Some days its just great to be out and about: Or the Flame Robins have returned

April 14, 2013April 14, 2013Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin4 Comments

We had a couple of hours in the afternoon to spare, and as the weather looked anything other than rain, or rain, we decided the Craigieburn Grasslands was to far from the car if things went, well, you’know, rainy.

What a about the Backpaddock to look for the Scarlet Robins, seemed the go.

Given it was threatening rain, and we weren’t going far, I opted for the short lens as its easier to carry. The 70-200 being off at the repair shop for a new set of tyres and a grease and oil change.

We walked down to the backpaddock gate, half expecting to see that it was ‘closed for park renovations’, again, but no. The Bandicoot Hilton was available for mere mortals and we stepped inside. We’d remarked on the walk down, about how quiet it was not even a Thornbill to break the silence. I took that as a good sign that they had gathered their collective wings together to begin to form a winter flock. So find one, find many.

And. As soon as we had entered the gate at the backpaddock I heard them calling, and looking through the trees there they were. And. Some bright splashes of red, and a few lovely brown bundles as well. The Flame Robins are back. !

At this stage they are just interested in topping up with food, and getting to work out in the paddock where the good hunting spots are, so they are very much on the move. Which makes photography a whole new challenge. FInd a robin, say at about 20 metres, move toward it. It flies 50 metres, total distance camera to bird 65 metres. Move toward bird, it flies 50 metres. Total distance, camera to bird, now 105 metres. It’s why most of my photography is done from a single stationery position. Find birds. Wait for them. Mind if you wait on the wrong side of the flyway, you see nothing anyway. Still we call that experience.

We also came across a new pair of Red-caps. One I think is Julia (she of the vivid red-cap), the other must be her new bloke. (Mr Mighty I think has passed on).

So that fills up the area near the shelter once again.

It began to rain, and after much dodging of showers we decided home was a good place, and set out. Just as we got through the gate, on the opposite side of the road, the cemetery work crews have their gear locked in a 20foot Container. To both our surprises there was a family group of Flame Robins on top. Male, female, and 5 juveniles. They were enjoying the water on the top of the container. The rain must have filled up some of the corrugations on top of the container, and even though it was raining they seemed to enjoy the bath. Best 15 minutes we’d spent all day, as they hopped about, chattered, bathed and queued up for their turns. Nice way to stand about in the rain I think.

So the Flames are on the way back. No big flock yet, but a pretty nice start.

dj0213 — Lining up on the Container Bathing facility

Flame Robin, male. Waiting patiently for his turn at the bath.

All spruced up after a dip, and wet now from the rain.

Into the Treatment Plant in the rain

April 11, 2013April 11, 2013Posted in Uncategorized2 Comments

We’d been planning a trip down to the Western Treatment Plant for about two weeks. And to get a break in our schedule was going to be a bit of a challenge. We’d planned for today, 11th of April, as it fitted in and the weather man had been a bit hopeful of a good day. Wednesday really was a gorgeous Melbourne day and we sort of hoped against hope that it would follow through for today. No such luck. Even as we hit the Ring Road, it was apparent that the sky was, well, grey.

And hidden in all that greyness, rain. Which soon made itself apparent as we got near to the Point Wilson Road turnoff. By the time we’d made it up to Lake Borrie, the weather was, well, raining!

Not to be disheartened we realised that any great photographic endeavours would be far from us this day. Then to compound the battery on the FZ200 died, and the replacement soon followed. Hmmm.

Some Whistling Kites entertained us several times with their aerial antics as they chased one-another and played a game of ‘catch if you can’ with some long water weed heads. One would take it up quite high, and then let it go, the others would then catch, and then drop it as another followed the same process. Lots of claws and much whistling from the others on the tree line.

We found another one on a branch in the rain. At first is seemed just to be getting wet. But in reality it was letting the rain run through its feathers for a bathe. I’ve another image over on Flickr that shows it with the wings spread out. Seemed to enjoy the water trickling over the feathers.

We were, by late midmorning, contemplating a hot coffee at the Highway Lounge and the weather wasn’t making any likely promises of a change any time soon. The swans were sitting in the rain preening and then we discovered two Black-shouldederd Kites sheltering in the lee of a tree, and I think that just about confirmed our next move. We drove back along the road that runs by the beach, and first one, and then another landcruiser came past, but it was too wet to stop and chat. I pulled over to let them past. Within about 30 seconds of the second vehicle passing us, just down the road I saw a movement and then Dorothy exclaimed, “Buff-banded Rail” and sure enough bold as Ned Kelly it pops out on the roadway and starts to feed. It must have waited for the other two 4bees to go by. Now its hard not to breath and set up a camera inside the car at the same time, but somehow I managed it, and the rain stopped, and Ned Kelly marched along the road, feeding happily, then sprinted away. Only to turn and come back. Worth going out in the rain just for that.

Pink-eared Ducks take to the air at the approach of a Swamp Harrier.

Whistling Kite enjoying a bathe in the rain. It has just fluffed out its mantle and back feathers to get damp.

DWJ__DSC_1923 — Black-shouldered Kite sitting out a rainstorm

Mr An Onymous often says its worthwhile just being out there, and if you get a decent bird shot that's an added bonus. This is the bonus for us for the day. — Buff-banded Rail.
Mr An Onymous often says its worthwhile just being out there, and if you get a decent bird shot that’s an added bonus. This is the bonus for us for the day.

A little afternoon walk and sit

April 9, 2013Posted in Uncategorized2 Comments

We’ve been a bit out of bird circulation of late. Haven’t been out to Woodlands for sometime, and really haven’t had much contact out there with the birds. Seems most of them are off elsewhere. But we had a bit of a break in the family doings today and took the chance to followup on some sightings that Andrew H and Neil A had given some details on. So armed with the newest toy. The Nikon D7100, and the old toy, 500mm we sallied forth.

The D7100 is really not broken in yet, still having a bit of fun working out the best settings, but the one thing I can vouch for is the accuracy of the autofocus. And its speed. Attack Dog speed.

And while we’re on the dog metaphor, Jack Russell action, and Fox Terrier grip on the subject. This is the first Nikon I’ve used since the D2x that actually finds the subject that I want attractive and doesn’t go off hunting for its own version. Shot some kid portraits the other day indoor/window lighting. Even with the old 70-200 VR the tripod wasn’t needed and the kids eyes are SHARP. (Hope the Nikon D7000 af team read that, although me thinks they wouldn’t understand, as the D7000 would go, Oh, nice eyes, but look at those cute little ears.” ) For birds it meant the difference between sharp eyes and a rather attractive neck and back feathers. Never did seem to get the hang of that. Ok of the soapbox, cause no one cares. But.

The D7100 does sharp.

We were in luck by the the old hospital dam. We found Will.I.Am and Will.am.mena and set about working with them. As it turns out they had company. Wills have been staying over all summer, and we hope had nested, although haven’t personally seen any chicks. But now they have company. A pair of Scarlets have migrated in for the winter. But Will.I.Am, is not to happy to give up his hard fought territory. So we watched fascinated as the two males went at it to determine top dog status. Name calling, tree circling, dancing, and a new one for me, Advancing on the territory with the tail cocked high in the air. Not sure if that was to intimidate Will or attract Will.am.mena. It certainly had the desired effect on her, as she issued both challenges to the males and encouragement to them as they battled it out. If we couldn’t find them for a few minutes then her calls quickly located them. The other female sort of ignored it all and fed happily in the open.

In the end it resulted in a lot of high tree flying and we lost them in the distance. Which says a lot about the size of the territory the male is defending. Must be 700-800 metres minimum around.

Will.am.mena watching the male birds flexing their muscle.

Will. I. AM. He is winning in the branch dancing competiion

Will.am.mena. She is offering advice on the finer points of tree circling or is just bewildered by the attention of another male, or two wacky photographers.

Just another day at the office for the big local hero

I don’t do book reviews

April 8, 2013April 9, 2013Posted in Uncategorized3 Comments

Well it’s true, I don’t do book reviews.

And I know that ‘books’ are so so so ‘yesterday’ in the words of Paris Hilton.
But photographers I think have an inherint grasp of the concept of images on a page.

Managed to come across a book called ”

The New Art of Photographing Nature”

By an american named Art Wolfe (you can probably see the pun intended.)

Anyway, he has co-authored with a lady Martha Hill. Now Martha has been a picture editor for a few prestigious magazines, and has seen the odd image or two that were worthy of publishing.

What I really like about the whole concept of the book is that Art’s photos get a going over by the editor and he gets to defend his intent. And its really a lot more than that. If you like looking at images and working out the reasons why they work or not, then I reckon this not a bad $25.00 spend. I got mine from Fishpond.com.au, and it comes “Free postage” what ever that means.

As a bonus my old mate Tim Grey, he of ” Tim Grey does Photoshop training better than any one else on the planet”, has a few sidebars and pages on things to think about when you’re at the keyboard and mouse in your favourite (that is an euphemism) post processing procedure, and its a bit of an offhanded up date on digital technique. Never be the all in one photoshop book, but Tim is such a complete and competent master of the medium that even if he just exhales, its probably worth noting.

Think art, think useful think a jolly good read and ponder on a rainy day that keeps you out of the bush, and think hmmm, I just might learn some thing about photographs. Oh. Don’t expect a lecture on how to set ISO, DOF choose focus points or that sort of stuff. That is expected technique.