Well 2023 is all over bar the shouting. Looking back over it it was a bit of a frustrating year photographically speaking as I couldn’t get out and about as much as I would’ve liked to. The economic situation didn’t help – when petrol went north of $2 a litre it became very hard to justify driving 500Km to photograph a few flowers or birds. But the biggest barrier was me – two bung shoulders have made photography, especially bird photography which necessitates the use of long heavy lenses, a rather uncomfortable and at times unpleasant experience. I have managed to take a few photos that made me happy – that’s the only criteria. Below is my year in photos.
January
January his the hottest month of the year here and the best way to photograph any wildlife is to stake out the permanent water sources at dawn and dusk.
Testing a new to me Sony A6500 with my Sigma EF mount 150-600mm lens. Nidoolyorong or Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops). Monger’s Crossing, York, Western Australia.
February
February saw me chasing dragonflies and damselflies at Lake Leschenaultia and along the River Avon.
A male Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum) at rest. Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia.
An Aurora Bluetail (Ischnura aurora) waiting for the sunlight to revive it after the nocturnal torpor. York, Western Australia.
Tau emerald, Hemicordulia tau. York, Western Australia.
March
Yongka or Western-grey Kangaroo(Macropus fuliginosus). Yanchep National Park, Western Australia.
Ngoolyak or Carnaby’s Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris). Yanchep National Park, Western Australia.
April
The hot weather breaks at the beginning of April and with the cooler temperatures and first rains the wildlife starts to become more active.
Ngalkaning or Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus subsp mannillenis). York, Western Australia.
Wayan or White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae). York, Western Australia.
Geat Egret, Ardea alba. York, Western Australia.
Wayan or White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae) flying in the warm light of dawn. York, Western Australia.
May
Djini or Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufa). Mount Ronan Nature Reserve, Western Australia.
June
Driving home at sunset. While the photography is great it is joy of being out in nature that fuels it. This snap shot taken on my phone really sums up why I like being out in nature.
July
Australian Raven or Waardong (Corvus coronoides). Heirisson Island, Western australia.
August
Lemon Scented Sun Orchid or vanilla orchid (Thelymitra antennifera). Mt Hardy Nature Reserve, Western Australia.
Clubbed Spider Orchid, Caladenia longiclavata. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.
Bird Orchid, Pterostylis barbata. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.
September
White Spider Orchid, Caladenia longicauda subsp longicauda. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.
The photograph that convinced me to carry a camera with a 600mm lens on it whenever I went to the washing line. Mardiyet or Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) in my back garden. York, Western Australia.
Custard Orchid, Thelymitra villosa. Oswald Sargent Reserve, Western Australia.
I used to photograph a lot of sporting events. I wanted to see if I still had the necessary skills and timing. Timing was a bit “off” to start with but it started to come back as I kept going.
Scented Sun Orchid, Thelymitra macrophylla. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.
October
Frida in her natural habitat. I always keep a camera with standard lens handy in the house for grab shots like this. For a long time it’s been my old Canon 5d and the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens. The combo maybe twenty years old now and considered very low tech by today’s standards but it is capable of delivering beautiful results.
Leopard Orchid, Thelymitra benthamiana. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.
The joys of parenting. A juvenile Kanamit or Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxxena) demanding to be fed by it’s parent. York, Western Australia.
November
Wayan or White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
December
Kakara or Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Bambon or Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
The best bit about putting this together is that it made me realise that despite all that was going on the year wasn’t a washout, I did manage to produce some photographs I’m happy with.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you all have a happy, prosperous, and above all safe 2024.
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