Ending March (2019) with rewards at a favourite spot!

As noted previously, and thus confirming that reality for me, Ballina Waal seldom fails to reward a walk with several (or more!) examples of water & land birds to delight the eye ... not just teh bird, but often the scene in which they are observed and photographed. These are all favourites of this location, and they continue to present a sense of marvel. I hope you enjoy another taste 😀.

Seems I had taken a bit of a shine to the silver gull in March! This time having the good fortune to see one atop a wall boulder keeping a sharp eye on the clear waters of the incoming tide (two differing perspectives in the first and final one of the sequence). The middle two offer two variations of wing span - taking off, and landing.

Next is a white-faced heron showing a trace of it's wandering iwth tracks inthe wet sand, Notable also for the emerging breeding plummage (longer feathers behind the head and the along the wings) including the irridescent purplish feathers starrting to show on the breast. Once again the variations that are apparent from the standard "grey" are really magnificant when you get the cahnce to observe them 😊.

I decided to share this undercarriage view of a tern in full glide mode as it shows the sharp "hunter" lines of the wingspan and the piecing beak and tailed fanned to control the glide. The mid-wing joint is very clear and once they dive, the wway that joint allows a deep "V" as the outer portion is pulled back and the inner part tucked back along the body to become an attack missile is something to behold ... as is the ability to flatten again and pull-out if the prey becomes inaccessible. Watching a flock of these hunt is a sight to behold - carnage for the fish!

Next is a couple of shots of a female splendid fairy wren. The "tell" is the hint of blue that is most evident in the second photo. Notice the slight parting of the beak in the first photo indicating the chirp that is a dead give-away when these little ones are active (you nearly always hear them and they are quite curious if you then stop still they are easy to spot and observe).

Wading in the weed as the shallows being to fill is this egret. I'm pretty sure this is the great egret due to the obvious length of the neck being significantly longer than the body. The reflection also adds a nice touch to the image and shows how stealthy they are in movement because of the absence of ripples in the mirror surface. I really enjoy watching the egret hunting ... stalking, I think is a much better description ... take the time if you see one and see what I mean.

If the wren is not shy if you atand still and watch, the willy wagtail is even more "willing" to get to know you and even show-off and talk with you 😉. These rank as two of my very good shots of these fellows. Their shiny black feathers and bright white breasts caoture the sinlight really well and blue of the incoming tide offers a wonderful congtext for the background. The white eyebrow and chin white spots are also nice and clear. I like that second photo offers a pose where the bird seems a little annoyed to have it's feathers ruffled by the breeze!

Here is a nice glimpse of a little pied cormorant through the branches and leaves of a wall-side mangrove. The perch on the thick branch overhangs the weeds (evident in the earlier shot of the egret also) allowing both a warm drying spot for preening and a good view in case some morsel shows itself.

Another fairy wren I wanted to share because the perch on the rock with the single shoot of fresh green grass offers a different and less dry and barren background than the earlier ones in this post.

Rarely does the wall disappoint and not offer a glimpse of a sacred kingfisher. Here I offer two perspectives looking out across from boulders across the weeds/reeds, with the thrid photo showing some debris picked up from one of the raids 😕. Beautiful creatures with such iridescence. Watching them skim the water as they hunt is such a contrast to the patient stalk of the egret noted earlier. Room for all types and approaches in this environment!

Finally for this post I offer a selection of a striated heron. Not often you see these so exposed, but nearly always when you notice them they are very still for extended periods. I offer these as a variety of poses to show the ease with which they camouflage (the wider view shots) but also the subtle variations in colour of their plummage (the closer shots). One also offers a glimpse of a tongue protuding. I like the way the incoming tide relfects the light and ruffles in teh final two shots offering a fabulous background. Each bird has its own beauty!

And so ends March 2019 ... quite the variety and a surprise just how much ground was covered. May it continue.

A wet visit to Grafton

Still  March, still 2019, but a wet interlude for a visit to my aunty in (South) Grafton. She has lived there a long time and has the benefit of open paddocks over their back fence which is part of the rodeo complex and rugby grounds. A nice country outlook and environment.

This post begins with a continuation of the final theme from the previous post, and mainly features rainbow lorikeets. Certainly with photography of birds I have tended to be out and about when it is dry ... out of respect for my camera quite apart from not being keen to get wet myself. Usually photographing rainbow lorikeets is about featuring the vibrancy of the "rainbow" colours. They are incredibly vivid and worthy of being highlighted. Many photos I have so far feature individuals or pairs. So this selection offers something different. Yes, still some individuals, but drenched; also quite a group enjoying a feast in the field. Nonetheless, the lorikeet retains their cheekiness and "rainbow", just with less vibrancy than on a bright clear sunny day. Such is the broad wonderful pallette of nature!

I will let these selections speak without further commentary other than to point out the three non-lorikeet photos included: the lonely little house sparrow, the sharp-eyed noisy miner and the black-faced cuckoo shrike. Enjoy the spoils of (even) a rainy day!

(Mostly) Different Dyraaba diamonds (March 2019)

Another very warm day we chose to visit Dyraaba. Very warm just as it had been back in October 2018). Similar delights (apart from the family!) too. This post features four studies - a parrot, two smaller but willing subjects and wonderfully colourful poses in dappled sunlight of a generally "boring & plain-looking" pigeon. Each serves to highlight just how gorgeous birds are in the right conditions - no such thing as a "plain" bird when we take the time to really look at them! Remember, you will get a bigger view of the photos if you click on one ... then you can simply scroll through them.

This time we begin with the wonderful male king parrot, but in a more natural setting rather than being fed like the family back in October. Quite distinctive too. Notice the bare feather patch right in the centre of the chest. Still, such a majestic sight. I offer a few different poses for different perspectives and glimpses ... such a delight! First there is the initial glimpse of that regal king parrot red among the gum leaves; then three more "open" views, the final one a closer zoom offering a brighter view. 

Next I had the peasure of capturing something of a favourite - an eastern yellow robin. I am more used to seeing in the darker confines of the forest at Victoria Park. Here in the more open scrub forest and on the fence post, a stronger sense of its tiny stature is more evident. The subtle grey tomes and yellow are a more clear in the open, though the ability to also "blend in" is far from lost as it sits against the bush background. I chose to also include the second shot because I liked the way it also looks at home and suitably safe among the built environment in teh foreground, contrasting with the bush block background.

Next, another "little" specimen it was good to see again - a jacky winter. Even tinier than he robin, it's pose atop the fence post clearly demonstrates the stature 😊. In (for me), a rare opportunity for a good close-up, the second shot of this study provides a sense of how well they camouflage, but also the ease with which they "fit" into their surroundings and appear larger than life when they allow to glimpse them "up close". 

And, now what was the real and unexpected highlight of this visit for me. The humble white-headed pigeon. I have accumulated a few other photos of these now, and I most often sight them (almost exclusively to this point) on electricity wires after a rain event. They are plentiful. The light at such times has hitherto provided my sense of their "plainness" - white head and chest and grey wings and tail with reddish eyes and dull red feet. Just a plain variation on a feral pigeon! So, the conditions I guess had tainted my sense of a dull pallour and a plain appearance ... SO GOOD to have that refuted with this sighting in a far more natural bush setting with the gum trees offering a wonderful mottled sunlight that is a far cry from the post-rain electricity wire perches I am used to. Pleased to see them in a built environment, but like so much of this world the natural environment offers so much more 😁 - we  need to respect that far more!

I really hope you enjoy the following selections that servie to illustrate the myriad variations in both white and grey that have been disguised and invisible to me previously! Even the feathers turn out not to be so smooth! The irridesence, noted in other pigeons and doves is clear and my previous lack of recognition of this is everythign to do with my powers of observation and nothing else. Time and patience ... looking ... and finally seeing! ENJOY, both the single bird and the pair!

And to round out this post, a couple of shots from our own backyard in an unusual tree we have. The jaboticaba (my spelling) orignates in Brazil and the fruit blossoms along the ranches and look like grapes or very dark cherries. The foliage is a fine small green leaf that offers wonderful coverage for birds. If you want to know a bit more about the tree & fruit, here is what Wikipedia offers. The lorikeets especially devour the sweet fruit once it is "on" (and take care of feeding at day, the fruit bats take over a get drunk at night!) ... here are a couple of photos of rainbow lorikeets in action showing both the nectar and translucent pearly flesh that is in the skin - they are actually very delicious when chilled - break the skin, pit the seed and suck the flesh out). 

A few March (2019) sightings around Ballina

 As I post this, the first month of 2021 is almost done! Time to make a concerted effort to catch up my blogging for 2019 and 2020, so expect a fairly rapid succession of posts as I endevour to achieve this aim.

Why?

Something about chronology I guess! A sense that I have catalogued highlights of my photographic journey with my camera until the end of 2020. Given my "early" retirement near the end of that year and the passing of Xmas for that same year, I also decided to treat myself to an upgrade from my FZ200 to the FZ300. Seems I have worked the FZ200 shutter plenty and I feel comfortable with flexibility and ease of use of this fixed lens camera for my bird photography. Putting together this blog has afforded me a sense a satisfaction with the quality of photos I am capturing ... I check enough photographic sites to have littel doubt they could be a whole lot better with far better equipment. However, the enjoyment and ease of that enjoyment from the lightweight, simple and elegant Panasonic equipment I have chosen has been ample reward. If I can achieve something slightly improved on the last five years from my upgrade over the next few years I am sure to be well pleased 😊.

So, to a few more selections from March 2019, this time from some time spent rambling around Ballina during a few nights stay at the Ramada on the river which was cashing in a Xmas gift.

We begin with a cute welcome swallow curiously wondering what I was up to. They were plentiful on and around the tables and chairs resting in wind sheltered, sun-soaked balconies of the resort. This one has its head well tilted to the right and its wings partially spread to saok up some of the sun's energy before taking off to grace the air again as swallows do!

Continuing the theme of showing off the flexibility of the avian neck, this next photo of a darter demonstrates it at the extreme! This was on the rocks of the wall at the western entrance to the small adjoining boat harbour. Also enjoying the energy and drying power provided by the sun, the fascination for me was the appearance of the neck being twice twisted ("wrung-out!") as it peered across the water to it's right. Not quite eyes in the back of your head, but next best thing!

Same darter, same location, and entirely serendipitously I was clicking when it decided to have a big word with me 😀 ... amazing transformation in profile with the neck not twisted and the beak open; though it still looks like a fearsome weapon not to be pecked or speared with!

Very near the same spot as above, this pair of curious silver gulls offered an excellent glimpse of the sheen these birds can have. The white of their necks and breasts merge seamlessly with the soft pastel grey of thier wings. This contrasts with the sharper black and white tail feathers and certainly the red beaks. The white eyes are glassy and appear almost "ghostly" set in the thin red rims. Really very striking ... and so much less annoying when they are not disrupting your picnic!

The next collage is presented to offer a glimpse of the changing environment of the birds viewed from our south west facing balcony. Basically the same view as two progressive stages of sunset and then (relatively) early the next morning. Keen eyes may notice the first and third photos of the collage are similar panoramas, while the second zoomed in on the right hand side of the (wider) sand bank shown in those. I took the morning one because when I looked out, it struck me how similar the tide level was and so the contrast was notable (to me) 😉.

The final two photos for this post offer glimpses of the way the river accommodates different birds in different ways. The first one is a small flock of silver gulls floating effortlessly on the river in an early morning gentle breeze and simply drifting with the tide. Sedate ... again, offering a glimpse totally belying their nuisance when you are trying to eat nearby! The second photo (the final one of this post) shows a much larger flock of little pied cormorants preening on the sandbank as it slowly disappears with the incoming tide. So good to capture a reasonable sized flock.