Category: Blog

  • Best Bird Photos of 2022

    Best Bird Photos of 2022

    A Year of Sharp Eyes and Sharper Talons

    If 2021 was about rediscovering familiar landscapes, then 2022 was about leaning into the unexpected – the moments that unfolded too quickly to plan, too boldly to ignore, and too beautifully not to photograph. This was a year of movement, intensity, and birds with real personality.

    The Scrubfowl on Patrol

    The year opened with the orange‑footed scrubfowl, marching through bright green grass with the confidence of a bird that knows exactly who owns the place. Their purposeful stride and fiery legs made for a scene that felt almost ceremonial – a reminder that even the most common species can deliver a standout moment when the light and timing align.

    A Hobby With a Hunter’s Precision

    One of the most dramatic encounters came with an Australian hobby, locked into the raw focus of feeding on a red‑winged parrot. It was a moment of nature at its most honest – swift, intense, and impossible to look away from. The photo captured not just a raptor, but a story of survival written in feathers and motion.

    Forest Kingfisher: Simplicity Done Perfectly

    In contrast, the forest kingfisher offered a moment of stillness. Perched neatly on a bare stick, it was a study in clean lines and perfect posture. The electric blues, the crisp white chest, the poised stance – sometimes the simplest compositions are the ones that stay with you.

    A Cockatoo With Something to Say

    Few birds express themselves quite like a sulphur‑crested cockatoo, and this one delivered a full performance. Crest fully erected, eyes bright, feathers flared – the photo captured that unmistakable mix of curiosity and attitude that makes the species such a character in Australian backyards.

    The Barking Owl in Broad Daylight

    Spotting a barking owl is always special, but finding one in the middle of the day felt like a gift. Its steady gaze and relaxed posture made for a portrait that feels almost intimate – a rare chance to see a nocturnal hunter in soft daylight, unhurried and unbothered.

    The Fierce Look of the Brown Goshawk

    And then there was the brown goshawk, delivering one of the most intense looks of the year. Sharp eyes, squared shoulders, and a presence that filled the frame – the kind of photo that reminds you why raptors command such respect. It wasn’t just a bird; it was a stare‑down with feathers.

    Looking Back at 2022

    Threaded together, these moments form a year defined by energy and character — birds that strutted, hunted, perched, posed, and glared their way into the lens. Each encounter brought its own spark, and each photo carries a story worth revisiting.

    The Gallery Ahead

    Below is the collection of images that defined my birding year in 2022 – moments of drama, character, stillness, and intensity, each captured in its own fleeting instant. From the scrubfowl marching with purpose to the goshawk’s fierce stare, these photos tell the story far better than words ever could.

    If any shot catches your eye, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to leave a comment, share your favourite image, or tell me which encounter resonated with you the most. Your feedback helps shape the next year of adventures.

    Links to other years

    2019; 2020; 2021; 2023

  • Pied Stilts on the Green

    Pied Stilts on the Green

    A Rare Sight on a Rainy Morning

    After days of steady rain, I wasn’t expecting much from the morning. But as I drove between showers, a small group of Pied Stilts caught my attention – not on the shoreline where they belong, but standing out on open grass. Seeing stilts on turf is unusual enough that I slowed down for a second look.

    Back With the Camera

    I didn’t have my gear with me, so I dashed home, grabbed the camera, and returned hoping they’d still be there. Thankfully, the stilts remained, delicately stepping through the wet green field as if this grassy patch were their natural habitat.

    They weren’t doing anything dramatic, so I focused on composition – spacing between birds, clean lines, and the novelty of that bright green backdrop. The session was peaceful, almost meditative. The images were pleasant and unusual, but nothing hinted at what was coming.

    When the Heron Arrived

    The calm ended abruptly when a Striated Heron flew in and scattered most of the stilts. What followed – the posturing, the theatrics, and the unexpected comedy quickly became the real story of the morning. It was dramatic enough to deserve its own article, which you can read here.

    The Quiet Half of the Story

    This post is about the quieter side of that rainy morning: stilts on grass, soft drizzle, and a rare chance to photograph these elegant birds far from their usual coastal home. Even without the chaos that came later, the stillness alone made the moment worth capturing.

    The Gallery Ahead

    Below is a selection of the frames from that calm session Pied Stilts moving gently across the rain‑soaked grass, sometimes alone, sometimes grouped, and occasionally sharing the field with the heron before everything turned dramatic. These images aren’t about action; they’re about mood, setting, and the unusual sight of shorebirds wandering across a bright green field.

    They form the quiet prelude to a morning that became far more eventful than expected.

  • A Striated Heron Learns Some Manners

    A Striated Heron Learns Some Manners

    A Rainy Week, an Unusual Sight

    Brisbane had been soaked for weeks. The kind of weather where the sky forgets how to stop dripping and every patch of ground turns soft underfoot. I was driving around between showers when something unusual caught my eye – a small flock of Pied Stilts feeding on the grass.

    Seeing stilts on turf instead of mudflats or tidal edges is rare enough, but seeing them feeding comfortably on bright green grass felt like a gift. I am not a fan of photographing birds knee‑deep in mud, so this looked like the perfect chance to capture stilts in a clean, colourful setting for a change.

    I parked, positioned myself carefully, and started working the scene. The results were fine, but nothing that made my heart race. I was just about ready to call it a day.

    The field actually belonged to a small group of Pied Stilts feeding quietly on the grass – an unusual sight in itself. I’ve shared that calmer part of the morning, along with the stilt photos, in a separate post here.

    And then the real story arrived.

    Enter the Striated Heron

    Out of nowhere, a Striated Heron flew in and landed right among the stilts. Instead of settling quietly, it immediately started throwing its weight around. It strutted, lunged and postured, trying to dominate the field like it owned the place. The stilts, elegant as ever, simply stepped aside and kept feeding.

    I thought that was the end of the drama.

    I was wrong.

    The Magpies Had Other Ideas

    A pair of Australian Magpies had been watching the whole thing unfold, and apparently they decided the heron needed a lesson in manners. Without hesitation, they launched into a series of swoops straight at the heron’s head.

    The heron’s reaction was priceless.

    It stretched its neck to full height, fluffed up like a startled chicken, and threw its wings out in a dramatic display that was equal parts defensive posture and pure panic. It looked fierce, ridiculous and theatrical all at once.

    This was the kind of moment you cannot plan for – the kind that explodes into action before you even have time to adjust your settings.

    Most of the Action Happened Just Outside the Frame

    Because the whole thing was so unexpected, a lot of the best action happened just beyond the edges of my composition. But even so, the frames I did capture tell the story beautifully – the tension, the rivalry, the chaos, and the comedy of a heron trying to look intimidating while being bullied by two much smaller birds.

    It is one of the best Striated Heron encounters I have ever witnessed, not because the photos are perfect, but because the behaviour was unforgettable.

    A Reminder of Why Field Photography Matters

    Moments like this are why I keep going out, even in bad weather, even when the light is flat and the birds are uncooperative. You never know when a quiet morning will turn into a story worth telling. You never know when a heron will get humbled by a pair of magpies.

    And you never know when the frame you didn’t expect will become the one you remember.

    The Gallery Ahead

    Below is the series of images that captured this unexpected little drama – a Striated Heron trying to throw its weight around, only to be put firmly in its place by a pair of magpies. Even though much of the action unfolded just outside the frame, the photos still show the tension, the posturing and the comedy of a heron suddenly realising it is not the boss of the field after all.

    These frames are not about perfection – they are about story. They show the moment the heron stretched tall, fluffed up and threw its wings wide, trying to look fierce while two much smaller birds taught it some manners. It is a reminder that even on a grey, rainy day, when you least expect it, nature delivers something unforgettable.

    If any of the shots stand out to you, I would love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share your favourite frame or tell me which part of the encounter made you smile the most.

  • A Year in Feathers: My Best Photos from 2021

    A Year in Feathers: My Best Photos from 2021

    A Year of Returning and Rebalancing

    After several years working in and out of Papua New Guinea, 2021 marked a shift back to spending more time at home in Australia – and with that came a whole new chapter of birding. From the lush tropics of Cairns to the rugged beauty of Groote Eylandt, the year unfolded as a welcome rediscovery of familiar landscapes and an introduction to new ones.

    Settling Back Into Local Habitats

    Some days were spent watching the spectacled monarch flit through shaded gullies or the Australasian grebe bobbing calmly on still water. One of the gentlest highlights was seeing dusky moorhen chicks tottering across lilypads, their tiny feet slipping and scrambling as the adults kept a close, protective watch nearby. The shining flycatcher and sacred kingfisher added flashes of blue and black to the mangroves, while the striated heron, ever elusive, continued its habit of appearing only when it felt like cooperating.

    Coastal Encounters and a Rare Visitor

    Along the coast, the year delivered its own surprises. The black‑naped tern was one of the most memorable — captured in a moment that looked almost angelic, wings spread wide as it swooped in with a tiny fish to feed its chicks. Nearby, the eastern reef heron stalked tidal flats with quiet precision. The standout visitor, though, was the semipalmated plover – a true out‑of‑hemisphere wanderer and the only bird to arrive in Australia from so far abroad that year. The Australasian darter, dramatic as always, spread its wings to dry in the sun as though posing for the camera.

    Tropical Highlights and Familiar Echoes

    Further north, the tropics offered some of the year’s most memorable encounters. The rainbow pitta glowed like a jewel in the undergrowth, while the blue‑faced honeyeater made its presence known with its bold colours and loud calls. The mangrove golden whistler added a warm splash of colour to the dense green, each moment a reminder of how vibrant and varied Australia can be when you take the time to slow down and look closely.

    A Tapestry of Places and Moments

    Threaded together, these moments form a tapestry of habitats, climates, and personalities – a reminder that returning home doesn’t mean slowing down. Sometimes it simply means seeing your own backyard with fresh eyes.

    The Gallery Ahead

    Below is the collection of photos that shaped my 2021 birding journey – a mix of familiar species, rare visitors, and unforgettable encounters from Cairns, Groote Eylandt, and everywhere in between. A few highlights already have their own dedicated write‑ups, including the semipalmated plover, the rainbow pitta, and the great bowerbird, where I’ve shared the full stories behind how those images came together. I hope you enjoy browsing through the gallery, and I’d love to hear which image stands out to you.

    Links to other years

    2019; 2020; 2023

  • A Creekside Encounter: Months Spent with the Azure Kingfishers

    A Creekside Encounter: Months Spent with the Azure Kingfishers

    Interesting Facts About Azure Kingfishers

    • Their plumage is intensely colourful – a deep azure-blue back, bright orange‑rufous underparts, and a white throat spot that stands out when viewed from the front.
    • They have unique white “eye‑spots” on their lores, which appear like two large white eyes from the front and may help deter predators.
    • Their feet are bright red and unusual, with only two forward‑facing toes, unlike most birds that have three.
    • Azure kingfishers are expert divers, plunging from low branches to catch fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and sometimes frogs. They often bash prey against a perch before swallowing it head‑first.
    • They live near calm, clear waterways, including rivers, creeks, billabongs, swamps, mangroves, and estuaries – always close to water with overhanging vegetation.
    • They nest by digging long burrows – up to 80–130 cm – into riverbanks, ending in a chamber where eggs are laid. Flooding can destroy low burrows.
    • They form monogamous breeding pairs, with both parents incubating eggs and feeding chicks.
    • Their flight is fast and direct, and they often bob their heads or flick their wings while hunting, signaling intense focus before diving.

    Discovery Close to Home

    I was lucky enough to stumble upon a pair of azure kingfishers just minutes from home, tucked away along a quiet bend of the local creek. As any wildlife photographer knows, nothing beats working with local birds – familiar ground, predictable light, and the chance to return again and again. So I committed to spending as much time with them as they would allow. What began as a casual discovery turned into several months of observation, as the pair had chosen a soft section of the creek bank to dig their nesting burrow.

    Colours That Never Get Old

    I never tire of photographing these birds. Their colours alone are enough to stop you in your tracks—deep, electric blue set against warm, glowing orange. It’s a combination so bold it doesn’t need a dramatic backdrop; they stand out no matter where they perch.

    Blending In for the Best View

    To minimise my impact, I relied heavily on a ghillie suit and camouflage netting, always keeping a respectful distance and shooting with a long lens.

    From Quiet Incubation to Constant Activity

    Early in the season, when they were incubating, the activity was subtle: one bird slipping out of the burrow, the other slipping in, a quiet exchange of duties. But once the chicks hatched, everything changed. Suddenly the creek came alive with movement. I watched the parents return again and again with tiny fish and freshwater prawns, each delivery disappearing into the darkness of the burrow to feed the growing brood.

    A Story Still Unfolding

    I never did witness the moment the young birds fledged, but that only adds to the sense of anticipation. With a bit of luck, this pair—or perhaps their offspring—will return next season. And if they do, I’ll be ready.

    Sharing the Season’s Highlights

    Below are the best photos from that season—moments that capture the colour, character and quiet drama of this remarkable pair. If you’ve spent time with azure kingfishers yourself, or have stories from your own local patch, feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear about your experiences and observations of these brilliant little birds.

  • Patterns in the Red Dust: Photographing the Australian Netted Dragon

    Patterns in the Red Dust: Photographing the Australian Netted Dragon

    The Australian netted dragon is one of those reptiles that looks like it’s wandered straight out of a Dreamtime tale. Its striking lattice‑like patterning isn’t just for show — it’s a clever bit of camouflage that helps it disappear into the ochre soils and scrubby spinifex of inland Australia. Despite their small size, they’re lightning‑quick on their feet and surprisingly bold, often perching on low branches or fence posts to warm up. They’re insectivores with a big ecological job, keeping local insect populations in check while thriving in some of the country’s harshest, driest landscapes.

    I often find them basking in the sun early in the morning, when the light is soft and the air is still cool. This is the perfect moment to slow down, observe their behaviour, and carefully plan the shot. When they’re settled into their morning routine, they tend to hold a pose just long enough to frame the composition, adjust the angle, and capture the fine detail of their patterned scales. It’s one of those rare wildlife encounters where patience genuinely pays off.