Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan 12/11/2016
This week’s blog posting is a walk-through of the shots taken last weekend in the Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan.
This first series of shots are of three different Bird types all nesting in the same gum tree, Guess this is apartment living bird style.
This tree is out the back of the plant bank so will be one of the stop offs on my upcoming Bird photography workshop held in the gardens. https://www.australianbotanicgarden.com.au/What-s-On/Bird-Photography-Workshop
First up a pair of Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) The first two shots are taken about 90 degrees apart so same place just a different angle sometimes taking a few steps either way makes all the difference to a shot. The first shot is more a profile shot of the birds.
This next one is more front on showing more of the bird, this one shows more of the details of hollow these ones have claimed.
This next one is the same shot as above but given a bit of extra processing in Topaz Impressions II giving that painting like feeling to the image. I masked out the birds so they are more the actual photograph and the tree and background are the painting effect
This same tree had a Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) also investigating a smaller hollow, this one was on the underside of a branch, so the bird was all but upside down when it came to the hollow. These ones are pretty heavily cropped in so starting to show the effects of being too heavily cropped in.
A pair of Galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla) have also taken up resedance in the same tree so a real community set up in this one now, this is the same hollow from a few weeks that the Galah was using the gum leaves to clean it out. (If you missed the post check out the one from 17/9/2016 which shots the Galah doing its dusting)
I managed to capture this White faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) as it struck for a small fish. These are quite common in the gardens in the various water holes around the gardens.
Next up I found a new bird I hadn't captured in the gardens before an Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti). This one, there was a complete family so I managed to get a shot of both Male and female plus the young as well. I didn't manage to get a really clean shot of these as they weren't co-operating posing wise but I'll check them out again next week and see if I can do better now I know where these ones are hiding.
Last up for this week’s shot is this shot of a Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) a small group of these was bouncing around me again never staying still long enough to get a clean shot so again a shot with a stick in the way. But this one certainly wasn't shy and came quite close, but not close enough without a stick for cover. maybe next week. We'll see.
So that’s it for this week shots in the Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan. Another bird found so that’s now 110 out of the 177 birds listed in the gardens, so only 67 to go now. Slowly but surely I'll get there, well get close, some of the birds listed are pretty rear so may not ever get there but half the fun is trying each week. This week found another one so always hope.
Well that’s it for this week blog post, thanks for dropping by my weekly blog, I'll be back next week with more.
Glenn.
Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan 5/11/2016
This weeks blog is a walk through the shots from this weeks walk in the Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan. Again no mushrooms to be found this week so all bird shots this week. Some news for those that follow this post regularly, the Garens have asked me if I'm interested in running some photography workshops in the gardens, with the first one starting on the 10th December 2016 see the link below from the Gardens website for the details.
https://www.australianbotanicgarden.com.au/What-s-On/Bird-Photography-Workshop
More news to come on other activities in the gardens when I have more details but a few exciting things coming up for me with the gardens in teh coming months.
So this weeks shots started again around the plant bank with the Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoeucos) This ones there most of the time but a little timid so if you move to try and get a better angle it usually takes off. So not the best view this week of this one.
Next a Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) This one was a bit high up in the tree for a good shot, the trick with this type of shot is to get the exposure correct, with the light background you need to compensate for the light background, but if you lower the camera and expose for the tree trunk then recompose on the bird you have a better chance of getting the exposure correct. As in this shot.
The Long-Billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris)is still in its hollow peering out. Again with the light back ground (Sky) you need to expose for the tree trunk and recompose or use live view and zoom in on the bird and set your exposure there.
Next up a Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) these are quite common around the connections garden. Also very common in my own backyard.
Also about was quite a few Spotted Pardalotes (Pardalotus punctuates) These can be heard calling out around the top of the connections garden and often pose for a while while calling out. This one was calling out for a while, but didn ;t move to ta location where eI could get a clean shot today. This was the best I could do with the part of the branch coving the body of the bird.
In the same area was this little Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) This one as usual was perched in its tree studying the ground when it punched on this lizard, it then proceeded to strike the lizard against the log it was on, much like you see a Kookaburra do when it finds something.
From the Connections gardens I headed off down to the main lakes to see what has going on there after last weeks shots of the swallows feeding. First up I found this Royal spoonbill (Platalea regia) in amongst the lily pads you can see the reflection of the lily pads on the birds body.
I walked around the lake this week and found on the far side the swallows in feeding mode again but this time much closer so the next series of shots shows the parent bird fly in and feed the chicks on the branch the fly off.
For these shots the camera was set up onto tripod exposure and focus preset and just wait for the right moment and hit the shutter button with continuous high speed set. So again a few good shots here happy with these.
So that's it for this week shots from the Australian Botanical Gardens. I'll be back with more next week.
Thanks for dropping by my blog.
Glenn.
Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan 29/10/2016
This weeks blog post is a walk through of this weeks walk thought the Australian Botanical gardens, Mount Annan. This week I started off at the plant bank. This first shots of a Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) in the small dam opposite the plant bank. this one was about to take off so just got this shot a few to many small sticks in the shot but the black feathers against the green background make a pleasing shot still.
Walking around the dam, I caught a glimpse of a blue flash. Looking around I spotted a small kingfisher as I got closer it took off again and landed on the far side of the dam where there is no access so this was shot four the opposite side of the lake. Not 100% sure but I believe this ones a Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) This one, since was so far away was pretty heavily cropped in, so the image quality isn't the best. But does show of the wide variety of bird life in the gardens.
Another bird I came across was this Mistletoebird (Dictum hirundinaceum) This one didn't want to co-operate so I didn't get a clean shot of this one before it flew off.
This next series of shots is of a Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) exploring a hollow, again you can see why a Galah is gray in these shots, they really match the tree in these shots.
Now the weather has started to warm up so have the reptiles in the gardens, so watch here your walk if walking about now the weathers warmed up, this ones a Red Belly black snake, one you'd know about if it took a fancy to you. But if you stay still they generally move off out of the way.
Walking along the path after the snake has moved on I came across this Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys) this ones face looks like he is none to happy.
A Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) was being moved on by the Bell Miner. You can see the miner coming in from the right to move the Kookaburra on, he made several passes often making contact and the kookaburra just sat there unconcerned. It eventually moved on, but seemed more in line with the time of the Kookaburras choosing.
Next up was this Eastern Yellow Robin, (Eopsaltria australis) Theres quite a few of these ones about now all over the gardens.
Walking my way out of the Stolen generation walk to the road into the gardens there a gum tree with a few hollows in. It's currently occupied by a Long-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris) and a Sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
The fledgling Pied Currawongs (Strrpera graculina) are getting ready to leave their nest now, nearly to large to fit in now.
Next up is a series of shots of a pair of Red-browed Finches (Neochmia temporals) siting in a tree after a bath and going thought some feather maintenance.
Another Eastern yellow Robin, this one in the connections garden and certainly giving it his all as he sings out.
A Male Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) Was feeding on the wattle seeds as I started to made my way out of the connections gardens.
Next up a Noisy Miner (Manorina melancephala) was sitting there keeping a eye out.
Next one I came across was this Satin Bowerbird (Pitlonorhynchus viloaceus) again keeping an eye out, seemed to be a lot of that this week. The first of these is as per normal, the next two are after having play again in Topaz Impressions to give it more of a painting style in the back ground.
So thats it for this weeks shots a good variety of bird life this week in the gardens.
Thanks for dropping by my blog this week, I'll be back next week with more.
Glenn.
Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan 23/10/2016
This weeks blog post is a walk thought of the shots from this weeks walk in the Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan. The shots for this week in a lot of cases were just a little to distant so have been heavily cropped and as a result the image quality isn't the best this week. Some times a 600mm lens just isn't long enough.
This first shot is of a Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) Lighting conditions was a bit dark so the I have upped the ISO and as the wren was a fair bit back from the path this one’s been heavily cropped so the image is starting to break up a bit particular around the tip of the wrens tail. If it was a bit closer could have made a nice shot. So having a high ISO certainly limits the amount of cropping you can do.
Same issue on this one a White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) again well set back from the path so heavily cropped in again to frame the shot but the image is again breaking up. The image at full size isn't so bad but the detail of the bird is lost so its a bit of which is better the cleaner image which shows no detail or the cropped image which has the framing. Either way both these images aren't the best. One for the learning box. To know for next time.
Here's the same shot still cropped but not as heavily. This shot is only at ISO 1250 so not excessively high ISO but shows you how cropping will deteriorate the image.
Next up I walked a long the path towards the plant bank on the opposite side of the road to the stolen generation memorial and just before the clearing leading to the plant back I found a small group of White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) these were foraging around the leaf litter on the ground.
From there I drove up to the connections gardens and checking on the Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) nest the Chicks are still in the nest so maybe another week or so to go, not as windy as last week but still a good breeze blowing so the nest was still moving about a fair bit so not so easy to get a clear shot, but managed these two.
After last weeks shots of the Swallows being feed at the lake I took a walk down to the lakes to see what was going on there, on the way I came across these Kangaroo paws with the sun on them. Not happy with this one the backgrounds fine but not enough depth of field to the flowers.
Again the swallows were in the branches in the middle of the lake. Again quite a bit away so when cropped in to show the sense of action the image start to break down again.
This week I took a drive around to the Banksia Garden as well to see what was about there, A few Grevilleas in flower of different types from bright yellow to pinks and reds.
This Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) was also about cleaning up the ice someone left behind after their BBQ.
This little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera) wasn't at all shy so good got quite close of once this weekend for these shots you can see the difference in clarity in these two compared to the earlier ones.
One last Grevillea for the week.
So thats it for this weeks shots, lesson learnt is get as low as an ISO as possible if you will be forced to crop into an image.
Thats it for this weeks blog post, I'll be back next week wth more.
Thanks for dropping by my blog.
Glenn
Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan 15/10/2016
This weeks blog is a walk through of the shots taken on the weekend in the Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan.
This week I headed out Saturday afternoon, again no mushrooms found this week. The weathers been warming up and pretty dry out this way the last few weeks, but the good news is rain is predicted for the next few days so hopefully something interesting next weekend. We'll see I guess.
This week I started off around the plant bank and walked along the cannel walk Found this Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans) in the wattle trees along the walk.
From there I headed back toward the stolen Generation memorial and came across this Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys) around eye level which they are normally a lot higher up. I couldn't get a clean shot so plenty of sticks in the way of this one, plus not in the best of light so high contrast here as well.
While taking these shots of the Bell Miner I heard some movement in the leaves and saw this lace monitor (Varanus varius) making its way along the ground, these are usually spotted by the birds making noises around it and trying to chase them off, as they rob the nests of eggs, easily climbing trees to do so.
This next shot is of a Juvenile male Variegated fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) This one not fully coloured up yet, but starting to shoo of the colours he will soon be sporting. This shots pretty heavily cropped as even with a 600mm lens on a crop body pretty far away.
Also came across this Olive-Backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) again not the best of shots but a good collection of birds about to pick from this weekend.
Walking back towards the road I came across another Bell Miner, again not positioned in the best.
Also high up in the trees this pair of Red-rumped parrots. (Psephotus haematonotus) With the Male feeding the female in this shot.
Next up at the small dam beside the road this White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) This one was taken with the sun behind the bird as I tried for a better angle it took off into the trees, so sometimes you have to take the first shot as you may not get another.
In this case I did get another from its perch in the tree, certainly an interesting pose it gave for this shot.
The dam was a popular spot as several other birds came down to drink this ones a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galleria).
Not to miss out an Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) also came down, this one has the better reflection.
Another example of a hollow in use as this Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) was investigating this one.
These next two are of the Pied Currawong form last week, the chicks in the nest are getting larger this week.
This next shot shows just how cleaver these ones are. The bird had the remains of another smaller bird and would hook the remains in the fork of the bush here and would pull to break the pieces down small enough to feed the chicks then fly back down to pull some more, It kept this up for a while slowly shredding the piece to chick sized mouth fulls.
From there I headed down to the lakes to see what has going on down there as I walked across the grass another Sulphur-crested Cockatoo was on duty patrolling the lawn.
On the lakes were a few Cormorants this first one a little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo Melanoleucos) coming in to land.
Next up a Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) motoring along on the lake.
Last up fro this week this series of shots of the Welcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) Feeding its young while still one the wing. There were four young not eh branch and all got turns at a feed. The parent would skim the lake collecting insects along the way then come back to feed the young then back over the lake again. So I managed a few shots of this activity this week. These would be the best of the weeks shots.
So all up a good collections of birds this week in the Australian Botanical Gardens, some shots Ok this week others not so great so a mixed bag for the week, but happy with these last few. No mushrooms this week, maybe some next weekend if the rain shows up that was promised, so far still dry there so not holding my breath.
Thanks for dropping my my blog this week.
Glenn