neighborhood wildlife in Oz

DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
edited October 15, 2007 in Wildlife
I think this might be the first proper set of shots I'm going to post since I moved to Brisbane!

Right, anyway, soon after getting here, it was obvious I'd need more than a 50mm and 10-22mm. I noticed my old friend DJ-S1 had just picked up a 70-200/2.8 on the flea market... a quick PM later and his old f4 model was mine! "Oh yeah DJ, USPS is fine, I've already gotten two boxes from home pretty quick!" Ha, famous last words! 6 weeks and one lost package claim later, the lens did in fact show up here.

And what does this have to do with nature and wildlife? Well, it's a 200mm lens, so it was off to the botanical gardens to shoot!
:clap

The Mt Coot-tha botanical gardens are an absolute gem. Located essentially in the heart of Brisbane on what could be the most prime real estate in the city are (I'm guessing) 100+ acres of tropical rainforest, australian rainforest, scrub desert, north american pine forest... just awesome. Oh, and the best part, it's about 2 minutes away from our apartment!

The welcoming party (these guys are everywhere):

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A small peninsula (ducks only allowed) at the lagoon:

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I told you they were everywhere!

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Since 2004...

Comments

  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 14, 2007
    When you think of Australia, you usually think of poisonous snakes, spiders, crocs, sharks...

    well, it's true, everything here really is out to get you!

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    New tree bud, this guy was grabbing the only little hole of sunlight coming through the thick australian rainforest canopy. Nature is cool... and so is the bokeh on this lens!

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    There's a turtle in there, can you find it?
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    Since 2004...
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 14, 2007
    I'm not really good at birds, but here it's like shooting fish in a barrel... oh wait, maybe I should let you think that I had to wade through croc-infested waters to get these shots.
    lol3.gif

    Ibis
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    another bird...
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    Hey! what'chou lookin at, mate!
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    Weeeee! BTW, loudest most annoying birds, EVER! I wonder if people in the US who keep these as pets realize how many of them, and how annoying they are down here? Literally, sometimes you can't talk on the phone in your apartment thanks to the racket that a gang of these guys make.

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    Since 2004...
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 14, 2007
    hey mom, what's that?

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    why that's a water fowl nest (I call them swimming chickens). and they were busy too!

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    and some good 'ol ducks

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    cheers mates, till next time! wave.gif

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    Since 2004...
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    cool shots. well doneclap.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    Yep your going to need a longer lens for all the birds.

    Indeed the two legged one is a fine catch with any lens thumb.gif
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    Nice set mate thumb.gif It greened up quickly after that bit of rain.

    If you think the cockys are annoying then i dont think you have met our Koel yet. They start at 2-3am & just get louder & louder & louder. They are very territorial & return to the same tree each year at the start of storm season ..thus the locals call them Storm Birds.

    I had a tree was in my yard...it was huge & about 60-70 feet tall so one day i climbed to the very top (thats where he sat every morning) & attatched one of those occy straps (stretchy with a hook either end) to the top...tied the other end to a tin full of nuts & bolts & a rope from that can all the way to the ground.

    When he would start calling at 2am i would run out & pull on the rope & scare him off. Well this worked twice & after that he just screamed over the top of it.

    Then i went & bought a high powered slingshot & each morning i would put some nuts & bolts up into the tree but that only worked once also.

    Thus ...we just moved house. Have a listen & amplify it 10 fold over & over & over etc etc
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 14, 2007
    bfjr wrote:
    Yep your going to need a longer lens for all the birds.
    if my lens gets longer I'll be hitting them in the head. the birders back home don't get it, egrets and ibis are like ducks here, they come up to you and ask for a feed!
    Indeed the two legged one is a fine catch with any lens thumb.gif
    thanks, and she's a pretty good cook too lol3.gif
    Since 2004...
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 14, 2007
    gus wrote:
    Thus ...we just moved house. Have a listen & amplify it 10 fold over & over & over etc etc
    Great, something else to look forward too! rolleyes1.gif


    thanks for lookin' in! We'll have to get you there with your 400mm, T wants photos of the baby water chickens. Few hatched already, at least 3 other nests full of eggs.
    Since 2004...
  • CookieSCookieS Registered Users Posts: 854 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    great job, cute lizards .
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,952 moderator
    edited October 15, 2007
    CookieS wrote:
    great job, cute lizards .
    thanks!

    the bigger one's aren't so cute, nor afraid of humans. on the contrary, if they have a good spot in the sun and you walk too close, they'll have a go at you.
    Since 2004...
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited October 15, 2007
    DoctorIt wrote:
    thanks!

    the bigger one's aren't so cute, nor afraid of humans. on the contrary, if they have a good spot in the sun and you walk too close, they'll have a go at you.
    psst doc...they love tomato's. You can hand feed them. They just a little testy if you run out before they have had their fill.
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited October 15, 2007
    Like your photos of that funny looking Ibis!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
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