Into the second last month of 2017 and first up some memories of a visit to the (retention) pond on the university grounds for a picnic and an explore with two of the grand children. Sometimes more variety than others on offer at this site, but seldom nothing to take your interest. Some things seem irrefutable ... if there is water you will find tortises, and you will find a variety of water birds. Only things that seem to change is the colour of the water, the type of water and the variety of water birds (I could also add the variety of other water inhabitants attracting the birds as well but they tend to be more challenging to spot). And a waterway has a way of offering you a place to feel very peaceful.
First I offer two contemplations 😊 ... a grandson closely contemplating (concentrating even) a watching egret wading at the edge of the pond. It is a peaceful setting when you can capture such an image - even the surface is calm!
The second contemplation ... well, needs no explanation at all really ... not a bird (actually, on higher branches there was a magpie lark on the mud nest that had been shared in an earlier post) ... still, quite the perch.
And just for a lovely splash of colour by the pond to show that the flora can be just as attractive ... and me experimenting with depth of field to try and leverage some of the camera's capabilities!
Yes, yes, back to the birds ... it is a bird gallery afterall.
The next three offer some photogenic Australian wood ducks. Unusually they were very content and not disturbed by our presence. This allowed a couple of very clear close-ups offering excellent views of the different and distinctive plumage of the male and female. The first one of the male with the velvety brown head and silky grey and black wings; the second of a pair of females and the third a close-up of a female with the more understated and lined head and mottled feathers. No wonder they cruise so gracefully.
Next we have a blackbird I expect to see more often by the sea ... but here it was. A little black cormorant. The striking blue eyes are not quite as prominent as they can be, but evident if you look closely. I love the way the "black" birds often have plumage that is quite chameleon. Notice in the first two photos how the head is more a dark brown before the shoulder and wing feathers turn darker; then the way the wing "scales" provide contrasting shades of the black and iridescence. Very handsome really and very steady just perching or sun-drying. Contrast these with the third photo (same cormorant, different perch) and you be forgiven for describing the plumage as dull brown! And of course, more of nature sharing ... the Eurasian coot in the top left and the very mossy tortoise clinging to the log below right of the perch.
How could I let a post about a pond pass without a close-up of the humble tortoise. Surely a model for us all to just relax, gather some vitamin D and take out time to savour our surroundings 😉.
From the university pond, and a revisit to the Lismore Lake to see what might be there as the weather warms up ... a couple of treats for me with new finds. Yes the "big pond" referred to in the post title is Lismore Lake.
First up a red-kneed dotterel ... first just one, then a pair.
Then a flock of aptly named (
look closely and you will see the patch just behind their eyes) pink-eared ducks, the second in the sequence highlighting one marooned on its island and scoping the landscape.
Next a "mean" peek caught from amidst the denser foliage at the Lake edge of a purple swamphen ... I love the contrasting colours but the heavy bill merging with the "helmet" are quite imposing and speak to a tough existence in its environment?
And finally, back down near the entrance to the REALLY big pond (the Pacific Ocean) we have the darter relaxing and sunning itself dry. Quite the wingspan and paddles. You can see by the repose of the neck why it is sometimes called the snakebird!
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