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Australian Wood Duck Family
Lens: HD DA 55-300 PLM Camera: K3 Photo Location: Canberra, Australia 
Posted By: RobG, 08-13-2020, 04:41 AM

It isn't Spring until next month, but the birds aren't waiting!


Australian Wood Duck family
by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

This White-faced Heron was enjoying the huge numbers of frogs in the swamp.


White-faced Heron
by RobGeraghty, on Flickr
Views: 646
08-13-2020, 09:53 AM   #2
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Excellent captures, especially the heron shot! You play well with that 55-300 PLM.
Best.
08-13-2020, 11:53 AM   #3
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Looks like the wildlife is getting a jump on the season, Rob. That's some good shooting.

Jer
08-13-2020, 04:21 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Victor Quote
Excellent captures, especially the heron shot! You play well with that 55-300 PLM.
Thanks! Vignetting aside, I'm really happy with the lens.


QuoteOriginally posted by Sailor Quote
Looks like the wildlife is getting a jump on the season, Rob. That's some good shooting.
Thanks Jer! The Swans started laying weeks ago (although I haven't seen any successful clutches yet) and the Lapwings have been guarding four eggs for a while. Yesterday I heard a Reed Warbler, and they are only around in the warmer months, so it looks like they decided that Winter is over - although night time temperatures are still as low as 4C. It will be interesting to see if there's other early arrivals. I think the main reason for the activity is that the drought and dry weather in past years have made breeding difficult, and there's been recent rain, at least in my part of Oz.

08-13-2020, 06:52 PM   #5
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A wonderful wildlife series. Both images are splendid. Many thanks for posting.

TT
08-13-2020, 06:59 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Tonytee Quote
A wonderful wildlife series. Both images are splendid. Many thanks for posting.
Thanks Tony! Hopefully when we get to Spring there will be a lot more activity at the wetlands, especially now that the wetlands are wet!

This photo only shows six of the ducklings. There was actually eight in the clutch; the other two are hidden in between Mum and Dad. The black and white bird in the background is a Magpie Lark, aka Peewee.

Maybe the birds are breeding while the local snakes are still asleep...
08-14-2020, 12:17 AM   #7
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Hi Rob,

I wonder how many of those wood duck ducklings will survive to adult hood?

Beautiful photographs!

Regards,
Gordon.

08-14-2020, 06:39 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by gordon_l34 Quote
I wonder how many of those wood duck ducklings will survive to adult hood? Beautiful photographs!
Thanks Gordon! Probably not many, although Wood Ducks aren't in short supply in Canberra. If every pair managed to raise eight ducklings in a season, we'd be buried in Wood Ducks! I think the local foxes do quite well in the breeding season. I actually wish that the core of the wetlands could have a predator-proof fence like at Mulligan's flat. I saw a Black Swan clutch lose members in a previous season, and you'd think that the adult swans would have a better chance of chasing off predators than Wood Ducks.
08-14-2020, 07:19 AM   #9
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Both are excellent captures Rob! I really like the pose and isolation of the heron. So often when I get a close up shot of herons and egrets, they are up against trees and brush and don't stand out like this one.
08-14-2020, 08:13 AM   #10
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Two excellent pics there Rob.

Up here in Ipswich Qld, i have noticed in the last week and a bit, an upsurge in both bird numbers and bird varieties around my house - mostly around the fence-lines, as my own front and back yards have nothing to offer, while my neighbours have many plants (I am in the middle of changing that right now).

But yes, the bird life up here also seems to be jumping the gun on spring!

I agree with Todd, that is a great shot of the Heron!
08-15-2020, 02:13 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by ToddK Quote
Both are excellent captures Rob! I really like the pose and isolation of the heron. So often when I get a close up shot of herons and egrets, they are up against trees and brush and don't stand out like this one.
Thanks Todd! Luckily this guy was near the reed bed but not in it.


QuoteOriginally posted by K2 to K50 Quote
Two excellent pics there Rob.

Up here in Ipswich Qld, i have noticed in the last week and a bit, an upsurge in both bird numbers and bird varieties around my house - mostly around the fence-lines, as my own front and back yards have nothing to offer, while my neighbours have many plants (I am in the middle of changing that right now). But yes, the bird life up here also seems to be jumping the gun on spring! I agree with Todd, that is a great shot of the Heron!
Thanks! I saw the first Yellow-faced honeyeaters since autumn yesterday, so yes, whatever measure the birds use, they've decided that winter is over!

PS Did it ever get cold in Ipswich?
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