drew me back on the first Sunday was information that the southern dam was full again. When I had visited in late 2018, the dam was just a muddy puddle a few meters wide at the base of the dam embankment. I had never seen the dam full so I was really looking forward to the visit. I was not disappointed. The morning was slightly foggy and a good friend came along as well. We both enjoyed the visit with the fog and frost giving the photographs an extra atmospheric element. I put my drone up for some shots and I hope I did not disturb anybody who was around the dam. I enjoyed my visit so much I went back the following Sunday by myself for a second visit. That day was clear with blue skies, so a different way to see the dam. I had another wonderful morning. I must not stay away so long next time. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.