Locate, Observe, Wait…Click

Eastern Koel (female) – this female Koel, a member of the cuckoo family, was feeding on a berry-laden low shrub with its partner.  Photo taken at Long Reef, Dee Why, Sydney.

Eastern Koel (male) – this male Koel, a member of the cuckoo family, was feeding on a berry-laden low shrub with its partner.  Photo taken at Long Reef, Dee Why, Sydney.

Eastern Spinebill – this bird was feeding on low shrubs and on the ground (…insects), they was very tolerant of me being so close (…almost tame), and stayed in the same locations for several minutes at a time.  Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens, Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.

Little Corella – about to tuck into the fruit of a Liquidambar tree in central Wollongong, New South Wales.

Restless Flycatcher – Photo taken in Weir Reserve, Penrith, Sydney.

Tawny Frogmouth – in a commonly-seen posture to camouflage itself as the branch of a tree.  Photo taken in Weir Reserve, Penrith, Sydney.

Variegated Fairy Wren (male) – I’ve found these birds challenging to photograph as they tend not to settle for too long. On this days they seemed to be everywhere! Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike – within 100m of each other were this bird, a Nankeen Kestrel and a Black-shouldered Kite, all sitting on the same electrical cable. Photo taken at  Bass Point, Shellharbour, south of Wollongong NSW.

Satin Bowerbird (male) – in the same tree as the Crimson Rosella, also eating the same nuts. Photo taken at  Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens, Blue Mountains.

Crimson Rosella – one of several in this tree devouring the nuts. Photo taken at  Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens, Blue Mountains.

Spangled Drongo – Photo taken at the Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales.

Red-rumped Parrot – Photo taken at the Central Coast Wetlands, Tuggerah, New South Wales.

Eastern Whipbird – recognisable from their loud and almost electronic sounding call. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Brush Turkey – These birds are quite common in the bush nearby.  They build large nesting mounds sometimes several metres in diameter. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Powerful Owl (possibly juvenile)  – this is the largest owl in Australia and yet can be hard to spot.  I had walked right past it heading in one direction and then saw it on my return journey. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Grey Fantail  – these birds are very curious and will fly quite close to check people out. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Silvereye – enjoying some Autumn berries. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Superb Fairy Wren (female) – busily darting between low shrubs. Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Red-browed Finch – enjoying an abundance of seeds available during Autumn. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot (male) – perched in some casuarinas, dripping after overnight rain. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Rainbow Lorikeet – coming into land. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Australasian Figbird (female) – actively feeding. Photo taken at Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales.

Australasian Figbird (male) – Photo taken at Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales.

New Holland Honeyeater – Enjoying the nectar of a coastal plant. Photo taken at Middle Head, Mosman, Sydney.

Long-billed Corella – Photo taken at Bellambi Lagoon, near Wollongong, New South Wales.

Little Wattlebird – Photo taken near Wollongong, New South Wales.

Dollarbird – Photo taken near Wollongong, New South Wales.

Pied Currawong – diligently catching large insects and other food in order to continue to rear Channel-billed Cuckoo chicks.  The female Cuckoo lays her eggs in the nest of other birds, which then raise them as their own. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Pied Currawong – catching large insects to feed to chicks. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Welcome Swallow – chick being fed by a parent, while the second chick waits for its turn.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour, New South Wales.

Welcome Swallow – chick being fed by a parent, while the second chick waits for its turn.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour, New South Wales.

Welcome Swallow – chick waiting to be fed by a parent.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour, New South Wales.

Superb Fairy Wrens – male parent feeding its three chicks. The female was also very active but I wasn’t able to capture a good photo.  The chicks seemed rather dismissive of the seed or berry dad brought them! Photo taken near Ourimbah, New South Wales.

Superb Fairy Wrens – male parent feeding its three chicks. The female was also very active but I wasn’t able to capture a good photo.  The chicks seemed rather dismissive of the seed or berry dad brought them! Photo taken near Ourimbah, New South Wales.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos – preening. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo – feeding its single chick. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Azure Kingfisher – Photo taken at Brown’s Waterhole, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Crimosn Rosella – bathing in the shallow part of the river.  Photo taken at Brown’s Waterhole, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Superb Fairy Wrens – Love is in the air!  This pair had been feeding on insects for the previous 45mins out in the open before snuggling up within a dark shrub.

Red-whiskered Bul Bul – Surprisingly this bird was not perched on top of a tree, as they typically are, but on a rock on the ground about 4m from my feet.  It was not concerned by me being close enough to capture its portrait.

Crimson Rosella – shaking its tail feathers. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove – feeding on ripening berries.  This tree attracts a lot of birds at this time of year.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot – probably a female but could be a juvenile male – tbc.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrots – male with a red head and orange beak feeding what looks like a female with a green head and grey beak, although could be a juvenile male.   Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Superb Fairy Wren – (young male?) singing it’s heart out…perhaps full of the joys of spring.  It had a partner who was also singing loudly as they chased between the trees and bushes.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male) – was a regular visitor to my parents’ rural garden in Cumbria, UK while I was on holiday there.  However, the only way I was able to photograph this bird was by setting up my camera near the bird table and remotely triggering the shutter from my mobile phone inside the house, using Canon’s Camera Connect app.  I found both the male and female woodpeckers so “twitchy” that even the turn of the doorknob 5m from the bird table was enough to send them flying away.  After a lot of experimentation I was very happy to capture this.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo – allowed me to approach very closely as it was focused on consuming the Banksia cones. Photo (one of several) taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo – Photo (one of several) taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Lewin’s Honeyeater – this bird was tossing the berries in the air and then swallowing them whole. Photo taken at the Central Coast Wetlands Centre, Tuggerah, NSW.

Lewin’s Honeyeater – well caught! Photo taken at the Central Coast Wetlands Centre, Tuggerah, NSW.

Wompoo Fruit-Dove – found only on the east coast of Australia. This bird was at the southern most reaches of its normal distribution, almost hidden in the interior of a fig tree in very dappled light. Photo taken at the Central Coast Wetlands Centre, Tuggerah, NSW.

Eastern Spinebill – feeding on a winter flowering grevillea. Photo taken at the Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle, NSW.

Tawny Frogmouth family –  I had been trying to photograph a Lyre Bird but lost track of it in dense undergrowth.  When I looked up this family of Tawny Frogmouths were perched just 15m from me.  Initially one chick looked towards me, then the second chick, then the adult bird.  Photo taken on Mount Keira, Wollongong, NSW.

Lyrebird –  it is quite rare to see these birds but on this occasion there were approx 6-8 in a group.  Some were performing courtship displays, dancing as well as mimicking the complex calls of other birds.  Photo taken in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney.

Lyrebird –  rummaging around in the soft undergrowth and soil.  Photo taken in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney.

Kookaburra – this bird flew over my head to capture some “prey” from Noisy Miner birds.  The prey turned out to be an old apple core.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Kookaburra – about to swallow an old apple core whole.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo – I was able to get surprisingly close to a number of these birds just before they flew away in advance of a rain storm. Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Little Wattlebird – feeding in very low light, early morning and wet, sea-hazy conditions.  Photo taken at Berrara, New South Wales south coast.

Welcome Swallow – one of many on this day, but this one was particularly tolerant of me being unusually close.  Photo taken at Middle Head, Sydney.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove – highlighting its spectacular, long tail. Photo taken in the natural bush of the Kalkari Discovery Centre, Ku-rin-gai National Park, Sydney.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (female) – I count myself very lucky to have been able to capture this close-up. Photo taken in Wollongong, NSW Australia.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (male) – The males have a pink eye-ring.  Feeding on Banksia cones. Photo taken in Wollongong, NSW Australia.

Dollar Bird – this is a young bird waiting to be fed by a parent.  Photo highlighting the grey/brown upper body and blue/green wings and back was taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Dollar Birds – parent feeding a young bird.  Photo highlighting differences in adult plumage – red beak and darker blue/purple neck – was taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot (male) – close-up portrait taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo –  just after taking off…lit against bright early morning sunshine.  Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Eastern Yellow Robin – Surprisingly, this well-built nest was at eye-level just 1-2m from the edge of a popular, busy bush track.  It perhaps shows how tolerant the Eastern Yellow Robin is of people. Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Bassian Thrush –  This was the first time I had seen this bird.  It was mostly hopping on the ground amongst the undergrowth and occasionally flying onto to rocks and low branches.  Photo taken on Mt Keira, Wollongong, New South Wales.

Reed Warbler chick –  I heard the singing as I was riding past on my bicycle.  It took me a while to figure out the location as the reeds were blowing around wildly in a 25 knot wind.  To my delight there was a fleeting gap in the foliage where I found the source of the song – a young reed warbler being fed by a parent and looking rather wind-swept.  Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Azure Kingfisher – showing off its spectacular colours.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Azure Kingfisher – highlighting its striking azure blue colour.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Sacred Kingfisher –  Kingfishers are notoriously difficult to photograph as they take flight easily.  This bird had been singing loudly in the tree tops for 10-15 minutes before coming down to what I suspect was its nest – a hole in a termite nest 5m up a eucalypt tree.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Sacred Kingfishers –  How lucky to have two birds sitting on the same bough, facing opposite directions so we can see their front and back colours!  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

White-throated Treecreeper (male) – Female is slightly different with a red mark on the cheek.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Willie Wagtail –  this bird wags its tail from side to side, hence its name.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Channel-billed Cuckoo –  highlighting its very large curved bill.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Satin Bowerbird (male) –  From a distance I watched this Bowerbird for about 30 mins re-furbishing his bower with straw/sticks.  He also moved some of the blue items around, performed a wing-flapping display (on the other side of his bower!) and flew between the ground and nearby trees singing.  I didn’t see the female. Photo taken in Lane Cove, Sydney.

Satin Bowerbird (male) –  The subtle, dappled lighting shows the blue-purple hue of the bird’s feathers.  Photo taken in Lane Cove, Sydney.

New Holland Honeyeater – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

New Holland Honeyeater – Photo taken in Wollongong, New South Wales.

King Parrots – (male – red head; female – green head).  This was the first time I had seen King Parrots in this location; then I saw them daily in the same tree.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrots – Photo series taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot (male) – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot (female) – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

King Parrot (female) –  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Crimson Rosella – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Welcome Swallow (adult) – resting having been very busy feeding a chick.  These birds seem to be most active near water – rivers/coast and flock onto small boats.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour.

Welcome Swallow – Chick, waiting to be fed.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour.

Welcome Swallow (adult) – Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour.

Welcome Swallow – Chick, waiting to be fed.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour.

Welcome Swallow – Older chick than in previous photos waiting to be fed.  Photo taken at Wollongong Harbour.

Welcome Swallow (adult) – an attempt to capture in flight.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Silvereye – enjoying the ripening berries.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Eastern Yellow Robin – Finally managed to catch this bird in the sunshine.  More often they seem to flit around in shadier areas.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park.

Golden Whistler (male) – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Red-Browed Finch/Firetail – feeding on the ground…grass seed perhaps. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park.

Lewin’s Honeyeater – Photo taken in Lane Cove National park, Sydney.

Lewin’s Honeyeater – Photo taken in Lane Cove National park, Sydney.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Little Wattlebird – Photo taken in Port Stephens, NSW Central Coast.

Red-whiskered Bulbul – Photo taken on Middle Head, Mosman, Sydney.

Little Raven – Feeding on a fish tail on the rocks at a beach.  Photo taken near Wollongong.

Red Wattlebird – performing aerobatic gyrations while catching insects in mid-flight.  Photo taken at Middle Head, Mosman, Sydney.

White-browed Scrubwren – a very busy bird that seems to forage mostly on the ground. Photo taken on the river track, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Grey Fantail – whilst capturing this photo, there were so many other small birds active within 10m. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Superb Fairy Wren (male) – Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Fairy Wren (?Variegated female/young?) – This bird has perfected its photographic posture – see next picture which was taken about 1 minute later in a different environment. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Fairy Wren (?tbc) – This bird has perfected its photographic posture – see previous picture which was taken about 1 minute earlier in a different environment.

Brush Turkey – scratching amongst bush debris building a large mound.  Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Butcher Bird – this bird was nesting in a neighbour’s tree and was frequently a backyard visitor.  Photo taken in Lane Cove, Sydney.

Pheasant (male) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden, where the male bird and sometimes several females are daily visitors.

Pheasant (female) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden, where the male bird and sometimes several females are daily visitors.

Pheasant (male) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden.

Pheasant (female) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden.

Pheasant (male) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden.

Pheasant (female) – Photo taken in Carlisle, Cumbria UK in my parents’ garden.

Goldfinch – Photo taken during a lovely coastal walk near Sannox, on the beautiful Isle of Arran, Scotland.

Bullfinch (male) – Photo taken at Campfield march RSPB Nature Reserve, Cumbria, UK.

Little Corellas – scrapping over one Liquidambar nut, when there were thousands of nuts freely available on the ground and on the trees. Photo and those below were taken in Riverview, Lane Cove, Sydney. The Little Corella is full of character and one of my favourite birds. They are playful, acrobatic and feisty as shown below. I spent two to three hours every morning for three weeks photographing the behaviour of these lovely birds. On some days there were flocks of hundreds of birds feeding in the trees, on the ground and grazing on the grass.

Little Corella – enjoying a Liquidambar nut.

Little Corella – hanging upside down by two feet, one foot, or its beak seems to be a common behaviour, sometimes while eating.

Little Corella – hanging by one foot with the Liquidambar nut having just fallen from its beak.

Little Corellas – I’m not sure whether this is aggressive, mating or playful behaviour.

Little Corellas – again fighting over a single Liquidambar nut with thousands around them.

Little Corellas – this started with a playful scrap between the bird on the right and another that exited the fight as the bird on the left decided to join in.

Little Corellas – again I’m not sure whether this was fighting, mating or playful behaviour.

Little Corellas – Hanging onto its early morning breakfast. These birds visit the area when the nuts on Liquidambar trees ripen and fall.

Galahs – a preening pair. Photos taken in Riverview, Lane Cove, Sydney.

Galah – enjoying the Liquidambar nuts, like the Corellas.

Galah 

Galahs – strolling through their food supply.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – photos taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – mirror, mirror in the tree…mmm…that doesn’t look like me.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – landing on a tasty food source.   There were several cockatoos feeding on these at the same time…

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – and fights occur when cockatoos want the same perching spot!

Kookaburra – just taking off after consuming someone’s leftover meat sandwich. Photo taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.

Kookaburra – photo taken in Port Stephens, New South Wales.

Kookaburra – photo taken in Port Stephens, New South Wales.

Kookaburra – photo taken in Port Stephens, New South Wales.

Kookaburras – The second sequence of images:  “It’s mine!”  No, it’s mine!!”  These two kookaburras were absolutely motionless facing each other, with the poor lizard in the middle of their tug-of-war.  Suddenly, one lost its hold, there was a fight and the chase was on.  The lizard was lost in nearby bush, so probably escaped, leaving both kookaburras sitting on a low bough staring at the undergrowth.

Variegated Fairy-wren – male with brightly coloured head and body with longer tale feathers; female with brown head, dark grey bill and longer tale feathers; photos taken near Wollongong, New South Wales.

Superb Fairy-wren – male with blue cap and shorter tale feathers; photos taken in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.  Female with brown head, red-brown bill and shorter tale; photos taken near Wollongong, New South Wales.

Red Wattlebird – I spent 2-3 hours late one afternoon watching these birds perform aerobatic gyrations while catching insects in mid-flight.  There must have been an insect hatching on this day because the following day there was no activity.  Photo series taken at Middle Head, Mosman, Sydney.

Raven (Australian vs. Little ?) – This series of photos was taken near Wollongong and in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney.  They show the raven looking handsome, scavenging, feeding, gathering nesting materials and bathing.  The pair gathering nesting materials landed right behind me and made me jump.  I had seen a 2.5m diamond python in the same location the previous week!  In most of the photos I was very close to the birds, who seemed completely comfortable with me being there.