Lake Anderson, Chiltern (Part 3)

The late afternoon light was again spectacular and several of our group again took up spots on the north bank of Lake Anderson to photograph the incoming and outgoing birds.

A Masked Lapwing was standing sentinel on the small island in the middle of the lake and caught the sidelight of the setting sun.

Masked Lapwing, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 1600, f/8, 1/4000

A Blue-faced Honeyeater flew across the lake and I managed to get one shot in frame and in focus.

Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 1600, f/8, 1/2500

There was not much else happening in there air so I waited for these coots to get into a pleasing pose while they swam around in the reflections of the reeds.

Eurasian Coot, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 1600, f/8, 1/4000

Eventually, a few Pacific Black Ducks flew in just in time to make the most of the last few minutes of the light.

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/1250

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/1250

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/1250

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 2500, f/8, 1/500

Next morning, No.1 and No.2 Dam.

Lake Anderson, Chiltern (Part 2)

Following yesterday evening's walk around Lake Anderson, a few of us were up early this morning to capture the birds in the morning light and we were rewarded with some great opportunities for flight shots of ducks and cormorants flying into the lake.

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/400

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/3200

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/3200

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/2500

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/4000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1000

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1600

 The lake was mill-pond calm

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/1600

but, the serenity quickly dissipated...

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1250

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1600

Hardhead, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/3200

Hardhead, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/3200

Little Black Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/640

Great Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/8000

Great Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/6400

Meanwhile, this male Magpie hung around, swooping and generally harassing us...it's that time of the year...

Australian Magpie, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1000

...you can just tell his intent from the look in his eyes!

Australian Magpie, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 800, f/11, 1/2000

Next, the search for the Regent Honeyeater.

Lake Anderson, Chiltern (Part 1)

The Melbourne Birdlife Photography Group weekend in Chiltern began with a walk around Lake Anderson. The lake acts as a storm water sink and, with a lot of recent rain, the water level was high. This meant that there was no shallow water or mudflats around the banks so no wading birds were present but there were plenty of the usual suspects:

 Eurasian Coots and Dusky Moorhens swam around the reeds.

Dusky Moorhen, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000

Eurasian Coot, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

There were plenty of ducks: Hardhead, Australian Wood Duck and Pacific Black Duck

Hardhead, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/16, 1/250

Hardhead, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600

Australian Wood Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1000

Australian Wood Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/800

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/640

Pacific Black Duck, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/400

Little Black Cormorants and Great Cormorants were in, on and around the lake.

Little Black Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/2500

Little Black Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/3200

Great Cormorant, Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600

We heard Australian Reed Warblers and Little Grassbirds in the reeds but only Superb Fairy-wrens came out to be photographed.

Superb Fairy-wren (male), Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250

Superb Fairy-wren (male), Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000

Superb Fairy-wren (female), Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

Superb Fairy-wren (female), Lake Anderson, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adapter), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1600

Next morning, back at the lake.