Australian birds

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus November 12th, 2021 Launching Place, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens Been getting a few of these boisterous little bundles of energy coming into the feeder of late. They certainly let everyone know when they are around & very few get near the feeder when they are present!

Budgerigar

Budgerigar pair Melopsittacus undulates May 21st, 2021 Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon EF 600mm f4L IS III USM lens A male feeding his partner at their hollow. The male (left) is standing in front of the small entrance to the hollow in this gnarly branch. While the female is incubating eggs or keep the young warm, the male will return to the hollow multiple times a time to feed his partner.

Budgerigar pair

Budgerigar pair Melopsittacus undulates May 20th, 2021 Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon EF 600mm f4L IS III USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender One of the thousands of pairs of Budgies we saw breeding all over Alice Springs earlier this year. Literally every River Red Gum with hollows in it was filled with breeding Budgies.

Far Eastern Curlew

Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis Critically Endangered in Australia March 28th, 2021 Lake Wollumboola, Culburra Beach, New South Wales, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon EF 600mm f4L IS III USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender My favourite wader, the magnificent Far Eastern Curlew, on the hunt for Soldier Crabs. It was a thrill to get up close with these Critically Endangered birds on a recent trip to the Shoalhaven region on the South coast of NSW.

Little Black Cormorant

Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris July 14th, 2020 Lysterfield, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender There's usually a couple of this Little Black Cormorants at the lake. They tend to be a little wary, but when they are preening on the small jetty they present an opportunity for some images.

Musk Duck

Musk Duck (female) Biziura lobata December 29th, 2019 Lysterfield, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Early morning summer light turned the lake into liquid gold. Thankfully this Musk Duck was busy preening so I could take advantage of the light.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit with sandworm Limosa lapponica March 25th, 2021 Lake Wollumboola, Culburra Beach, New South Wales, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon EF 600mm f4L IS III USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender A small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding in the shallows so I decided to get into the water & see what I could shoot. Pretty happy to capture this Godwit with a juicy sandworm it pulled from beneath the sand floor.

Spinifex Pigeon

Spinifex Pigeon Geophaps plumifera May 18th, 2021 Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen, Northern Territory, Australia Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS USM lens Canon 600EX II-RT flash with extender This little fella was hanging out in the shade with his mate near the café at Ormiston Gorge. We encounter him a few times during our short stay as he was easily identifiable with that loose feather stuck to his crest with mud!

Comb-crested Jacana

Comb-crested Jacana pair Irediparra gallinacea September 17th, 2019 Kununurra, Western Australia, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender One of my most wanted targets on our trip to The Kimberleys were these Comb-crested Jacana. Lily Creek Lagoon is well known for its bird life, particular these peculiar waterbirds. I had no idea what I would witness on our first evening at the lagoon! I was watching one particular Jacana fuss about a specific spot on the lagoon. After a few minutes, she started calling. Within seconds, her partner was on the scene & ready for action! Over the next minute or two I watched the male awkwardly try & stabalise himself on his partner's back, which was clearly a tall order with those fantastic feet! While those feet are an asset for walking over lily pads, they present somewhat of a challenge when attempting to reproduce! This image was moments before the male made several attempts to mount the female.

Pink Robin

Pink Robin (male) Petroica rodinogaster December 10th, 2018 Beech Forrest, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon 600EX II-RT flash with extender The bright pink little fluffballs can sometimes be found darting around the dark, damp forests of Southern Australia.

Pallid Cuckoo

Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus October 13th, 2018 Altona, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender A pair of these cuckoos were feeding on caterpillars in the low heath at Truganina Swamp.

Blue-billed Duck

Blue-billed Duck (male) Oxyura australis Endangered in Victoria September 11th, 2018 Keysborough, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Fascinating to watch this lad put on a show for his lady friend. He would bob up & down along the water filling his bill with water before spitting all of it down his chest (pictured). The female was suitably impressed with his display.

Freckled Duck

Freckled Duck (female) Stictonetta naevosa Endangered in Victoria September 11th, 2018 Keysborough, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Probably my favourite Australian duck species - the magnificent Freckled Duck! Their plumage is spectacular!

Eastern Barn Owl

Eastern Barn Owl Tyto javanica July 19th, 2018 Avalon, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Canon 600EX II-RT flash Love spending time with these birds of the night!

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (female) Calyptorhynchus funereus November 8th, 2016 Wantirna South, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Canon EF 500mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Amazing to watch these beauties tear apart pine cones with their powerful beaks.

Striated Heron

Striated Heron Butorides striata April 20th, 2019 Wellington Point, Queensland, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender I spent a couple hours laying in the mud watching this bird go about its business hunting prey. The light was terrible except for a few minutes where the sun founds its way through the cloud cover. These fascinating birds are very stealthy hunters, very adept at stalking their prey.

Plains-wanderer

Plains-wanderer (female) Pedionomus torquatus Critically Endangered in Victoria & Australia Winter 2019 Patho Plains of Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens Canon 600EX II-RT flash One from a very memorable (& cold!) encounter with a couple of Plains-wanderers out on the native grasslands of Northern Victoria. Absolutely stunning little birds.

Royal Spoonbill

Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia March 24th, 2017 Scoresby, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Canon EF 500mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender The rather regal looking Royal Spoonbill.

Tawny Frogmouth

Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides July 19th, 2018 Avalon, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens Canon 600EX II-RT flash I love the eye on these beautiful birds of the night!

Squatter Pigeon

Squatter Pigeon Geophaps scripta November 7th, 2018 Chewko, Queensland, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens Canon 600EX II-RT flash So nice to have such a beautiful species be so obliging for photography.

Grey-tailed Tattler

Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes February 21st, 2018 Killarney, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender I was happy to catch up with this solitary Grey-tailed Tattler that dropped by Killarney a couple years ago. Tattlers are migratory birds, returning to their breeding grounds in Siberia each year.

Cockatiel

Cockatiel (female) Nymphicus hollandicus May 6th, 2018 Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender We staked out a small cattle dam where these Cockatiel would come down in small groups of 5-10 birds at a time, always landing in the same 'staging tree' for a few moments before making their way to the water's edge.

Crested Pigeon

Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes May 6th, 2018 Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender While we staked out this cattle dam waiting for various parrots, it was cool to see a large flock of Crested Pigeons assemble on a nearby rise, then all of a sudden the entire flock of 50+ birds hustle down to the water's edge for a drink.

Blue-billed Duck

Blue-billed Duck (male in breeding plumage) Oxyura australis Endangered in Victoria September 4th, 2018 Keysborough, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Any wonder where this species gets its name! The stunning male in his full breeding splendour - chestnut plumage & bright blue bill!