We got back to the cold and wet in early July. While we were checking up on the Bridgetown house, I was lucky enough to see a Restless Flycatcher on the back patio - such a beautiful bird. July also saw a mad dash to Canberra for my daughter's graduation, sadly without my camera. Back... Continue Reading →
That was 2017, part 1
Way back at the beginning of January 2017 I was planning to be diligent about posting on my blog this year, envisioning at least one post a month. That idea fell by the wayside rather quickly. In my defence, we have had a bit of a crazy year, what with selling our house, moving, travelling... Continue Reading →
Australian “Blue Wrens”
Brightly-coloured male Fairy-wrens in their nuptial plumage can stop many an Australian birder in their tracks. The birds may be tiny but they more than make up for it with showiness. Most familiar are the two "Blue Wrens' - the Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus) of the east coast and Tasmania, and the Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus... Continue Reading →
Elusive Big Five
Good sightings of elephant and buffalo quickly knocked two of the Big Five off the list, but the other three proved a bit more elusive. It was mid-week before anyone saw a cat, in the form of a rather distant leopard on the sandbank across the river from Skukuza camp, only seen by some of... Continue Reading →
ANZANG and other competitions – 2013 review
One of my goals for 2013 was to enter a few photographic competitions. My most exciting result so far has been to achieve a Highly Commended for this image in the 2013 ANZANG competition, organised by the South Australian museum and celebrating the diversity of nature in Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea. I... Continue Reading →
Early morning on Rottnest
The first time I stayed over at Rottnest I was there to help with a bird banding project - banding almost always involves early starts. The first morning I rode past the beautiful scenery and shorebirds, wishing I had time to stop with my camera. The second morning I arranged a little bit of time... Continue Reading →
Rock parrots on Rottnest
A little while ago I spent a weekend on Rottnest Island trying to get some decent images of these gorgeous little birds. There is a very small population of Rock Parrots (Neophema petrophila) left on the island, although there are more on the mainland. This first image gives a good idea of their small size,... Continue Reading →
Crested Terns on Penguin Island
Every time I've been to Penguin Island, I've been fascinated by the Crested Terns (Sterna bergii). The first time I visited with my camera, I watched for ages as a group of terns splashed about in the small waves on the more protected side of the island. In late November last year, the terns were... Continue Reading →
Penguin Island
Penguin Island is one of my favourite places to visit near Perth. It’s a bit of a drive from home south to Rockingham but then just a short ferry ride to the island, which forms part of the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Bridled Terns breed here in summer – it is an awesome experience visiting... Continue Reading →
Denmark landscapes
One of our main reasons for visiting Denmark in January was to explore options for moving away from Perth some time in the future. Well, Denmark is very high on my list so far. Stunning scenery and a lovely variety - from beautiful inviting protected beaches... ...to the awesome power of the Southern Ocean. Wilson... Continue Reading →