Yes, Ballina wall and surrounds is a favourite spot - also because it is a favoured walking route for my wife who is happy leaving me behind as I find things to photograph. On these couple of days I was fortunate to get up close and personal with some regulars, and others not featuring quite so often but all with their own special charms.
Such a location often provides non-bird special moments too. A couple are included below for your enjoyment. I have also taken the liberty of curating this post primarily by bird type, but ocassionally diverge to different themes ... just because it seemed to suit the chosen photos.
I begin with a brahminy kite in full flight. Speaks for itself 😁
Next is my first non-bird special sighting ... a peeking water dragon 😊. I love how the size of the boulder seems to add to the pre-historic grandeur and mystic of the "dragon" ... you never know what lies on the "other side".
Here is a young common tern honing its diving skills. The wings have just begun sweeping back into the full dive tucked position before heading more vertical ... a real sense of precisoin scouting is conveyed here.
Next I was greeted by a grunting (almost barking) darter who was just letting me know that I had been spotted and need not approach any closer 😖 ... I saw and heard the message! A little further along there was a young darter, much more polite, enjoying the warm sunshine - here you see perspectives looking into the sun and then with the sun more behind. The paler and softer down of the young feathers and the very pink webbed paddlers contrasts with the older bird in the first photo.
Next up is a pied cormorant which had just surfaced, replenishing the lungs following a dive expedition. I have more often seen the little pied cormorant so this one was a treat ... the bright yellow eyepatch is the distinguishing facial feature.
The next set is the welcome swallow. The second photo a closer zoom of the first one, and the third photo a treat to have captured one as it was about to alight on the perch. I am beginning to appreciate the better quality of my new camera model I think 😀.
While walking along watching the water, a shadow passed overhead. On turning, I managed to snap the first photo below of an osprey heading to a perch farther away to savour the taste of its successful hunt (more evidence of the better qualities of the new model) ... the second & third images of the set demonstrate just that satisfaction - the perch was on top of the Marine rescue radio mast.
The second non-bird special sighting is next. Watching the water often pays dividends and this time a turtle surfacing for some air, crustaecans and all! You can see what the pull back to the water is all about in this post 😋.
Next up is the ubiquitous silver gull. No more likely bird to be sighted near the sea and river than the seagull. Generally easy to photograph because they are NOT shy. They seem a totally different bird in a non-picnic and more natural environment (where they belong of course!) The second bird still looks composed despite the ruffled feathers 😉.
Now I share a set of pairs ... crested pigeons and galahs. The galahs especially have been captured in quiet unison grazing. The second set of galahs a younger pair evidenced by the less distinct pink feathers.
And while on galahs, this one may have been on lookout duty, but on review it looked so peaceful and contented in the casuarina I had to share the photo 😊.
Here a little wattlebird was heard and then sighted flitting among some dense branches. Again I note, the "drab" brown palette has its own charm among the foliage to enjoy, even without any blossoms in sight.
To conclude this post I offer a study of the pied butcherbird. On a lower branch of a Norfolk pine adjacent to where I parked the car, this fellow allowed me close-up privileges while I managed quite a few portrait photos. While generally inquisitive and tame, it is still a treat to be able to obtain co-operation so close in a natural setting rather than by feeding or a more obvious built environment. Always a treat when you capture eye contact. The butcher's hook is also very clear in several photos, as is the very fine (and soft) nature of the plummage.
I hope you enjoyed these walks by the water. I certainly enjoyed sharing them with you.
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