Walking across the sanded-up mouth of the Shoalhaven River, I had already had an enjoyable morning photographing sone wading birds. Approaching the southern head of the river that was now sealed, and where the dune vegetation was taking root on the beach, I startled a Beach Stone-curlew when I must have appeared suddenly near it. The bird darted a few steps from cover and stopped, Every now and then it would make a single note call, but I did not hear a response. The bird and I stopped at our respective locations, looking at each other. I was worried that I would scare the curlew when I lifted my camera up to photograph but the bird stayed still, keeping an eye on me. I was excited that I was able to photograph this species but I was also trying to calm down and think about what settings I needed and the best angle to shoot. I was attempting to take photographs in case the bird flew off but I was trying to balance that with taking good photographs to record my first sighting of a Beach Stone-curlew. I enjoyed the chance to see such a beautiful bird so close up and that sighting made my morning. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreInteresting little creatures in a garden - Narooma, NSW, October-December 2023
Sometimes it is nice to pause and look at the little creatures that inhabit the same space as us in our garden. Initially, they can be hard to see but when we slow down and take a second look at the greenery do we notice the little creature. One evening, I walked out the back door of the house in Narooma to look for those little animals and was barely noticing the steps ahead of me. There were some leaves on them, as there often were, but one brownish leaf looked different that night. I had another look and there was a small Peron’s Tree Frog, probably a juvenile, on the edge of a step. I had taken only a few paces from the back door and already nature was there. The frog was not that fussed by me and even let me take a very close front on portrait. That made my night. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreEgrets and Sea-eagles, some constants of Spring - Narooma, NSW, Spring 2023
A Great Egret walked through the water, paralleling a row of damp, black oyster bags that sat across the water’s surface. The bird was advancing slowly until it jabbed forward with its yellow beak and one of its wings half-opened to balance it. Withdrawing its head from the water a pipefish wiggled hard, trying to escape. The egret climbed onto the oyster bags and carefully readjusted the pipefish in its beak through a couple of rapid openings and closings, before swallowing the fish. Whereupon the egret returned to patrolling along the top of the bags. I was able to witness the whole encounter from just a few metres away where I was sitting in my kayak on a lovely Spring morning on Wagonga Inlet in Narooma. The inlet is coming alive with a lot of birds and other creatures. I spent a fair bit of time paddling around the inlet enjoying some beautiful mornings and wonderful encounters with birds. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreWinter around Narooma and beyond with ducks and snakes - Narooma, July 2023
Narooma continues to hold appeal, especially as a welcoming place to escape some of Canberra’s winter cold. Spending a week in Narooma meant that there was time explore around the area a bit more. One location worth exploring was on the way back to Canberra, at the Wray Street Oyster Shed right on the bank of the Clyde River at Batemans Bay. In the water beside the blue-painted shed there was a mixed group of ducks swimming not far from the shore. Among the ducks were Chestnut Teals, including a number of males with their wonderful dark green heads that shimmer in the light. Unfortunately, the teals were swimming in the shadow so the intense colours were not obvious. These birds are very common on calmer, estuarine waters near the coast and they have such wonderful colours. I always enjoy photographing them and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreBirds and fur seals along the foreshore - Narooma, NSW, June 2023
Australian Pelicans are stunning big birds with an appearance that is unmistakable. Since starting to photograph them I have really noticed the colours in their famously large bills. In the breeding season the colours change and become even more saturated, creating a rich palette on the birds bill. While I was photographing on an exposed sand flat at Narooma in June a lone pelican was resting there. I was able to approach it with the sun almost directly behind me. The bird was regularly looking at the other activities happening around it and I was lucky enough that it turned its head so that the sun caught the length of the richly-hued bill. It was one of my favourite shots of these truly wonderful birds. I had a marvellous time wandering around on the sand flats and I hope that you like the photographs below.
Read MoreSome shore birds and other wildlife over a weekend - Narooma, Autumn 2023
That Sunday morning I just wanted to do some photography. Finding the time to photograph and then having good light had been challenging for a few months but I was going out regardless that morning. The previous day, while bike riding, I had seen how the low tide towards the entrance of Wagonga Inlet exposed sandflats around two small islands, which were located behind the rocks being used to train the river. There were a number of shorebirds searching for food in that area so I wanted to return to photograph them. Unfortunately, Sunday’s wind was brisk making it hard to get crisp photos because the breeze was rippling the finer details of the the birds feathers. Despite that, I was happy to see some Pied Oystercatchers. One of the birds was not too bothered by my presence. It remained a short distance away while I walked carefully to try to get the best light on it. The bird appeared to be not interested in feeding, remaining still, with one leg tucked into its feathers. I was the only person on the sandflats, so it was just me and the birds. It was so wonderful to be back photographing and letting the time tick by while I was lost in the birdlife. I really enjoyed the weekend, but especially that morning, and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreSome early autumn birds with herons and swallows - Narooma, Autumn 2023
The weather in Narooma is starting to cool with Autumn dropping the temperatures. There was also a cold snap over Easter that caught us unprepared with our more suitable clothes unfortunately left back in Canberra. Luckily, I had clothes that would keep me warm enough on my bike so I headed out on Good Friday to explore the area. While riding along the Mill Bay Boardwalk I saw two Welcome Swallows perched on the end of a cross beam that supported the wooden boards. The one nearer to me seemed nervous because of my presence. It would fly off in a rapid circle before returning beside its fellow swallow. It did that a few times before it stayed on the cross beam, although even there it regularly shuffled its position while the second swallow stayed still. I love the colours of the Welcome Swallow so I was glad that this one stayed still a few times for me. A number of birds were still around but the weather was cooler and the days shorter with Winter a couple of months away. I am still enjoying getting to the coast to see the nature there and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreWonders of life under shallow water - Beautiful Narooma Part 5, Summer 2022/23
Exploring even the shallow waters of Wagonga Inlet around Lewis Island were filled with so much interesting life. Little fish and other creatures occupied the waters, including those areas that were dry at low tide but underwater when the tide was in. There were many Eastern Longfin Gobies that were so much smaller than me but barely paid me any attention. Intuitively, they somehow knew that I was too large to see them as a meal. Despite their superb camouflage they also possessed some colours that the sunlight brought out because it was able to penetrate these shallow waters.
Read MoreLiving between land and water - Beautiful Narooma Part 4, Summer 2022/23
Narooma is on the coast and is built around the beautiful Wagonga Inlet so a lot of the wildlife lives on both land and water. With the movement of tides every six hours those creatures that can exist in both domains increase their chance of finding food and avoiding becoming food. Often, a good hiding place in the water is still a good hiding place when it is dry. However, sometimes things do not work out. Such as with this sad looking Variegated Shore Crab safe from most predators in a rock crevice but a wave probably wrapped a small bluebottle with its stinging tentacles around the crab. I am unsure if the tentacles can kill the crab or if it even felt them but I thought it made for a very colourful photograph.
Read MoreA quiet house with a living garden - Beautiful Narooma Part 3, Summer 2022/23
The back garden of the house we were staying in at Narooma was relatively secluded from our neighbours on either side. To the rear was a nature reserve with well established eucalyptus and other trees, but also with an understory for smaller birds to seek shelter in. Over the summer the house’s garden was rich with blooming flowers that honeyeaters enjoyed and attracted insects for the insect-eaters to prey on. The garden was alive with life that barely cared if I was there. Hanging out the washing on the back clothes line always took a while because I was constantly distracted. I started carrying my camera with me because I wanted to capture some of this activity. One day a Little Wattlebird was sampling the nectar from the well established Cape Honeysuckle. The bird wood have some nectar from a few flowers in the group before flying to another group, only to return to the original group a little while later. It was the embodiment of being spoilt with riches and wanting to have it all but not knowing where to eat next.
Read MoreSea-eagles, herons and oystercatchers - Beautiful Narooma Part 2, Summer 2022/23
One fine morning in Narooma I decided to head out to photograph. It was the first time in a while that I had been able to get out with a camera. I didn’t have much time so I was not planning to go far. I decided to head straight for the tiny Lewis Island that sat just west of the road bridge over Wagonga Inlet. In approaching the foot-bridge to Lewis Island I saw a lone Pied Oystercatcher standing on one leg atop the white, wooden rail along the footbridge. To me, not only did the rail provided a firm base to rest my camera it also created an obvious leading line guiding the eye to the oystercatcher. I advanced slowly across the bridge, periodically stopping to take some shots, knowing that at some stage the oystercatcher would flee from me. It did not take long for the bird to decide I was too close. First its folded leg came down, then it took a few steps along the railing before it flapped its wings to fly a few metres to the sand on the island. I felt bad for disturbing the bird but glad it had not flown too far.
Read MoreRocks, waves and water - Beautiful Narooma Part 1, Summer 2022/23
Narooma is a town of about 3000 people on the southern coast of NSW. Its urban centre spans the truly crystal blue waters of the Wagonga Inlet. Travelling south by car from Canberra it is easy to find this summer holiday destination because the Princes Highway travels around a sharp right corner before crossing over the inlet. Narooma is a beautiful gem that has grown mainly along the southern side of the inlet and the Pacific Ocean on the sea side. No major rivers flow into the inlet, just a some creeks, making the water beautiful and clear. It is no exaggeration to say crystal blue, because that is what the water is. I have previously posted (here and here) about this wonderful seaside destination and we ended up spending a fair bit of our summer holiday in Narooma, being captivated by the beauty. It would be hard to select a single photo to represent the locale but Glasshouse Rocks, on the southern side of the town, is worthy of consideration for that role.
This is the first post in a series of five looking at different aspects of wildlife at Narooma. In this post I am covering the environment around Narooma. I took my camera with me on holiday because I knew Narooma was going to be beautiful and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MorePraying mantis looking at me and other macro subjects - Home, ACT, October 2022
The pseudo pupils of the Large Brown Mantid made this alien-like insect appear like it was looking directly at me. No doubt the mantis had detected my approach but the raised triangular head with the large eyes was exactly the shot I was hoping for. The mantis had been resting on a black garden stake when I went searching for macro subjects to try out my recently purchased Raynox DCR 250 Super Macro Lens, which simply clips onto the front of my Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. I was thrilled when I came across the praying mantis because it was such a spectacular macro subject, especially when it lifted its head. After a while, it seemed to sense that the camera was not a threat so it returned to a relatively normal position even though its large eyes were still slightly tilted toward my lens. I enjoyed my time playing around with my new lens and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreGood weather for ducks on a rainy day - Huskisson, NSW, September 2022
Chestnut Teal males have a wonderfully, almost fluorescent green head, set-off by some very red eyes. They are a truly handsome bird. Their green comes alive when the light hits it properly giving it a shimmering effect like the finest dress satin. They are also a species of duck that tolerates high salinity, which means they are often seen in estuaries and bays. So I was not that surprised when I saw their magnificent green heads on a rainy, wet Saturday in Huskisson at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum. As the saying goes on a rainy day, it was good weather for ducks. Although those teals were wild, they were accustomed to the presence of humans walking around making them easy to approach. While one male eyed me warily I was able to take the photograph above, catching its wary stare back at me. I was happy to get a shot showing the shimmering green, even if the light was not great due to the grey rain clouds. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreStorm clouds off the coast - Tuross Head, NSW, August 2022
The coast was beckoning so we headed down for a day trip and lunch at the quiet seaside locale of Tuross Head. The weather forecast was not the best, with a very high chance of heavy rain and a possible storm. Still, I was optimistic that the lighting conditions at out destination would allow for some photography. While I was unable to photograph much wildlife the storm-tinged sky that rolled in over the course of the day created a dramatic backdrop for some coastal shots. Because the dark clouds were coming up from the southeast, the sun in the clear, blue sky to west created a partial rainbow out to sea. Not the photography that I intended but I was happy nonetheless to be at the coast with a camera. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreStorm waves at South Head - Sydney, NSW, July 2022
The big storm waves had already passed but I was in Sydney on the morning of 6 July so I wanted to see what shots I could take of interesting waves. While the sea was calming down I thought that there was still drama in the surging water that would make heading out in the rain worthwhile. Even from sheltered Camp Cove I could see that there was white-capped water everywhere in the outer parts of Sydney Harbour. Walking along the well maintained footpath, then descended a slippery muddy track, I found a place just inside the base of South Head below Hornby Lighthouse. The storm-tossed sea was a greyish-green with waves dashing ashore every few seconds. I was reluctant to walk further around the rock platform because the only possible route took me across an area that was occasionally inundated by rushing waves. Despite not being in the best spot for the compositions I was thrilled to be watching the harbour waters contorting with the waves running across them. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreFur Seals, beautiful water birds and gorgeous scenery - South Coast NSW, June 2022
The afternoon sun was getting low in the western sky when we finished walking along the boardwalk at Merimbula. This walk took us from the bridge over Boggy Creek in the centre of town, along the side of Merimbula Lake. The tide was low with mudflats and sand exposed. A group of egrets were wading through the still waters of Merimbula Lake and among them was a lone Little Egret. The sun was on the other side of the birds so they were not in an ideal position but the Little Egret raised its head to look in the direction of the sun and I was able to get a photograph when its eye glinted in the sun and there was a rim lighting effect on its white plumage. That was at the end of day one of our trip to the south coast of New South Wales. We needed a coastal fix to recharge our batteries from an early, cold winter in Canberra. We spent four days along the south coast, looking at sites from Eden up to Narooma. It was a wonderful trip to a beautiful part of the world. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreCormorants, herons and a kingfisher on a mangrove-lined creek - Cyne Mallows Creek, May 2022
The weather in Canberra continued to be very ordinary with overcast skies leading to rain buffeted by strong winds. However, the forecast for Sunday on the long weekend at the end was for nice weather and the tide was scheduled to be high in the morning. These factors said it was time for a paddle down on the New South Wales coast to photograph there. I chose Cyne Mallows Creek near Nelligen for destination because I wanted to see how far I could travel up the small but interesting creek to take photographs. I was lucky with the birdlife, while mainly common birds, I enjoyed the chance to have good light for photography. One Little Pied Cormorant was even accommodating enough to let me float very close to it so I could take some photographs. It was a beautiful day on a fascinating creek that really helped to recharge my batteries. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Read MoreMisty morning for birds and other subjects - Lake Burley Griffin, May 2022
It was the first day of May and the weather was improving on that Sunday morning, much better than the windy, chilly Saturday. I had enjoyed a wonderful paddle on Lake Burley Griffin with an atmospheric mist coming off the lake and clear blue skies allowing the sun to light the wisps. After my kayak, I took my time loading the car, just enjoying the slow beat of life on the lake. While I was enjoying the leisurely pulse of life a beautiful Black Swan swam slowly toward my beached kayak. I was unsure what was going on and if I would have to shoo the large, dark bird off my kayak so that I could load it onto my car. However the bird swam along the kayak’s side before turning around to swim back. Just after it turned there must have been an itch on its back because it curved the its neck gracefully over to tackle the annoyance deep in its black feathers. In doing so, the sun struck its head lighting the side facing me while other parts of the bird remained in shadow. The bird’s red iris caught the light just as some small beads of water did on its head. I wished I had been slightly lower for the shot but it was a beautiful sight to see just before I had to pack up to return to normal life. It had been a wonderful morning on the lake and I hope that you like the photographs below.
Read MoreBook Review - Coast: A history of the New South Wales Edge by Ian Hoskins
This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read about an interesting part of Australia which is normally not treated as a single entity, the entire length of the New South Wales coast. I would think that the challenge in writing a book like this is how to link the whole length of the coast, while also limiting the narrative from other parts of the state. Then, how to write a history of that geographic area such that it is interesting to read. On all accounts the author succeeds.
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