Tag Archives: Photography

Melbourne Street Art December 2016 Part 1

Posted on February 26, 2017 | 1 comment

I like to wander the laneways and alleys of Melbourne looking for the latest in street art. This selection was some of the best I found in December 2016. A mixture of spray painting, pasteups and stencils. Most were gone (over-sprayed) in the following days. The artworks below were mostly taken in Hosier & Rutledge Lanes, Melbourne CBD (part 1) and Artists Lane off Chapel Street in Windsor (part 2) and a few more locally in laneways off Acland Street, St Kilda. (Part 3)

Melbourne Street Art Dec 2016

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Posted in graffiti, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

Tagged Australia, graffiti, Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD, Melbourne Laneways, Photography, Street Art, Street Photography, Urban Photography, Victoria

Melbourne Laneway Street Art November 2016

Posted on February 26, 2017 | 3 comments

Most lunchtimes I wander the laneways and alleys of Melbourne CBD looking for the latest in street art. This selection was some of the best I found in November 2016. A mixture of spray painting, pasteups and stencils. Most were gone (over-sprayed) in the following days.

Melbourne Street Art Nov 2016

3 Comments

Posted in graffiti, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

Tagged Australia, graffiti, Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD, Melbourne Laneways, Photography, Street Art, Street Photography, Urban Photography, Victoria

Its all in the name

Posted on February 14, 2017 | 4 comments

Rename a native rodent from water-rat to its aboriginal name “Rakali”, and you can change the public view on an ignored animal. A family of Rakalis on the St Kilda break water has been semi-tamed via a local fisherman feeding them bait, fish and little cheese snacks. The Rakali has a varied diet and can be quite aggressive in its hunting. I have seen one kill an injured Pink-eared duck at the Werribee Treatment Plant.

St Kilda pier and break water is a good place to get up close and personal with the Rakali family as well as the nesting and roosting Little Penguins. On this visit most were still out hunting and I only found one Penguin down a rock crevice burrow.

Little Penguin, St Kilda break water, Victoria

Rakali, St Kilda break water, Victoria 27 Dec 2016

Rakali, St Kilda break water, being fed a snack (notice the rear web feet)

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4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Little Penguin, Nature Photography, Photography, Rakali, St Kilda Break Water, St Kilda Pier, Victoria

The Patient Hunter

Posted on February 11, 2017 | 3 comments

Spending time in the bush looking for birds makes you become more aware of sounds and small movements. If the birds are not being particularly vocal then you have to look for movement. Walking along a heathland walk just outside of town I saw movement on the ground and hoping to find a quail of some sort I instead stumbled onto a hunting scene. A Lace Monitor had caught a Ring-tailed Possum. I moved around the pair trying to keep a distance and found that the possum was still alive and weakly struggling. The large goanna became aware of me and broke off from the Possum and watched me a moment before dashing into thicker scrub. I gave the possum a nudge and it sat up, came out of a stupor, and scampered up a nearby tree and into its drey. I felt a little guilty disturbing the goanna in its hunt but being a mammal myself my guilt did not last too long…

Coming back along the track an hour later, I looked around the area for any sign of either combatant and found the goanna head height staring straight at me. It was in the same tree as the possum drey (nest) and I dont doubt that it would continue the hunt as soon as the possum re-appeared. My money would be on the reptilian patience.

Lace Monitor, Heathland walk, Mallacoota

Lace Monitor with Possum, Heathland walk, Mallacoota, 19 Dec 2016

Lace Monitor with Possum prey

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Lace Monitor back hunting his prey

3 Comments

Posted in Victoria

Tagged Australia, goanna, lace monitor, Mallacoota, Monitor Lizard, Nature Photography, Photography, reptile, Ring Tailed Possum, Victoria

Azure Kingfisher – great name, beautiful bird

Posted on February 9, 2017 | 7 comments

One of the main reasons to visit Gypsy Point, north of Mallacoota, is to go on the small boat cruise up the river to see the White Bellied Sea Eagles diving for fish. It is a great experience and something I do at least once on each trip to the far eastern districts. Along with the usual wetland and river birds that you can expect to see is the amazing Azure Kingfisher. It is a tiny bird, much smaller than expected and I am always surprised at its size, speed and hunting prowess. While the light was very dim I did manage to take a few high ISO shots of this colourful bird.

Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy Point – still damp from its last dive into the shallows for prey

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White-bellied Sea-eagle, Gypsy Point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

White-bellied Sea-eagle, photographed from Captain John’s boat cruise along the river.

Grey Kangaroos, Gypsy Point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

Many Grey Kangaroos can be seen as well.

7 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Azure Kingfisher, Bird Photography, Grey Kangaroo, Gypsy Point, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria, White Bellied Sea Eagle

Sooty Oystercatchers

Posted on February 8, 2017 | 2 comments

I visit Bastion Point each year to try and find the elusive Reef Egret. It has eluded me on 5 visits to Mallacoota. Many other birders seem to find and photograph the egret but I just keep missing it. I loop around the usual coastal spots where it likes to hunt in the rocks pools at the change of tides. While I miss the Egret I do quite often come across the Sooty Oystercatcher, a nice sized wader with all black plumage, bright orange/red eyes and bill and thick pink legs. The Pied Oystercatcher seems much more common than the Sooty and Bastion Point is a good location to find and photograph it (while waiting for my hoodoo bird to turn up)

While the Pied hunts across inlets, bays and waterways and is often seen in large numbers, the Sooty Oystercatcher prefers ocean facing rocky outcrops where it pries off molluscs from the rocks and catches small crustaceans wading in shallow rock pools. I often find them in pairs even in non-breeding season. I am always keen to try and find and photograph the Sooty.

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 20 Dec 2016

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastion Point, Mallacoota

The ocean beach side of Bastion Point, Mallacoota

Sooty Oystercatcher feeling for prey in a rock pool

A pair of Sooty Oystercatchers

Sooty Oystercatcher

Pied Oystercatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bastion Point, Bird Photography, Birds, Mallacoota, Photography, Sooty Oystercatcher, Victoria

Small birds of the far eastern forests.

Posted on February 7, 2017 | Leave a comment

Mallacoota is surrounded by the Croajingolong National Park wilderness. The dry forests and pockets of rainforest have many species of small birds. It is often a challenge to find them in the heat and humidity of summer but walking quietly in the morning can be rewarding. I am often surprised by their vibrant colours but when facing in a certain direction they can be invisible and difficult to see.

Eastern yellow Robin, Shipwreck Creek

Female Leaden Flycatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Female Leaden Flycatcher, Double Creek

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shipwreck Creek trail

Golden Whistler, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Golden Whistler, Mallacoota

Scarlet Honeyeater, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota

Lewins Honeyeater, Mallacoota

Silvereyes, Mallacoota

Basian Thrush, Mallacoota

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bassian Thrush, Bird Photography, Croajingolong National Park, Eastern Yellow Robin, Fan Tailed Cuckoo, Golden Whistler, Leaden Flycatcher, Lewin's Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Silvereye, Victoria

Shipwreck Creek Beach and Heathland

Posted on February 6, 2017 | 2 comments

One of my favourite spots in the Mallacoota area is Shipwreck Creek. There is a 6km trail from Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek that moves through banksia scrub, through heathland, dry forest, a small patch of rain forest and back through heath and beach scrub. Each area of vegetation holds it own species of animals and birds.

Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

The tanin stained waters of Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota

Shipwreck Creek meets the ocean

Hooded Plover, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Hooded Plovers, tiny endangered beach birds, keeping under the wind.

Pied Oystercatcher on the beach

Rock Art of Shipwreck Creek

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater prefers the low scrub around heathlands

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Hooded Plover, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Pied oystercatcher, Rock Art, Shipwreck Creek, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater

Rowdy Rainbow Lorikeets

Posted on January 31, 2017 | Leave a comment

After leaving the car in the Boundary Road carpark at Braeside Park, I could hear quite a few parrots in one of the nearby trees. A great cacophony of squabbling and screeching. The group of four below seemed to be investigating the tree hollow. I couldn’t tell why – maybe disputing over a potential nest site or food source. They were interesting to watch and photograph as they chewed and tested the dead wood of the hollow. They all seemed to be adults and none were demanding food. Many more were in the branches above watching and preening.

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Birds, Braeside Park, Nature Photography, parrots, Photography, Rainbow Lorikeet, Victoria

Southern Emu-wren

Posted on January 23, 2017 | 3 comments

One of the key bird species that can be often found along the track between Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek in Mallacoota, is the Southern Emu-wren. I always get a kick out of finding this tiny, long tailed Heathland bird. They can be difficult to find and photograph during the day but good hearing, a keen eye and an early morning walk through the heath can produce the occasional image of this secretive bird. Being small winged it can’t escape danger through flight and the long tail inhibits anything other than small jump flights. It must hide in the scrub throughout the day and work its area for food. In the morning and late evening it will often climb a dead branch and make its territorial calls to the neighbouring tribes.

Southern Emu-wrens, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria 21 Dec 2016

Southern Emu-wren

Displaying the delicate 5 tail feathers of a male Southern Emu-wren

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Shipwreck Creek, Southern Emu Wren, Victoria

Eastern Ground Parrot, the movie

Posted on January 20, 2017 | Leave a comment

Once I had taken a few shots of the Eastern Ground Parrot, I thought I would try and use a different camera (my Canon powershot 60) and see if I could get a bit of video. I took several short videos and this one shows just how difficult it can be to find and see these small, well camouflaged parrots in the low heathland scrub.

The video is at full zoom and handheld so becomes a little unstable in the windy conditions.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Eastern Ground Parrot, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Shipwreck Creek, Victoria, Video, Videography

Tough nut to crack…

Posted on January 16, 2017 | 6 comments

I have been to Mallacoota each December for the last 4 years looking for birds that don’t often make it into Victoria or live anywhere near Melbourne. Some of the birds are resident in the Mallacoota area like the Southern Emu-wren, the Eastern Bristlebird and the Eastern Ground Parrot. I have seen the rare Ground Parrot several times early in the morning at Shipwreck Creek – about 15kms outside of Mallacoota. On previous occasions the bird/s flushed and were gone, and going off track into the snake infested heathland did not help me re-find them. On this trip I thought I would just go early every morning until I had a chance to photograph this rare and shy parrot. On the first attempt I stalked so slowly and carefully along the path that I startled a large deer that was only a few metres off the track behind a thick bush. I am not sure who was more frightened. I thought I had no chance of finding the parrot with all the noise the deer made taking off through the undergrowth but about 50m further on a parrot flushed from the opposite side of the track where I was expecting to see it and instead of trying to photograph it in a mad panic, I carefully watched where it flew and stalked it further into the scrub. Taking a lot of time and winding my way through all the heath I found a small over-grown track and whilst surveying the path for likely spots I found the small parrot just sitting on branch watching me. I took a series of shots and moved closer and around the parrot trying to get better angles. Eventually it ducked down onto the path and disappeared into the thick heath.

Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria

with a beautiful long tail almost hidden by the grass

Eastern Ground Parrot camouflaged in the heath foliage…

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Eastern Ground Parrot, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Shipwreck Creek

Scarlet Honeyeaters of Mallacoota

Posted on January 9, 2017 | 2 comments

I have only seen a Scarlet Honeyeater once before and that was on a previous visit to Mallacoota a few years ago. On the latest trip to Mallacoota I saw many of them in a number of locations. After so much spring rain the local plants and trees are flowering and with the abundance of nectar and insects this has brought down many birds from the north. The Scarlet Honeyeater is a stunning tiny bird that rarely stays still and is often fighting with other local honeyeaters particularly the New Holland Honeyeaters.

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

Male Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria

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Female Scarlet Honeyeater

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Scarlet Honeyeater, Victoria

Shipwreck Creek Rock Art

Posted on January 1, 2017 | 2 comments

Recently I completed my annual pilgrimage to the wilderness areas around Mallacoota. It is a 6 hour drive east of Melbourne and close to the NSW border. Mallacoota is a small town surrounded by the Croagingolong National Park and Wilderness Areas. I visit for about a week and explore along the coast and nearby forests, looking for the locals birds and animals. One of my favourite bush walks is from Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek. On the beach at Shipwreck Creek I found an area of rock cairns where visitors have made their mark with local weather -worn rocks. Over the last few years I have found a few of these temporary expressions of rock art including the Great Ocean Road and in New Zealand.

Rock Art of Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota

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Posted in Mallacoota, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Mallacoota, Nature Photography, Photography, Rock Art, Rock cairns, Shipwreck Creek, Victoria

Silicon mine Spotted Pardalote

Posted on December 15, 2016 | Leave a comment

Along one of the fence lines of the Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve are several silicon sand mines used to produce silicon for glass manufacturing. The reserve is surrounded by large pits that are in use or have been filled by rainwater and are reverting to a more natural state. While counting waterbirds I heard the call of a small Spotted Pardalote that was so loud that it felt like it was on my head (or next to my ear). It turned out to be a male pardalote on a low branch several feet away from the cliff edge that I was standing on. The light was bright but the photos had an odd feel about them. When I moved away, the pardalote flew down to its cliff face burrow and kept watch. When it sounded its territorial call it made a 3 note call, a soft note followed by a louder higher two note call. When calling they extend their neck upwards and the call seems to come from the throat, I hardly saw it open its beak…

Spotted Pardalote, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

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Spotted Pardalote on watch near its cliff face burrow

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, Spotted Pardalote, Victoria

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Tag Archives: Photography

Melbourne Street Art December 2016 Part 1

Melbourne Laneway Street Art November 2016

Its all in the name

The Patient Hunter

Azure Kingfisher – great name, beautiful bird

Sooty Oystercatchers

Small birds of the far eastern forests.

Shipwreck Creek Beach and Heathland

Rowdy Rainbow Lorikeets

Southern Emu-wren

Eastern Ground Parrot, the movie

Tough nut to crack…

Scarlet Honeyeaters of Mallacoota

Shipwreck Creek Rock Art

Silicon mine Spotted Pardalote

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