White Tern (Gygis alba) breakfast time
Category: Animal Behaviour
During the second week of my visit to Lord Howe Island in November I watched this White Tern Chick everyday after being told where it was by another bird photographer. The chick was mostly left alone during the day at the nesting spot on this dead log but one morning I was lucky enough to see one of the White Tern parents return from fishing to feed the chick freshly caught fish. White Terns feed their chicks on whole freshly caught fish rather than regurgitated fish that is common among many bird species.
Location: Lagoon Beach, Lord Howe Island
Date taken: 11/11/2016
Camera: Sony A7ii
Lens: Sony FE 70-300mm
Shutter Speed: 1/500th
Aperture: f5.6
ISO: 2500
Next generation of Lord Howe Island Woodhens (Hypotaenidia sylvestris)
Category: Threatened Species
Whilst exploring the eastern side of Lord Howe Island we walked along the track between Valley of the Shadows and the Clear Place and there we spotted a pair of Woodhens, waiting quietly beside the track to photograph them we were delighted to see they also had two chicks who were cautiously darting in and out of the safety of the dense foliage on the side of the track. The Lord Howe Island Woodhen is one of only two remaining species endemic to Lord Howe Island, it is a small flightless bird and was abundant until the Island was settled in the 1800’s however the settlers brought with them predators including cats and pigs and at one point there were less than 30 Woodhens left. The population is now closely monitored and numbers are in the hundreds but it remains on the IUCN Red List as an endangered species.
Location: Lord Howe Island
Date taken: 17/11/2016
Camera: Sony a6000
Lens: Sony FE 70-300mm
Shutter Speed: 1/250th
Aperture: f5.6
ISO: 2500
Hiding in plain sight, Masked Lapwing Chick
Category: Animal Habitat
Several pairs of Masked Lapwings (Vanellus miles) nested in the busy foreshore park at Lake Illawarra this year, most people passing by jogging, walking their dogs or picnicking in the park wouldn't have even see the tiny chicks growing up hiding in plain site on the grassy park. It’s a tough location for a tiny baby bird that can’t fly yet and despite it’s attentive and protective parents I don’t think this chick made it, about a week after this was taken the I visited the location again and there was no sign of the Masked lapwing pair or the chick… However the other Masked Lapwing pair in the same park moved their family across the road to a vacant block and I saw one of their chicks grow up and I can only assume fly away with it’s parents.
Location: Lake Illawarra, NSW
Date taken: 1/10/2016
Camera: Nikon D7100
Lens: Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm
Shutter Speed: 1/1000th
Aperture: f5.6
ISO: 110
Curious Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscata)
Category: Monochrome
Experiencing the sound and movement at the Blinky Beach Sooty Tern colony at dawn was amazing. Lying on the beach observing the birds come and go this Sooty Tern turned from a heated discussion it was having with another Tern to look curiously my way for a second and I was able to capture the moment.
Location: Blinky Beach, Lord Howe Island
Date taken: 9/11/2016
Camera: Sony A7ii
Lens: Sony FE 35mm
Shutter Speed: 1/640th
Aperture: f2.8
ISO:1600