Uploads from aaardvaark, tagged canberra

Bassian Thrush 3

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:37:18 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

A close crop, probably the closest I'll ever see a B Thrush.

Bassian Thrush 5

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:37:50 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

"... inconspicuous in leaf litter; stands motionless, ducks head, runs forward, rocks a little, jabs bill into soil..." (Pizzey)

I couldn't describe it more accurately, this is exactly what it did. Below is the jabbing of bill into soil bit. YOU HAVE TO CLICK 'MORE COMMENTS' TO SEE MY INTENDED ADDITIONAL PHOTO.
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Bassian Thrush 4

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:37:39 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

Watching motionless for movement or looking at its reflection in the lens? Probably both.

Pittosporum Revolutum

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sun, 12 May 2013 05:18:32 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

Fruiting Pittosporum at the ANBG.

Bassian Thrush feeding

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:06:08 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

A quick stab at the ground and dirt flies everywhere.

I have quite a few of this bird feeding but this is the only one where it is a) not blurred and b) not facing away.

Bassian Thrush feeding

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:06:17 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

A Bassian Thrush watches or listens intently for movement in the leaf litter. I came across this relaxed bird in the less kempt bushy regions of the ANBG.

In the next photo dirt flies after it stabs at the ground.

Weather

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:51:26 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

On a trip into the Brindabellas, with the Southern Tablelands 4WD club. Looking west from Webb's Ridge Trail.

The Trapeze Artists

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 04:56:33 -0700

aaardvaark posted a photo:

Enlighten festival was a strange beast this year, with centenary panic suggesting the need to invent much necessary excitement, not all of which was well thought out. This little vignette was as confused as most of the rest, with people sitting in front of a newly erected stage that wasn't there last week (to the right of this pic), suddenly distracted by trapezists who had just been on the stage in front of them, now miraculously held aloft behind them by two context-free, fiery, intermittently roaring balloons in all their majesty. Just as I was getting a few photos, and perhaps five minutes into this performance, the balloons came down and it was all over, so I guess we were supposed to look back at the stage.

Previously on that stage had been a couple of similar swinging artists, accompanied by an unrelated voice-over extoling the virtues of female heroes of aviation. We were mystified.

Green Poles

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:22:09 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

I hope you can see the resemblance to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Poles (The last I heard Blue Poles was worth $150 million). Could Green Poles be worth just 1% of that? It's not much, surely no-one would begrudge such a tiny payment to me for such a fine work?).

A nesting Australasian Grebe sits picturesquely in reed reflections, keeping an eye on his/her eggs - see next pic.

Hardhead

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:21:56 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

A slightly comical and unfortunately truncated Hardhead waves for the camera.

I didn't know they had white bellies either.

Australasian Grebe nest

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:22:03 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

The parent is seen on the preceding photo.

I wonder if the dams in these reserves will be maintained, or allowed to collapse and disappear? If they are kept, I wonder what the rationale is since they are not part of the original landscape (but very useful for many birds and animals).

Dragonfly - workings

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:12:25 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

One of my minor fascinations is the workings of dragonflies - specifically the bit where their wings join the body. They remind me of helicopters and the mechanicals at the base of their rotating wings.

Another is dragonfly wings, truly a fantastic piece of engineering. How they carry the load is beyond me. I believe the 'veins' are actually used for blood circulation but must also be responsible for the strength(?)

This is a Blue Skimmer, seen while waiting for birds at the big dam on Callum Brae, part of Canberra Nature Park.

Dollarbird

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:57:51 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

Dollarbirds are hard to get a good look at in our parts, being notoriously shy and always on a dead branch at the top of a decent tree, watching you. I remarked recently on how strongly coloured they are when seen in good light, so took a few with the sun right on the bird.

I was treated this day to a 'rolling' flight display, very impressive. (Dollarbirds are Australia's only member of the roller family).

Below is a pretty typical view, furtively watching...

Sorry about the oversharpening... flickr's special treat for non-photographers.If you look at my original size you'll see I've softened it as much as I can bear so it does't look too bad here.

Dollarbird

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:57:38 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

What happens when you get too close, which is not actually very close at all. I still think these birds are nesting since they are completely silent (not usual) and I did see one flying with food in beak (but not where it went).

Edit: Not implying it was attacking me, just that it flew off, in this case initially towards me. It flew to one side, overhead.

Noisy Miner

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:57:33 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

Unlike the Dollarbird, bloody Noisy Miners are not shy ... except when it comes to having their photo taken.

Eastern Rosella

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:24:45 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

At Callum Brae, probably nesting.

Taking a breather

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 03:01:42 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

The male Superb Fairywren stretches his wings for a second in the blackberry under which they've built their nest. Then he was back again, fetching food, more food, more f..f..f..food.

I'm away for a week, so hoping all these happy families are still around when I next get to check.

Rufous Songlark at nest

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:20:36 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

To avoid disturbing the birds I set up the camera as far away as possible while still being able to see down the tunnel. The shutter was fired remotely by me sitting in the shade well away, trying to guess when the birds might be entering or leaving. I couldn't see the nest or the birds approaching it, so had to guess a time after they dropped into the grass. OUt of 300 shots only three showed the adult -- seen first tending to the chicks, then reacting to the sound of the camera shutter in the following two frames.

It's an animation -- to see it you need to view original size.

Rufous Songlark

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:20:51 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo:

...with food for their nestlings. They were running a never-ending service from about 100m away, past where I was sitting, then to their perch tree, then down into the grass some distance from the nest, then walking through/under the grass to the nest entrance, checking for observers before quickly darting inside.

Occasionally on the return direction one would have a white fecal sac in its mouth, to be hidden discretely well away from the nest.

White-throated Gerygone

nobody@flickr.com (aaardvaark) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:19:42 -0800

aaardvaark posted a photo: