As for 2017 (and indeed any normal year in Australia) we begin the 2018 cataloging at the beach (specifically Shaws Bay in Ballina). Those "following my blog will have come to realise this is a favourite and sure environment to catch sight of a variety of birds ... some very common sighting, others not always.
You can always count on sighting sea gulls at or near a beach. Ballina is no exception. Here, a couple of silver gulls are resting on the firm sand nestled against a fairly strong easterly breeze. One content to face the breeze, the other more intent on "keeping it's beak out of it" 😊!
Now here is a shot to behold ... right spot, right time! An osprey, wing flap halfway down right in line with ...
Ah ... I wish I had been that clever and fortuitous! Without a little post-editing, the "real" context makes a lot more sense even with the same good fortune 😋. It had just taken off from one of the lamp poles, so despite appearances not quite the rising moon. Imagination is a wonderful thing we should not stifle!!
And to complete the "retrospective" of this moment, here is the osprey moments earlier showing the impact of the breeze ruffling those feathers atop such a slippery perch ... the tallons of little assistance.
From a far less lofty perch and with a much closer hunting perspective the next two show two contrasting shapes offered by egrets wading for their prey. The forst one hunched into the breeze ready to "launch", the second peering further atop its extended neck.
A rare treat next to get so close to a white-bellied sea-eagle. Despite showing off later photos in some posts already, this was actually my first opportunity. Have to love the love and respect the power required to use those talons, here shown clutching its perch on a branch! Even these imperious creatures have their feathers russled by the breeze! Don't mind the powerful hook at the end of the beak either.
Another nice moment capturing three fairy wrens huddled together and being still for a moment. Cute.
A relatively rare treat for me to be able to photograph two Australasian darters sunning themselves synchronously 😊. The female on the right is much larger and with a much paler (almost white) body. Can only imagine how soft and fluffy that down would be!
An absolutely gorgeous young sacred kingfisher next. Looking peaceful and relaxed surveying the water below from its perch in the casuarina branches. Not for long ... second photo shows the result of it being chased to the ground and harassed by a willy wagtail ... nature and her ways.
In a nearby casuarina was this figbird, looking resplendent against the clear blue afternoon sky.
Ah, galahs! Always good for something unusual ... naughty ... cheeky ... so first one here I managed to get a pair with the left one closing it's eye in horror at the loss of it's partner's head 😟.
Fortunately, a split second later it was not lost and the eye was open too!
They were even comfortable grazing on the ground and showing off their dexterity making the most of the summer seed harvest.
Not to be outdone, but showing off even more dexterity and amazing stability were these little corellas ... balancing on a branch with one claw while picking the casuarina seed to devour with the other claw. Such a sight against that magnificent clear afternoon sky - how lucky we are! Interesting to speculate if they are left or right claw dominant? If it was me I imagine I wold be hanging on very tightly with my dominant "hand" and feeding myself with my less dominant one ... but hey, I would never get that far out on a branch to try it 😛.
And finally, the ever vigilant masked warrior and guardian that is the lapwing. Gorgeous, if fearsome.
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