One fine morning in Narooma I decided to head out to photograph. It was the first time in a while that I had been able to get out with a camera. I didn’t have much time so I was not planning to go far. I decided to head straight for the tiny Lewis Island that sat just west of the road bridge over Wagonga Inlet. In approaching the foot-bridge to Lewis Island I saw a lone Pied Oystercatcher standing on one leg atop the white, wooden rail along the footbridge. To me, not only did the rail provided a firm base to rest my camera it also created an obvious leading line guiding the eye to the oystercatcher. I advanced slowly across the bridge, periodically stopping to take some shots, knowing that at some stage the oystercatcher would flee from me. It did not take long for the bird to decide I was too close. First its folded leg came down, then it took a few steps along the railing before it flapped its wings to fly a few metres to the sand on the island. I felt bad for disturbing the bird but glad it had not flown too far.
This is the second post in a series of five looking at different aspects of wildlife at Narooma. In this post I am covering the birds and other animals living on the land surrounding the inlet. I enjoyed my time seeing this wonderful animal life around Narooma and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
More of this story is on my blog at https://bit.ly/Narooma_part_2
Pied Oystercatcher on a fence rail
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Crested Tern on a beach
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 125, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Little Pied Cormorant
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Great Cormorants on a rock
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC])
Pied Oystercatcher caught in the the sun’s morning rays
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1600, 170mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Sooty Oystercatcher
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
White-faced Heron on an oyster lease
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 278mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Striated Heron on a mudflat
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Little Egret wading
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Silver Gull among Soldier Crabs
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 248mm, f/14 and 1/400 SEC])
Red-capped Plover immature on Bar Beach North with all the activity
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/14 and 1/640 SEC])
White-bellied Sea-eagle perched on an oyster lease sign
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 5000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
White-bellied Sea-eagle flying with a fish
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
Australian Magpie
(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])
Crimson Rosella juvenile
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Superb Fairy-wren male
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Eastern Spinebill on a tritomea
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Little Wattlebird on New Zealand Flax
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Bar-sided Skink edging out to the limit of the restaurant verandah
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Tiger Longicorn Beetle
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/13 and 1/400 SEC])
Common Bluetail Damselfly
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Narooma did not not disappoint with bird life. The variety of habitats in that area meant that there were so many different types of birds. It was very relaxing to walk around and watch the birds go about their lives in a beautiful coast setting.
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 south coast of New South Wales has on offer. All the best until the next post, A quiet house with a living garden - Beautiful Narooma Part 3, Summer 2022/23
