Ricketts Point...for Bob

This afternoon I had the great pleasure of attending the launch of the book: Teacher Inside Out written by Bob Whiteway. Bob taught high school for 40 years, including the 6 years I spent at Beaumaris High School in the 1970s. He has been an active environmentalist and advocate for marine conservation for many years and was instrumental in the creation of Ricketts Point (in Beaumaris) as a marine sanctuary (see The Age article from 2003). As I've noted in several other posts, I grew up in and around this beautiful beach so, in Bob's honour, I spent a couple of hours there late this afternoon photographing the usual avian suspects.

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/200

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/400

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/5000

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/400

Black Swan, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2500

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2500

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/3200

Australian Pelican, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2500

Little Pied Cormorant, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/200

Little Pied Cormorant, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2000

Pacific Gull (immature, 1st year), Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2000

Pacific Gull (immature, 1st year), Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/1250

Pacific Gull (adult), Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/1250

Pied Cormorant, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/4000

Pied Cormorant, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/2000

Pied Cormorant, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/4000

Silver Gull, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/800

Silver Gull, Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/8000

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

Lake Colac Serenity

Having taken the scenic route to Colac this afternoon (with stops at Breamlea and Wurdiboluc Reservoir), I arrived to find the Lake as calm as I have ever seen it.

Australian Pelican, Lake Colac

Black Swan, Silver Gull, Pacific Black Duck
Lake Colac

While Silver Gulls are common and frequently annoying, they are beautiful birds and usually photographically cooperative, so I couldn't resist this one...

Silver Gull, Lake Colac

A flotilla of Australian Pelicans, cruised past,

Australian Pelican, Lake Colac

the backlighting showed off the wake and bow wave

Australian Pelican, Lake Colac

and one flew in for some party tricks

Australian Pelican, Lake Colac

Black Swans hung out among the reeds,

Black Swan, Lake Colac

while an odd pair of spoonbills was feeding close to shore

Yellow-billed Spoonbill + Royal Spoonbill
Lake Colac

Royal Spoonbill, Lake Colac

Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Lake Colac

and a Magpie Lark was stalking the shoreline.

Magpie Lark, Lake Colac

There's a small swampy wetland just next to the lake (accessible by car from the end of Church St or by walking east along the track around the south shore of the lake) designated as the Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary. By the time I got there it was getting quite dark but I did manage to find this lone Cattle Egret.

Cattle Egret, Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary

but then a few of its mates flew in

Cattle Egret, Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary

to join the party.

Cattle Egret, Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary

On the return walk to the car, a family of Superb Fairy-wrens was hanging around the track but only this female sat still long enough for a photograph.

Superb Fairy-wren, Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary

but the photographic highlight for the day was this fox. I have rarely seen them this brazen in broad daylight - it was feeding on something in a paddock as I drove by and stayed long enough for me to stop, reverse, park, get out and grab the camera.

Lake Lorne shore

In addition to the Freckled Ducks featured in the previous post, there were many other species around the shore at Lake Lorne this afternoon.

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

Australian Wood Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

although some remained in the middle of the lake making photography challenging

Blue-billed Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

Hardhead, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

There were also several Black Swans close to the lake shore

Black Swan, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

and a few shorebirds feeding on the mudflats

Masked Lapwing, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

Black-fronted Dotterel, Lake Lorne, Drysdale

Red-kneed Dotterel, Lake Lorne, Drysdale