I took a trip to Mount Warning in Wollumbin National Park to revisit some old bushwalking ground, take some photos and do some birdwatching. Here are some images of the amazing sub-tropical rainforest and Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) forest that surrounds the mountain:
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| Lush Bangalow Palm forest at the base of Mount Warning |
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| The Mount Warning walking track |
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| Buttress roots of an old forest giant |
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| Bangalow Palm in fruit |
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| Strangler Fig covered in epiphytes |
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| The large leaves of the Cunjevoi plant (Alocasia brisbanensis) |
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| A vine making its way to the forest canopy |
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| The leaves of the Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide moroides) |
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| Pond life in a palm frond on the forest floor |
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| Sub-tropical Rainforest |
Southern Boobook Owl in my Backyard (4 Sep 2011)
I was woken by the repetitive calls of a Southern Boobook Owl (Ninox novaeseelandiae) at 4am this morning so thought I'd get out there with the spotlight and camera. Beautiful little things. Their call is often mistaken for the Tawny Frogmouth (hence the common name 'Mopoke' often used mistakenly for the Frogmouth). The Ninox genus is described in 'The Slater Field Guide' as "Nocturnal birds with rather hawk-like faces and large yellowish eyes." Spot on I'd say! Genus Ninox owls tend to hunt by sight in contrast to the Barn Owl genus Tyto which tend to hunt by sound. They are a smallish bird, only 30-35cm, much smaller than your average garden variety Kookaburra (46cm).
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| Perched on one leg in my big gum tree. |
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| Hauntingly beautiful big yellow eyes |
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| The large facial disk is obvious in this shot |
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche [chlororhynchos] carteri)
Some photos of one of my favourite birds off the coast of Port Stephens in April 2011. They breed on islands in the Southern Indian Ocean (Crozet, Kerguelen, etc). Like all Albatross species they are seriously threatened by long line fishing. They are certainly a majestic bird:
Birding Photos from Clarence Valley trip (July 2011)
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| The noble 'Wedgie' our largest raptor - the Wedge-tailed Eagle |
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| Plumed Whistling Ducks landing at my brother's dam, Waterview, via South Grafton |
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| Square-tailed Kite, searching for prey over the mangroves at Urunga boardwalk |
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| Green Pygmy Goose, Smith's Lake, near Woolgoolga |
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| White-cheeked Honeyeater in Coastal Banksia |
Busy, busy bees...
Honey Bees doing the thing bees do best on Water Lilies @ the local Blue Lagoon:
Local Red Gums
Images of some local Smooth-barked Apple (Angophora costata), the colours are amazing after just shedding their bark:
Pelagic Birding Trip
I went on a Pelagic Birding trip out to the edge of the continental shelf SE of Port Stephens with Hunter Bird Observers Club on Sat 19 Mar 2011. Here are some of the images from the trip. I'm very happy with my new Nikon D300s!
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| Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta) Breeds on Tasmanian offshore islands |
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| Aerodynamic perfection! |
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| Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica) |
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| Great-winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera, race gouldi) |
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| Wedge-tailed and Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Ardenna carnapes) feeding |
Annie Liebovitz Exhibition:
The Museum of Contemporary Art NSW are hosting an exhibition Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990–2005. The exhibition openned at the Museum on 19 November and closes 27 Mar 2011. A must see for any keen photographer!
Exhibition Website:
Annie Liebovitz: A Photographer's Life 1990 - 2005
Local Birdlife:
Some of the locals usually drop by for breakfast every morning:
Rainbow Lorikeet posing for the camera.
The colours are staggering in the sunlight!
They are such a common bird here
that we take them for granted most of the time...
Kookaburra - they have a nest in a nearby tree,
I'm waiting for the first flight of the kids,
it should be any day now.
Their tail feathers have awesome colours and patterns...
Antarctic Wildlife:
Some wildlife images taken during the Tony Mowbray Expedition to Antarctica:
Humpback Whales in Gerlache Strait
Leopard Seal on a 'berg in Paradise Harbour
South Polar Skuas on Hovgaard Island
Gentoo Penguins in Gerlache Strait
Weddell Seal snoozing on Hovgaard Island
Wilson's Storm Petrels in the Melchior Islands
Macro Photography:
Macro photography opens up a whole new world, all it takes is a macro lens, an extension tube, good tripod and flash - and some cooperative subjects:
Preying Mantis
Golden Orb Weaver shedding exoskeleton
Jumping Spider with prey
Peron's Tree Frog
Some photos from my trip to Tassie in May 2010:
Moonrise at Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain & Dove Lake
Sunrise @ Hell's Gate, Strahan
Platypus in Cradle Mountain National Park
Deciduous Beech autumn leaves
Some useful links for Nikon photography:
My Nikon Life
Nikon Australia
Nikon D300s microsite
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