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2019

  1. It's all in the timing!

    It's all in the timing!

    I never noticed the Hardhead swimming past the swan when I was taking this picture. It actully took me a while to work out what had happened to the swan's head; much clearer to see now it's been so heavily cropped LOL Saturday Fun
  2. A welcome home

    A welcome home

    The first bird I spotted in the garden after our trip to the Gold Coast was this lovely Double-barred Finch. I really grew so fond of these guys.
  3. Elegance

    Elegance

    There were one or two species there that I'd not seen for a bit - this Black Swan was one of them. Sadly he didn't come very close to shore, so this is a long distance zoom.
  4. Alert

    Alert

    I just walked along the shore a little to get closer to this Little Pied Cormorant. Strange how moving a short distance makes such a difference to the lighting and colours, isn't it.
  5. Obstinate?

    Obstinate?

    Judy returned with the groceries and we set off towards home. We stopped for lunch at Wivenhoe Dam (a very large reservoir in the hills). My first spot there was this Hardhead. A species related to the Pochard, which I became very attached too.
  6. Looking small

    Looking small

    This Little Egret was looking really small against the huge boulders towering above him.
  7. One of very few

    One of very few

    I was surprised at how few gull species there are in Australia. Silver Gull was the only one I saw in Queensland, with just two other species elsewhere on my travels.
  8. Iridescent!

    Iridescent!

    On top of having a pretty red eye, Crested Pigeons have a beautiful colourful wing patch, which really glows when the sun catches it right.
  9. Black in the green

    Black in the green

    These ducks are related to Mallards, of course, but really easy to identify with their clearly marked head pattern. I thought the Pacific Black Duck was a very attractive species.
  10. Hunting

    Hunting

    It's always nice to return to a site a few days later and be able to pick up different species. Hot on the heels of the kingfisher, I spotted a Great Crested Tern hunting over the water. I love terns. Had my booster vaccines this morning!
  11. Watchful

    Watchful

    There was a Sacred Kingfisher, partially obscured by a rock, seeming contemplating life. Pretty guys, aren't they.
  12. In the mud

    In the mud

    It was nice to see the Striated Heron was still there, even though he chose a very muddy patch for my picture.
  13. Mid-wag

    Mid-wag

    It's quite difficult to show how Willie-wagtails wag their tails in a photograph, which isn't up and down like the Eurasian ones, but side to side. Such entertaining little birds these, I could have watched them for ages.
  14. Ballet dancer

    Ballet dancer

    This Little Egret looks so pretty in his floaty white dress. We were heading back home so Judy dropped Hans and I off at Oxenford Weir again while she did a supermarket shop. I first spotted this egret prancing about among the rocks.
  15. Piggy back  ride

    Piggy back ride

    After dinner that night I was busy sorting out the day's images when Hans came hammering on the door .... bring your camera .... quick!!! Had to quickly put a card in the camera, put on some shoes and shot across to the kitchen block, where a large crowd had gathered. Someone had found a torch...
  16. Exploring

    Exploring

    Not far from the Galah was a juvenile Pied Butcherbird plodding around the grass. There was another up in a tree watching what he was up to.
  17. Smelling the flowers

    Smelling the flowers

    We were now exploring the hilly rural suburb of Bonogin above Gold Coast. We came across a Galah foraging at the back of a wide grass very beside the road.
  18. Preening

    Preening

    We headed off back down the valley and stopped at a pool beside the road to see what was around. A few nice things flew over but didn't manage to photograph them. However this Australian Ibis was cleaning up, rather aptly, as this pool is call "Pisspot" apparently!!
  19. A better look

    A better look

    After we'd had our breakfast we had another, very slow, drive up the Austinville Valley. For a large part of it Hans walked ahead of the car, and we held back so our movement and noise wouldn't disturb anything. At one point he motioned for me to join him as he'd found this beauty up in the...
  20. Taking advantage

    Taking advantage

    This Noisy Miner looked so cute with the clump of feathers on his nape, Hans couldn't resist throwing him something to eat LOL
  21. Spoiling  them!!

    Spoiling them!!

    Hans really liked to spoil the birds and took every opportunity to put out some crumbs for them!! This Pied Butcherbird soon took advantage of this feast outside the kitchen block LOL
  22. Pappa Parrot

    Pappa Parrot

    As I was making my way to the kitchen block for breakfast I saw a flock of Australian King Parrots flying around. They settled in a tree and I managed to get myself in a position to get a picture or two. It turned out to be a mixed group of sexes and ages, so possibly a family party.
  23. Early Riser

    Early Riser

    The next morning a Laughing Kookaburra was waiting to greet me as I headed off for breakfast.
  24. Handsome

    Handsome

    We were now returning back down the steep mountainside when we came across a few Whiptail Wallabies browsing in the verges. Think he was wondering why we were disturbing him.
  25. Grey in the sunlight

    Grey in the sunlight

    Didn't make for an easy picture especially as, for the second time that day a Grey Shrikethrush gave me the run-around of a car park!!! At least I managed an image of this one. We had a lovely meal in the retreat's restaurant with the most wonderful view looking down over the rainforest canopy...
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