Tag Archives: Oak Street Wetland

Australian Grebe in breeding plumage

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Australasian Grebe
Australasian Grebe

The Australian Grebes have shed they winter coat and put on they breeding plumage. In past years, the Grebes have built their nest at the Oak Street Wetland and produced a few chicks.

This year, the Grebe number seemed to be lower. At one point, I observed 3 Grebes but, recently, only 1 Grebe had been seen. Hopefully, there is at least another Grebe hiding in a nest in the midst of the reeds.

These photographs of the same Grebe is taken on 3 November 2024.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/500s f/6.3 ISO5600

Eurasia Coot in a windless morning

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Eurasian Coot

This photograph of an Eurasian Coot was taken on 3 November 2024. As I recalled, the wind was light but weather was cloudy. The pond at the Oak Street Wetland was clam. This provided me with an opportunity to capture a fairly low key image of this Coot.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/500s f/6.3 ISO6400

Hardheads at Oak Street Wetland

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Hardhead (Male)

Hardheads are native Australian ducks. Although not always present at Oak Street Wetland, they can be found there most times.

On 27 October 2024, about 6 of them was observed at the Wetland. This male Hardhead posed for me by swimming across the break in the reeds as I held the camera low close to the edge of the pond. The sun was behind the cloud, so I wasn’t fortunate enough to have light like this photograph. Perhaps next time one of these Hardheads can pose for me again with better light.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/640s f/6.3 ISO2000

A Little Pied Cormorant in flight

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Little Pied Cormorant

I have not seen any Cormorants at the Oak Street Wetland for some time. We normally have the Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant and, on occasions, Great Cormorant at the wetland.

On 21 October 2024, this Little Pied Cormorant was spotted. It circled the wetland a couple of times which gave me an opportunity to capture it in flight. I like how it was back-lite by the sun which gave it highlights on the outline of its body and wings.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/3200s f/6.3 ISO5600

Beautiful morning light on the Eurasian Coot

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Eurasian Coot

On the morning of October 2024, the light of the dawn was truly magnificent.

I was at Oak Street Wetland, just across the road from Trin Warren Tam-boore, when this Eurasian Coot glided across a break in the reeds.

I hand-held the camera and pointed the lens at the Coot near the water’s edge and took this photograph. I don’t know why I don’t have many photographs of the Eurasian Coot. Perhaps it is too common a bird. However, I would considered this photograph as one of my best. It leaves me wonder why I have not tried to take a photograph like this in the past. I will definitely look out for light such as this in the future.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/500s f/6.3 ISO250

Australasian Darter at Oak Street Wetland

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Australasian Darter

Earlier in the year, a male Australasian Darter made Oak Street Wetland it’s temporary home. This photograph was taken on 11 March 2024. When the Darter had his back towards me, I sneaked up behind him and positioned myself close to the water’s edge. To my surprise, he started turning around. That allowed me to take this frontal photograph of the Darter. Surprisingly, he didn’t realised that I was there until I stood up to leave.

The 800mm lens caused the shot to be quite tight. A 600mm lens would have been ideal in this situation. I was also in a squatting position to take the photograph through the viewfinder. In retrospect, I should have try taking this picture using the flip screen of the camera and held it lower just above the water. However, it could make it difficult to position the Darter within the frame.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/500s f/6.3 ISO6400

Black Swans at Royal Park

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Black Swan

Black Swan

A pair of Black Swans appeared at Royal Park (Oak Street Wetland) on 31 May 2024 for two days. They then disappeared and appeared again in the next few days. It is not clear if they will stay. They appear to be used to people. I suspect that they must have came from a park where they have been given food.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ f/6.3 1/800s ISO320 (left) ISO360 (right)