March 2023

 Around the ACT - Summer temperatures until the end, then Autumn arrived.

Just a tree by a small lake, but I enjoy it every time I see it

A mix of waterbirds has returned from the floods further west

Australasian Grebes

A favourite roosting tree for cormorants and other waterbirds

A family group of Wood Ducks, but the dimple in front is an Eastern Water Dragon

Juvenile Superb Fairy Wren

I first thought I had a different bird - it is an old banksia cone

A large Dragonfly warming in the morning sun

Grey Fantails were moving along the creek

Masked Lapwing by Lake Ginninderra

Sulphur crested Cockatoos playing with Casuarina debris

And keeping a lookout

Two Kayak anglers discussing tactics

Superb Fairy Wren at the birdbath

Red Wattlebirds bath time

Crimson Rosella

Hot AirBalloons over Belconnen

Seadog 'Esme' concentrating on something out there

He's Baaack - Regular Tawny Frogmouth

Sunrise at #33

Infra-red on a walk - West Belconnen Pond

Infra-red on a walk -Lake Ginninderra

Dusky Moorhen

Purple Swamphen

Little Black Cormorant - Camera shy

String Quartet by Candlelight - on my Birthday

January & February 2023

 Things have been very quiet around here - so have combined the months of January and February.

Took grandson Ben fishing at Googong and this is the picture he drew of the day.  The detail he remembered was fantastic - the outboard motor could not be used so was elevated out of the water; he was using a spinning reel, I was using a bait caster;  the fish of the day were Redfin; and the swirly bits were the dreaded southerly wind that chased us home. Ben was reluctant to show me that he had drawn himself catching a fish, and not Pop! 😃

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo eating the wattle seeds

Sunset over the Parkwood Dam

Thornbill

Male Eastern Koel

Bearded Dragon - often seen, but usually hides quickly

Lake Ginninderra shoreline during an early morning trip in the boat.

Rainbow Lorikeet 

Our Christmas Cactus just keeps on flowering this year.

Mist lifting from Googong Dam

Rainbow Lorikeet demanding seed

Juvenile Crimson Rosella

The Coots have returned - local ponds were bare earlier as they followed the floods

Little Pied Cormorant and Little Black Cormorant - getting nervous

Young Eastern Water Dragon

Female Red-Rumped Grass Parrot

Male Red-Rumped Grass parrot

The Swamp Wallaby is still around

Welcome Swallows chasing insects

Black Swan family is growing up

Welcome Swallows taking a rest

Two sea-dogs (err lake-dogs)

November & December 2022

We had a very ill dog who is still under home nursing, so the camera has not been out and about as much.  Vets are not sure what caused the problem, but suspect she inhaled a grass-seed into her lungs that went septic.  Hospitalisation with chest drains for 4 days, now on antibiotics until end of January, then another ultra-sound to see if it has cleared up.

When I have been out and about there is a dearth of water-birds; they must all be following the floods.  There also seem to be a fewer number of smaller birds, and that is all probably because there's so much water around to drink.

Little Black Cormorants at the West Belconnen Pond

White-faced Heron stalking the edges.

Australasian Grebe on its floating nest

Pastoral scene along the Parkwood Road

Family of swans on the dam

Australian Pipit surveying the grasslands

Long-necked Tortoise sunning on a rock

Superb Parrot at the Pinnacle Nature Reserve

Grumpy Granite - Pinnacle Nature Reserve

White-winged Chough

Willie Wagtail feeding young

Eastern Rosella

Grasses across the Pinnacle Nature Reserve

Australasian Grebe still on the nest

Two Fallow Deer surprised in an open paddock near home

I moved the bird-bath, and the Galahs came to inspect the job

Dainty Swallowtail in the garden

Another Pipit followed me until I took its photo.

Have a great 2023 everyone.