It was the first day of May and the weather was improving on that Sunday morning, much better than the windy, chilly Saturday. I had enjoyed a wonderful paddle on Lake Burley Griffin with an atmospheric mist coming off the lake and clear blue skies allowing the sun to light the wisps. After my kayak, I took my time loading the car, just enjoying the slow beat of life on the lake. While I was enjoying the leisurely pulse of life a beautiful Black Swan swam slowly toward my beached kayak. I was unsure what was going on and if I would have to shoo the large, dark bird off my kayak so that I could load it onto my car. However the bird swam along the kayak’s side before turning around to swim back. Just after it turned there must have been an itch on its back because it curved the its neck gracefully over to tackle the annoyance deep in its black feathers. In doing so, the sun struck its head lighting the side facing me while other parts of the bird remained in shadow. The bird’s red iris caught the light just as some small beads of water did on its head. I wished I had been slightly lower for the shot but it was a beautiful sight to see just before I had to pack up to return to normal life. It had been a wonderful morning on the lake and I hope that you like the photographs below.
More of this story is on my blog at https://bit.ly/38oN1Fd
Black Swan’s eye catching the morning sun as the bird preens itself
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Steam rising from the water pouring down the spillway of Scrivener Dam
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1600, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC] four shot panorama)
The first rays of the morning sun strike the mist on a ridge of Black Mountain
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
The sun rays striking the mist lying on the waters of Lake Burley Griffin
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Sun has cleared the horizon and is sully lighting the mist on Lake Burley Griffin, 20 minutes after the first rays above
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Rowers emerging from the mist
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Laughing Kookaburra in a tree over the lake
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
Two hot air balloons floating over the lake
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC] two shot vertical panorama)
Kayak bow pointing to the shore
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/14 and 1/320 SEC])
Australasian Darter female reacting to my presence
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Black Swan feeding on the lake side grass
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
The lake was cold that morning and it will stay that way for the next three months or so. Many birds were still be around but it has been a while since I have heard the call of an Australian Reed Warbler, a bird that would have departed for warmer parts. Still, it will be nice to keep going out on the lake to see what I can photograph. I am sure that the Black Swans will still be around and I look forward to seeing how I can photograph them over the coming cold winter months.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the Australian Capital Territory has on offer. All the best until the next post.
