Blog Index

18 December, 2020

There’s new street art to be seen in Wollongong. These painted electrical boxes are not far from Wollongong train station.

The libraries are coming back into service and the library at Wollongong has made an effort to celebrate the silly season.

On tele of late the Menulog ad has become an irritant. Now we find ads for it on our trains. Sorry Menulog but I don’t live in a slum so I won’t be bothering with your services. Actually I live in a nice neighborhood. No gangsters or street thugs I know of anywhere near me.

These photos were taken in March 2020 where Bellambi Lagoon meets the beach and the sea. Was this the notorious Ruby Princess? Certainly that is a strong possibility. I have noticed that in December 2020 Ocean Liner companies are trying to get people back onboard Ocean Liners. I take it fares will be cheap.

Occasionally, when you are photographing wildlife a scene occurs that takes you by surprise. There was this Water Rat chewing away on some grass and a female Fairy Wren hopped close by. Not only did the Water Rat fail to pay any attention to this feisty female and so simply got on with his grass chewing but the female Fairy Wren was not in the least worried about the Water Rat being near her. This was taken on the picnic grounds entrance to the walk to Corrimal Beach, NSW Australia.

There are bird species that tend to hang around together. Sometimes you will find a Galah, with a pair of Long-billed Corellas, such as in this photo taken in July 2019 in the park not far from Corrimal High School.

Rarely do I get a photo of a bird in flight I am pleased with, this photo of a pied cormorant taking off from the waters of Towradgi Creek July 2019 being one of those special times. I was probably responsible for its departure since I think it was getting fed up with me taking pictures.

There are times when you don’t want to get too close to a subject. This was definitely the case when I came upon this wasp nest not far from the train station at Corrimal in 2018. I am glad to say I have never been stung by a wasp and would like to keep it that way.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are a common sight on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. Here we have Sulphur-crested Cockatoos enjoying bread given to them by some well meaning person. The bread isn’t all that good for them but, then again, this type of bread may not be all that good for us human either.

There are doves that represent peace and love. I saw such doves when I last visited the Hunter. It was during a wedding. I was not far from where the grapes are grown for the wine. But what does any of this have to do with the Illawarra, the south coast of New South Wales, Australia? Photos I have taken on the south coast of New South Wales over the last five years that really get to me deal with intimacy. Companionship for many species, not just doves, has a lot to offer. There is mutual protection but also the ability to work together to build nests, maintain them and look after young.

Certain species, such as White Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Galahs have an almost human way of going about mating. They cuddle up and groom one another. There is honesty on display that appeals to me. Feelings are not covered up the way they might be among humans. There is no need for that sort of thing in the bird world and it’s so refreshing.

Mind you there can be interruptions in grooming as made clear in these photos of sulphur-crested cockatoos at Corrimal from March, 2019.

No, this photo hasn’t been doctored. That isn’t what I do. It was taken in January, 2019. Rarely do you find a Sooty Oystercatcher without a partner. If you look around you will see the other Sooty not far away, usually within a hundred yards. They move away from one another to look for food then catch up. On numerous occasions, I have come across the same pair at Towradgi Beach. They are one of my all time favorite bird species. They have a grayish-black body, an enormously long red beak and pink legs. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when I first saw a Sooty and they are only one type of Oystercatcher. The Pied Oystercatcher is also amazing to look at. The worry with Sootys and other Oystercatchers is they lay their eggs in the sand and so stray dogs can be a menace to their continued survival.

I have yet to photograph Galahs in the throes of bird sex but not so when it comes to Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and also Kookaburras. With the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos I photographed both parties seemed to be enjoying the moment. A birder some time ago suggested to me that this was not always so.

Butterflies are also known to mate in hot weather. Here is an example of butterflies doing it near Corrimal Beach in 2018.

Right now I have plans in motion to get away from the tele for a while but not my computer or my books. We are getting close to Christmas Day. We are also getting closer to hopefully a better year for us all. I have yet to see Black Cockatoos in the Corrimal and Towradgi area but may catch up with them soon. Cheers!