Stockton Spit

After more great middle of the day sessions of workshops, we set off late this afternoon for the wetland and mangrove estuary along Stockton Spit - in particular the area immediately under the road bridge across the North Arm of the Hunter River.

Similar to Wednesday evening at Stockton Breakwater, there were thunder storms approaching from the south so we did not have much time out on the mudflats and wetlands but did manage to see a lot of wading birds that were cycling closer to the shore as the tide rose, covering the mudflats on which they had been feeding and roosting during low tide. Most conspicuous among the smaller birds (mostly Curlew Sandpipers) were the larger Bar-tailed Godwits (some of which were approaching breeding plumage with much redder head, neck and breast colouration) and Eastern Curlew.

Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/13 1/250

Eastern Curlew + waders, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/22 1/160

Eastern Curlew + Bar-tailed Godwit, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/8 1/1000

With a group of 12 of us it was difficult to get close to the birds without spooking them so I opted to have a crack at stalking a small flock of raggedy-looking Caspian Terns that had settled along the muddy bank of a pool behind the main beach area.

Stalking Caspian Terns
Photograph courtesy of Joanne Smissen

As I got close enough for something half reasonable (after crawling through the sand, grass, saltmarsh and mud for about 25 metres) an approaching storm blocked out the sun so I bumped the ISO to 1600 but even with aperture wide-open (f/5.6 on my 300mm with 2x adaptor) the shutter speed (1/250-1/500) was only just fast enough to freeze the birds as they were constantly shuffling about (trying to get some shelter I expect).

Caspian Tern, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/5.6 1/500

I got a little closer and managed another shot of a different arrangement of the same birds as it was getting even darker.

Caspian Tern, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/5.6 1/250

Before I got close enough for some portraits of individual birds, the bank of low, dark storm clouds came across making it very dark. Fortunately I had the flash and Better Beamer mounted in anticipation of bad light so rather than bump the ISO even higher, I turned on the flash and made a somewhat feeble attempt at getting a few shots in light rain

Caspian Tern, Stockton Spit NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/9 1/180 (Manual Flash 1/8 power)

before retreating for the car, safely parked under the bridge. The rain was going to be less of a problem (I always carry a poncho or garbage bag with me) than the lightning - it's not terribly sensible to be standing or sitting out in the open holding onto a three-legged lightning rod...

Hexham Swamp

A glorious Sunday morning was made even more so with a trip to the recently re-opened Hexham Swamp, a section of the Hunter Wetlands National Park that had been closed for some time until a few months ago. It was a bit of a maze getting into the place (just as well we were guided by a local) but well worth it when we got there.

Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-5, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @15mm, ISO 400, f/16 1/320 

Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-5, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @16mm, ISO 400, f/16 1/320

The most obvious birds on the lake were Australian Pelicans, Black Swans and Australian White Ibis

Australian Pelican, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/800

Black Swan, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/640

Australian White Ibis, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/800

Black Swan, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1250

but the most spectacular site was the flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers that took off, flew around and landed several times while we were there.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1000

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1250

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/4000

Hunter Wetlands Centre

The Birdlife Photography workshop was held at the Hunter Wetlands Centre. Jo and I visited this centre 30 years ago, a few months after it had opened, and it was fantastic to see the vision become a reality.

After some great workshops in the middle of the day, we opted to take some time in the afternoon for a walk around the wetlands and managed to capture some great birds in the Azolla-covered pond right in front of the visitor centre.

Australasian Grebe, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11 1/400

Intermediate Egret, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/500

Little Black Cormorant, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11 1/500

Magpie Goose, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11 1/640

Plumed Whistling Duck, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/500

Dusky Moorhen, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11 1/160

More birds were spotted a little further afield

Australian White Ibis, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/6400

Wandering Whistling-Duck + Grey Teal, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/6400

but the highlight was when we returned to the main pond and an Intermediate Egret landed in the Casuarina tree close by.

Intermediate Egret, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

Ash Island

First day of the BirdLife Photography workshop began with an early morning trip to Ash Island, or Kooragang Wetlands, part of the Hunter Wetlands National Park in the Hunter River estuary. The morning was warm and humid with fog hanging around for the first hour or more.

First thing we noticed was the plethora of spider webs with dew drops glistening in the morning sun.

Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Photograph courtesy of Joanne Smissen

and a few ducks, including this pair of Pacific Black Duck, cruising around a large pond in the morning mist.

Pacific Black Duck Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/400

while these two Pied Butcherbirds yodelled together for about 15 minutes.

Pied Butcherbird Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/500

The next bird to stop the convoy was a Whistling Kite perched in a dead tree close to the track.

Whistling Kite, Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2500

Whistling Kite, Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/3200

In the meantime, a female Superb Fairy-wren was doing it's best to attract our attention, displaying and chattering at us on the other side of the track.

Superb Fairy-wren (female), Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1250

One of the birds I was hoping to see here was the Mangrove Gerygone so we spent some time walking along the track beside a stand of mangroves searching amongst the foliage for small birds. There was a lot of activity going on in the mangroves and we caught quick glances of finches and fantails and for a few seconds, I spotted this little character--just long enough for one shot. Not the best view of this bird but a lifer for me, even if 'only' a juvenile. It turns out that I was lucky to capture this one as this was the only one I saw for the whole four days.

Mangrove Gerygone (juvenile), Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/100

Several other small passerines were spotted among the reeds and other vegetation around the ponds.

Australian Reed-Warbler, Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11 1/200

Golden-headed Cisticola, Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2500

Perhaps the highlight of the day, though, was this tree in the middle of a swamp--a perch shared by White-bellied Sea Eagles and Whistling Kites. We couldn't get any closer without getting very wet and muddy (not to mention damaging the environment but it was great to just stand and watch these majestic birds at a distance.

White-bellied Sea Eagle + Whistling Kite, Ash Island, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1600

Stockton Breakwater

I arrived in Newcastle, NSW, this afternoon in readiness for a 'long weekend' of bird photography and workshops with Birdlife Photography. With a range of outings scheduled at a variety of locations and habitats over the next five days, I tried to find a different location for a quick trip this afternoon. One place I had not been to in the Newcastle area was Stockton Breakwater so it seemed as good a place as any. The breakwater forms the northern side of the entrance to the Hunter River and extends about 800 metres into the ocean providing good views of the beach, harbour and ocean.

A handful of juvenile Australian Ravens were foraging amongst the seaweed on the beach...not your typical beach birds but a good start to the afternoon...

Australian Raven (juvenile), Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/8 1/250

Several storms passed by to the south-west so the light varied from bright sunshine (as above) to quite dull. The dull light made it a challenge to try and identify and photograph the terns flying past and plunging into the water. Subsequent examination of the photographs indicates they were Common Terns.

Common Tern, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/8 1/3200

They were fishing more than 100 metres away which made it tough trying to catch the action but I was pleased with this one...

Common Tern, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/11 1/500

As I was watching the terns, an Australasian Darter surfaced right in front of me.

Australasian Darter, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/8 1/800

and climbed out onto the breakwater

Australasian Darter, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/10 1/500

to 'hang out the washing'.

Australasian Darter, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/10 1/1600

I reached the end of the breakwater and watched a steady stream of shearwaters fly past, too far away to identify, until the weather finally caught up with me when a storm declined to pass by to the south and headed directly towards Stockton. I retreated back to the beach and managed to photograph some of the terns sheltering amongst the seaweed

Little Tern, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/8 1/160

Common Tern + Little Tern, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/500

and this Australian Pelican posing on a power pole,

Australian Pelican, Stockton Breakwater
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/8 1/500

and managed to get back to the car just as the deluge hit.