Crimson Chat (male) Epthianura tricolor October 20th, 2019 Lake Tyrrell, Sea Lake, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Northern Victoria experienced an irruption of Crimson Chats this Spring, as the birds were looking to escape the drought & find suitable habitat in which to breed. I headed up to Lake Tyrell to try and photograph some of these unusual visitors. There was no shortage of these striking chats (as well as their Orange & White-fronted cousins) around the lake, but getting a decent image was a tough proposition! This male perched momentarily as it was busily hunting insect to feed recently fledged youngsters.
Orange Chat (male) Epthianura aurifrons October 20th, 2019 Lake Tyrrell, Sea Lake, Victoria, Australia Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens Canon EF 1.4x III Extender The beautiful male Orange Chat. These wonderful little birds seem to glow as they dart about their saltbush habitat hunting insects. I spent two weekends targeting this species in Victoria's North. They were one of the trickiest birds to photograph that I have encountered! So to come away with a few nice images was really rewarding.
Tasmanian Boobook Ninox leucopsis October 13th, 2019 Cape Liptrap, 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 For a few weeks during Spring each year, Cape Liptrap becomes a staging area for a flock of Tasmanian Boobooks before they head home across Bass Strait. It's suspected this subspecies of the Southern Boobook migrates to the mainland for the Winter. This is the second year I have visited this species at Cape Liptrap, it's a wonderful opportunity to see them up close as they hunt moths in the low-lying habitat.
