The weather over the last few weekends of July then into August was generally wet and overcast, in line with that old saying of “good weather for ducks.” Because of those conditions, I had not been out photographing for a few weekends so I was really missing something. Although Sunday, 1 August, was another drizzling and overcast morning I decided to go photographing regardless. I could wait for perfect weather but who knew when that would come. Besides, I would not always have perfect weather so I had better practice with less than ideal circumstances so that I was ready to photograph the beauty of nature in all climatic conditions. With that resolve I headed to one of my favourite spots, the nearby Callum Brae Nature Reserve. Over the few years that I have been photographing I was used to seeing Callum Brae as a dry habitat but the rain over the last 18 months had given new life to it. I was keen to see how the environment was changed with rain falling. If I found no other animals, I knew that I would see ducks. Despite the scattered showers and overcast conditions I thoroughly enjoyed my morning wandering around the beautiful but soggy reserve. I hope that you like the photographs below.
Stream overflowing across a path under cloudy skies
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 16mm, f/22 and 0.8 SEC])
Rain created stream flowing over rocks into a small wash-away
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 24mm, f/22 and 10.0 SEC])
Rainbow Lorikeet high in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Interesting old, gnarled and burnt hollow eucalyptus tree
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 160, 35mm, f/4.5 and 1/100 SEC])
Moss covered rocks
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 400, 35mm, f/8.0 and 1/80 SEC])
Immature Grey Butcherbird in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Noisy Miners objecting to the butcherbird’s presence
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Australian Wood Duck female with a male behind her
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 3200, 360mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Female Australian Wood Duck calling from a tree while some rain drops fall
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 3200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Algerian Iris in the garden
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/14 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash with 8 image focus stack)
Mother possum and joey, with the joey drinking milk
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)
The other Brushtail Possum, probably a male, ventured to the ground
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 330mm, f/8.0 and 1/180 SEC] with Canon 430EX III-RT flash)
Male Gang-gang Cockatoo that paid me a visit to brighten up the lockdown
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/7.1 and 1/200 SEC])
