Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

G'day again, it's good to be back in action with a new memory card. I still haven't been able to recover lost photos from the corrupted card.

There has been a large group of these Sulphur-crested Cockatoos hanging about along the highway at Toowong.

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Striated Pardolote

This is a back up photo I've been saving for a rainy day. Not only is it raining today, but I've lost Christmas eve wildlife photos and Christmas day family photos because my memory card failed! I hope to be able to run some recovery software, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Oh, the frustration!

Hover Fly

A couple of Hover Flies join the Mile High Club.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 90mm : iso200

Common Ringtail Possum

These guys, as the name suggests, are common in Brisbane. Unfortunately, you often see them as road kill almost as often as you see them running across power lines. They also like to drive my dog mad by running up and down the back fence.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4.5 : 70mm : iso200

Tawny Grassbird

This is another photo for my stay near Lismore. As my feild guide says, this guy is a "Warbler of long grass and reeds". Which is exactly where I found him.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

I was a bit excited to see this bird and get a good photo, as it is the first finch I think I have ever seen in the wild. I came across it on a farm at Lismore, while it was flying in and out of the paddock collection material to build, what I'm guessing, was a nest. It was funny to watch it cutting and pulling at the stem of grass before flying back into the paddock with its prize.

Nikon d70 : 1/400 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Green Treefrog

I went to a farm near Lismore on the weekend and found dozens of these Green Treefrogs in the garden. I had to be quick in taking photos because of the constant rain.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Pale-headed Rosella

There have been a few of these around the Ithiaca and Enoggera creek area, usually seen in pairs or family groups.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 300mm : iso200

Graphic Flutterer

The Graphic Flutterer (Rhyothmis graphiptera) has a weak flight, fluttering and gliding and due to its markings is described as "unmistakable"

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Blue-banded Bee

The Blue-banded Bee is common in Brisbane gardens. They are solitary, but will nest in groups. They excavate burrows in sheltered areas. This photo is of the males, who will sleep in clusters, clinging to twigs or grass stems.

Watching the coming and goings of the guys as they started to settle in for the night, I noticed that as a new arrival worked its way up and down the line to find a spot, the bees that had already settled would kick out at it to move it on.

Nikon d70 : 1/125 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Creasted Pigeon

Also known as the Creasted Bronzewing. You can recognise them in flight by the distinct whistle of there wings.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Giant Grasshopper

It was a case of seeing who would blick first! I think I won, because I got to walk away with a great photo.

nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 90mm : iso200

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

There are lots of these birds around my neighbourhood, not surprising really, since they are common throughout the country.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Fly

Just thought this was a nice shot.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 90mm : iso200

Pick-a-boo Grasshopper

This fella was playing pick-a-boo with me in the the backyard.

Nikond70 : 1/250 : f/8 : 90mm : iso200

Usually I will miss a day here or there in putting up a post and not be too bothered, but right now I am trying to post, I've been trying through out the day and now it's late and I'm tired and this crap blog still isn't uploading any photos.

And they call this the all new revised beta (better?) blogger.

Bullshit!

Corella In Flight

Even though I've featured the Corella a few days ago, I thought this would have to be my photo of the month. I took it at the time as the last Corella photo, and I couldn't beside which one to post.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso320

Blue-eye Lacewing

Nymphes myrmeleonides is common during October to March. Males may emit a pungent, musky odour when disturbed.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Little Corella

I found a little park in Stafford that had few trees, but lots of hollows in them. These hollows make great nests for the Little Corella (amoung others). These two were doing a lovely ying and yang love dance with each other.

Nikon d70 : 1/800 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso320

Bellminer

They say that these birds are more often heard than seen, but I managed to spy out a few today at Brisbane Forest Park. I heard many more. They actually sound like submarines "pinging" each other.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Shieldbug

I've been a bit slack lately. Enjoying holidays and not having to worry about work or any other commitments.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4.2 : 90mm : iso320

Weevil?

I'm not 100% sure, but I think this is a weevil. Found it and a mate on a wattle tree in the Bank Street Reserve. This photo was taken before the mating commenced!

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Willie Vs Kookaburra

These two Willie Wagtails were upset with this Kookaburra for some reason (probably territory rights) and took turns snapping at its tail feathers.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Damselfly

I can't seem to get away from these guys. I was walking through swarms of them today around Kedronbrook.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/11 : 90mm : iso200

Native Bee

This bee is coming back to the hive in a tree trunk. Also known as the Stingless Bee and Sugar Bag Bee. It is very small, measuring in at 4mm and while they don't sting, they defend the nest by swarming and biting. And for those of you who like macadamias, you can thank these guys for their job of pollination.

Nikon d70 : 1/100 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Caterpillar

Posting this for no other reason than I like the colours.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Damselfly

There are so many different species of these guys in South East Queensland (about 130 infact), I never know which one I've seen and taken photos of and which one I haven't. They all look nice anyway.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Spangled Drongo MKII

I don't usually post a photo of a something I've already featured on my blog, but after my comment yesterday about always getting a better image after I've put up a post, I just had to let you see that Murphys Law is still in play! This was one of the first photos I took today.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 300mm : iso200

Spangled Drongo

I'm still trying to get a shot of this bird front on and in full sun. No doubt, as is the case most times, I'll post this photo and end up getting a better image in the next few days. Oh well.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 230mm : iso200

Giant Grasshopper

I featured a baby version of this grasshopper last month. Apparently it has several life stages or "instars" where it sheds its skin and grows bigger. This one is about half way grown. They start off being around 5mm and grow to 60-90mm, making it the largest grasshopper in Australia. Also known as a Hedge grasshopper or Giant Valanga.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/11 : 90mm : iso200

Beetle

There were a couple of these guys on the plant neighbouring the praying mantid that I showed yesterday. I haven't made a positive ID yet, but I'm guessing it'a a leaf beetle.

Nikon d70 : 1/100 : f/5 : 90mm : iso200

Praying Mantid

I saw this little guy on the day that I got drenched in the rain, and given the prevailing conditions, I was too scared to change my lens to get a photo. When I went back the next day, when the rain had stopped, it was still waiting.

Nikon d70 :1/320 : f/10 : 90mm : iso200

Hunting Flight Sequence

Just thought I'd share with you the whole sequence I shot yesterday of the White-bellied Sea Eagle hunting a bat.

I recommend you click on the photo to view the larger file.

White-bellied Sea Eagle

Getting this photo was case of being at the right place at the right time. I was actually on the other side of the river, when I heard the bats on Indooroopilly island making a commotion. I paddled across and spied this White-bellied Sea Eagle sitting in a dead tree. I managed to get my camera up in time to catch it taking off and I kept snapping shots as it dived into the mangroves and came out the other side carrying a bat. Awesome!

Nikon d70 : 1/1600 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso400

Red-backed Wren

This is the male partner of yesterday’s bird. It had started raining by this stage and you can see a few streaks of rain the background. My 300mm lens actually copped it a bit, when I went to use it today, I discovered that moister had gotten into the lens at fogged it all up. A few hours in a plastic bag with some desiccant and it's was good as new. Phew!

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Female Red-backed Wren

The Red-back wren has the distiction of being the smallest of Fairy Wrens, and the female has the added title of being the plainest coloured wren. I took this photo moments before being caught in a down pour of rain. The camera gear managed to survive, but I was soaked to the bone!

Nikom d70 : 1/250 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Brown Paropsine Beetle

The Brown Paropsine Beetle is also known as the Acacia Leaf Beetle. When they sense danger, they hide their legs and antenna under their body. This guy must have gotten a fright from me shoving my camera in its face!

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Juvenile Striated Heron

This is the young version of the Striated Heron I posted up the other day. The Striated Heron can been found in coastal regions from Shark Bay in WA, up and all the way around the other side of the country to southern NSW.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Silver Orb Spider

Quite a pretty looking spider I reckon, reasonably friendly too, as there are no recorded bites (to humans anyway!). Weaves a circular web (hense "orb"), which tends to be weak.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 90mm : iso200

Striated Heron

Another one from the kayak. The Striated Heron is also known as the Mangrove Heron or Bittern. It is seldom seen upright, but rather it keeps its body horizontal while skulking among the mangrove roots.

Nikon d70 : 1/400 : f/5.6 : iso200

Crane Fly

I been down in the creekbed again, it is mostly dry now,but there are still plenty of insects about. When I first saw this Crane Fly, I thouhgt it was a giant mutant mozzie!

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Australian Darter

I went kayaking with the camera again this morning and came across this Darter sunning itself on a dead tree that had fallen into the river.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Flowers

I don't know what flower these are, but they are planted all over town.

Nikon d70 : 1/125 : f/5.6 : 65mm : iso200

Shieldbug

This is one of 4 baby shieldbugs I found in the back garden.

Nikon d70 : 1/100 : f/4.8 : 90mm : iso200

As an aside, I entred my first photo comp recently and got a highly recommended. The photo was of a flying galah that I posted in August. Save Our Waterways Now ran the comp.

Grasshopper

This guy is quite small, only about 1cm in lenght. I havent been able to ID it, unless it is a baby Giant Grasshopper, as the colour and markings are similar.

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Striped Ladybeetle

Posting this shot more for artistic merit, than anatomical study.

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.8 : 90mm : iso200

Gottcha!

This Jumping spider is only about 10mm in body length and it had no trouble taking down this fly!

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Hide and Seek

I'm thinking that the grass hopper is the aggressor here, other insects seemed keen to get out of its way!

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Flower

More flowers, been one of those weeks.

Nikon d70 : 1/125 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso400

Grey-headed Flying Fox

I finally got the guts to take my camera for a paddle in a kayak. I've wanted to for months, but I've always been too scared of tipping in with the camera. I got one or two good shots this morning near Indooroopilly Island, this picture of some Flying foxes being one of them.

Nikon d70 : 1/800 : f/7.1 : 130mm : iso400

Frangapanny

I've noticed that the ladies like to pick these flowers in the summer time and put it in their hair, often as they walk along the street to work or where ever.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/4.8 : 102mm : iso200