Couple of hours to spare, some sunlight, rain stopped for a while.
Only one thing for it, a quick trip to the local pond at Wittunga Botanical Gardens.
Wood ducks were very obliging,well behaved models.
On the downside in a large area of flowering native shrubs I did not see one lower to mid story bird in two hours. No wrens,robins,spinebills, not even a solitary honeyeater.
Lorikeets, Magpies ,Miners,Ducks etc but nothing else.
Wittunga is in the lower hills area of Adelaide and surrounded by suburbs but just down the road at Shepherds Hill Park there is quite a good variety of smaller birds.
Not sure what is going on.
Love the photos #3 is a gem ,I have noticed the same thing two patches of similar bush only a couple of k apart one teaming with bird life and the other zip ! ????
The lack of small birds at Wittunga Botanical Gardens may be due to the relative lack of indigenous understorey plants. When I've visited there have been lots of South African species.
Nice studies of the wood duck Rick.
Very taken with your first picture with the composition and the look over the shoulder. The patterns and colours in the feathers are very intricate and beautifully captured. Especially those unruly ones sticking out on the side.
Oh I agree with everything WD said. That first photo I just LOVE LOVE LOVE it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kerry - Perth, Western Australia.
I love the patterning of female Wood Ducks.
Extremely photogenic little ducks, captured beautifully Rick. +1 from me for #1, just so beautiful & such an almost coy pose.
West Coast Tasmania
Thanks all, was fun just to kick back and watch them washing and preening. Photos were a major added bonus
Thanks all, was fun just to kick back and watch them washing and preening. Photos were a major added bonus
Yes, I agree with Annie Rick, love the first one - so clear and full of character.