Summer daylight saving time has ended on the east coast of Australia.
The autumn sun and still mild days are welcome.
I took my long lens and bicycle and went bird watching on a near perfect day.
Hope you enjoy the photos.
White Faced Heron
Spoonbill
Australian Pelican
Black Swans
And some passing ducks
I’ve long lusted after a long lens. One of those ones that give beautiful bird photos.
I have finally bitten the bullet and invested of a 75 -300 telephoto lens.
I have to admit as I’m a piecemeal adventurer I’m also a piecemeal photographer and I’m going out on a limb here to share some of my initial photographs with my new lens
Most are really sharp some not as sharp as I would like. It’s certainly different shooting hand held with such a long lens.
In doing my research I learned a new word- Bokeh. This is the blurred background that a long lens gives. I think the next two images give a good example.
The flying tern and resting cormorants are sharp against blurred background.
While my blog has plenty of photographs, I call my style ‘words and pictures’ where I try, using these mediums, to give a sense of what I’m seeing and feeling in the places I visit.
I use Olympus (now OM) cameras and lenses. I found this blog very helpful in choosing and using my new lens; https://robinwong.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-day-at-frasers-hill-with-mzuiko-75.html?m=1
So friends and followers I look forward to adding some long lens elements to my next adventure blogs.
Addendum
It is still cold and blustery in Melbourne for Spring. So took another walk at the Newport Lakes Urban Forest.
It’s wonderful to have this forest and its birdlife so close to the centre of a big city.
On a clear warm spring day with a touch of summer in the air there is no better place to head the down the Great Ocean Road for a ride with a friend.
One of my favourite stops on the Great Ocean Road is Wye River, a beautiful beachside village.
The Wye General Store Cafe is a great spot for lunch and a cold beer on a hot day.
I should have gone for a swim in the Southern Ocean while there but the riding was just too good.
Mid week, little traffic, no wind and warm on this beautiful road. Perfect biking conditions.
So back home it was on the bicycle and down to Williamstown Beach, my local, for a dip.
The weather is still going to be volatile in Australia’s south east but summer is definitely in the air.
And on a warm evening Melbourne shows off her colours when you look across the bay from Williamstown.
The Noon Flowers are in full bloom at the salt Marsh in the Jawbone Reserve.
Also the water birds are returning to the mangroves and mudflats to feed and breed. The wet conditions in inland Australia may mean that some birds may not come to the coast but stay in the inland wetland. But it was great to see some arrivals like;
Spoonbills;
Egrets;
White faced herons;
And the old friend that rarely leave, the Australian Pelican. This one was catching a fish. Hunting, priming, then strike. Two attempts for two fish.
There are also beautiful views in and from the reserve.
Another sign of spring is finally here was the nice turn up of Guzzis at the monthly coffee catchup on Saturday.
A collection of bikes at the coffee kiosk in Lygon Street an Italian Hub in Melbourne
While it’s still a battle for Spring to kick winter out the door, it will prevail. Such is the cycle of the seasons. Meanwhile way up north in Queensland. Julia Creek has experienced its hottest ever October day- 43.9c.
When travelling in Europe people ask me – What is the weather like in Australia? I answer – It depends where and when. The above is a good example of why!
Its been a wet spring in Australia with floods right across the country. Even parts of Australia that is normally desert is in flood.
In the little part of the country that I call home, Melbourne, has had its fair share of rain and at one of the local fields the new sport bicycle water skiing has been invented. And a fun sport for the family as we can see.
But for me my cycle trail is often blocked at the causeway at Koroit Creek Estuary which floods at high tide.
One of the quaint aspects of this little part of Melbourne is the little fishing villages up the little inlets.
There are breaks in the rain and that is an opportunity of enjoying the aspects of beauty of my part of Port Philip.
I hope you enjoy this little aspects as well.
