Tag Archives: Photography

Secret Places: Behind the Brick Wall

Posted on June 15, 2015 | Leave a comment

well there is at least one big tree…

Brick Wall

Brick Wall, Rear of Melbourne Club, Ridgeway Place

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Posted in Architecture, Laneways, Victoria

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A warm Winter’s Day and a Lifer

Posted on June 14, 2015 | Leave a comment

The Pink Robin has eluded me for several years – it even turned up in my neighbourhood last year and no matter how many times I took off to find it I kept missing out. Recent reports put one at a Melbourne Water Wetlands on Huntingdale Rd in Oakleigh East. So today I followed the bird report’s details to the backyard fences along the creek feeding into the wetlands where it had been seen and waited quietly to see if I could be lucky this time. I was visited by a Grey Fantail and while taking a few photos of it to test the conditions I saw a little flutter of wings on the fence beside me. I finally had my Pink Robin ( a female).  My 31oth Victorian Lifer.

I followed her around for an hour trying to get better shots as she moved into low scrub with a small feeding flock of Brown Thornbills, White-Browed Scrubwrens and the Grey Fantail.

Grey Fantail

Grey Fantail

Pink Robin

Female Pink Robin

Pink Robin

Many of the shots were like this one.

Pink Robin

Getting closer

Pink Robin

Pink Robin – my 310th Victorian Lifer.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Swift, Muskie and Scaly

Posted on June 13, 2015 | Leave a comment

Reports have been coming in of a good sized flock of rare Swift Parrots roosting and feeding in a park between the Macleod shops and Railway Station. I had run into David E at St Kilda pier last weekend and thought we might head over to Macleod and try our luck.

On arriving at the Train Station carpark we were hit by a cacophony of bird noise – miners, ravens, magpies and many parrots and lorikeets. We immediately found Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets, and soon found a flock of 20 Swift Parrots in one of the large flowering gums. It took a while but we got a few average pics of the Swift Parrots. All the parrots and lorikeets were a bit unsettled and we saw why pretty soon – a circling Collared Sparrowhawk.

The Swift Parrot is rare and endangered. It breeds in Tasmania and then makes a crossing of Bass Straight to winter in Central and Southern Victoria.

We also found a pair of Scaly Breasted Lorikeets – a lifer for me and number 313 on my bird life list (309 for my Vic List). I was pretty happy and a bit too slow in getting a clear photo – I do have a beautifully clear shot of the tree trunk and branch that the Scaly is standing on. Maybe next time.

Swift Parrots,

Swift Parrots

Swift Parrots,

Bickering Swift Parrots

Swift Parrots,

Swift Parrot – feeding on Lerp

Musk Lorikeet

Musk Lorikeet feeding on Flowering Gum nectar 

Musk Lorikeet

Musk Lorikeet

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Freckled and Endangered…

Posted on June 12, 2015 | 2 comments

The Freckled Duck is Australia’s rarest Waterfowl and is endangered in the state of Victoria. They are not usually found in large numbers and prefer permanent fresh water wetlands further inland. But when their preferred sites dry out they move towards the SE Australian Coast looking for other favourable wetlands. They stick close to wooded areas and scrub that leans into the water. Their freckling gives them great camouflage. I have a few places that I can generally find them around my usual haunts.  I found this one at Eynesbury last weekend. There were 5 in a loose flock at the Golf-course lake and wetland.

Freckled Duck

Freckled Duck at Eynesbury

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Duckboard Place: Food, Art, Music…

Posted on June 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

Part 2 of the ACDC Lane loop brings us to Duckboard Place – the Laneway that takes us back around to Flinders Lane. It has some very good restaurants, an after hours pop-up bar, residential accesses and great wall art.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

 Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place – I think the plumbing is a piece of Industrial Art – it goes up several stories.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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ACDC Lane: Art and Music

Posted on June 9, 2015 | 2 comments

Near Hosier Lane is another Laneway, ACDC Lane, named in honour of the rock band AC/DC . The Lane circles back to Flinders Lane via Duckboard Place. Many of the walls have large colourful pieces. Along with the great art are several good restaurants and a famous Bar and live music venue – Cherry.

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

Street Art, ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Next Post – Duckboard Place

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Photography, Victoria

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A Western Gerygone: far from home

Posted on June 8, 2015 | Leave a comment

My local birder network sent through a message that said a rare bird had popped up in our neighbourhood – a Western Gerygone. It had been sighted down Elster Creek near the mouth. So after leaving work earlier than usual on Friday and having a few extra hours of light I headed down the creek to look for the little bird. It is usually found north the Great Dividing Range so we are not too sure why it has ended up along the Southern coast.

Along the way I found a Great Egret grooming between snacks.

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Eventually I found the Gerygone where it had been reported, flying over the creek from side to side with two little Brown Thornbills.

Western Gerygone

Western Gerygone

Western Gerygone

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Western Gerygone

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Western Gerygone

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Protest Art: Posters, Stencils, Stickers, Balaclavas

Posted on June 4, 2015 | Leave a comment

Amongst the large murals and spray-painted images in Hosier  and Rutledge Lanes are quite a few smaller ones. Many are comments, statements, protests and funny thoughts. I like finding these more unusual images.

(Update: I walked through Hosier Lane today and many of the larger pieces that I have posted over the last few days that were taken a few weeks ago are now gone or are partially obscured by other artists work. Much of the new work seems to be large ornate tags rather than pictures  – I will have a look after the long weekend coming up)

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Pirate Empire – Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Laneways of Street Art

Posted on June 3, 2015 | Leave a comment

Moving further down Hosier Lane there is a looping alley called Rutledge Lane with its own artwork on every wall and surface. I spent a few minutes watching an artist work as well as helping a few tourists take some photos of themselves with the walls…sometime the selfie sticks are just not long enough.

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

A street artist in Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane XI, Melbourne CBD, 18 May 2015

Hosier Lane

Near the bottom of Hosier Lane is a very good Tapas and modern Spanish style restaurant called Movida.

Hosier Lane XII, Melbourne CBD, 18 May 2015

Movida in Hosier Lane

 

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Posted in Laneways, Street Art, Victoria

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Melbourne Laneway Street Art

Posted on June 2, 2015 | Leave a comment

Continuing from yesterday’s post on some of the recent street art in Hosier Lane during May. Another week or two and much of this will be gone and covered by other pieces (or a mess of tags until an artist claims a chunk of wall).

Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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And finding treasure in colour…

Posted on June 1, 2015 | 2 comments

I have now explored much of the Melbourne CBD looking for good pockets of street art. There are a few major spots (like Hosier Lane, Croft Alley and ACDC Lane) that I will keep returning to as the art changes almost on a daily basis – especially in Hosier Lane – the most active and visited of the Street Art Alleys. Below is some of the Hosier Lane artwork taken a few weeks ago.

18 May 2015 – Hosier Lane (Part 1)

Hosier Lane Artwork Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Street Art,  Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Artwork Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Looking for treasure in monochrome….

Posted on May 31, 2015 | Leave a comment

A recent sunny lunchtime found me wandering the back streets and laneways looking for interesting shots of old Melbourne.

I find that converting the image to black and white removes the clutter of modern colours and distractions and allows me to see the old bones.

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall – woman are only allowed on one side of this wall…

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrinis, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrini’s, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Architecture, Black & White, Laneways, Melbourne CBD

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The little show-off…

Posted on May 29, 2015 | 1 comment

It was the screeching that attracted me over to the tree near Elster Creek a few weeks ago. I found a lone Little Corella, on a branch in a gum tree. I moved in closer trying not to spook it and starting taking pictures. It screeched when I took a few rapid shots – it could hear the camera shutter sound. I watched it and it watched me. After just moving around the branch a bit it fell backward and just hung by its feet and looked at me again…I kept shooting as it started to play with branches and bark.  Cockatoos are long lived birds and this must mean a certain amount of intelligence has developed and with it a sense of humour. This bird was playing and seemingly including me in its antics.

Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

Little Corella, Elster Creek

Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

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Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

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Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

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Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

the Corella started to swing under the branch

Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

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Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

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Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

Hanging by a leg, and watching me

Little Corella, Elster Creek, Victoria 3 May 2015

the moment before the end of the show

The next thing it did was let go the branch and try to grab the bark with both feet but it was far too heavy and it dropped from the tree. Luckily it had enough height to right itself and fly back up to a branch on the next tree. The show was over.

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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A beautiful space to study…

Posted on May 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

The State Library reading room has to be one of the best spots in the CBD to sit and study. It is also a good place to photograph from one of the many nooks on the several floors above the main room. I have been here a number of times to view the galleries, the art, and to watch people study.

Click on photo for a larger view

State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

State Library, Melbourne CBD

State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

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State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

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Posted in Architecture, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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The Intense gaze…

Posted on May 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

On  a recent walk across to the lakes in my area I took several photos of the usual birds in the late afternoon light. On processing I noticed that a few seemed to have an intense gaze.

The Willie Wagtail had just finished a dip into the water and grooming and after this shot took off to catch insects above the lake’s surface.

Willie Wagtail, Elsternwick Park, Victoria, 3 May 2015

Willie Wagtail, Elsternwick Park

The Noisy Miner had just gate crashed into a large group of Swallows grooming on the dead tree at the lake. He was staring intensely at a swallow that seemed to be ignoring him.

Noisy Miner, Elsternwick Park, Victoria, 3 May 2015

Noisy Miner, Elsternwick Park

The Swallows soon came back to the tree and continued their grooming with one keeping a keen lookout and watching the miner which had flown to another nearby tree.

Welcome Swallows, Elsternwick Park, Victoria, 3 May 2015

Welcome Swallows, Elsternwick Park

Welcome Swallow, Elsternwick Park, Victoria, 3 May 2015

Welcome Swallow landing back onto the tree branch after being chased off by the Noisy Miner.

White Plumed Honeyeaters, Elsternwick Park, Victoria, 3 May 2015

A pair of White Plumed Honeyeaters grooming after a dip in the lake.

 

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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