A sub-adult Silver Gull was biting off more than it could chew, literally. From my kayak I could easily see the brown splotches on the bird’s plumage so I knew that it was not a full adult but I could not make out the white object that it was struggling with. Initially, I thought that it was a bit of tough fish meet that the bird was trying to tear apart. After zooming-in on a photo I realised that the bird was aggressively trying to break apart a toxic Common Toadfish. The poor fish was puffed-out to its maximum in a bid to scare the bird off, but so far that had not dissuaded this deluded bird to desist with its exertions, which would kill the fish and most likely the bird too after the gull consumed the fish’s flesh. This strange contest started within about five minutes of me pushing out into a rising tide on the Tomaga River under threatening, overcast skies with strong winds rippling the water. It was not the best day to be trying to photograph along the river because the ambient light was so bad and the strong winds meant neither I nor most bird subjects would be completely still. However, that day was the only day that I could make it to the river and the weather was not dangerous so I persisted. I was glad that I did because I really enjoyed my time and saw some fabulously animals. That common bird and common fish in the photograph above reminded me that photographs can come from anywhere but I have to be there to see it. Sorry, the photographs below are not great but I hope that you enjoy them.
More of this story is on my blog at https://bit.ly/3gZURpc
Mixed group of waterbirds opposite the boat ramp
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Juvenile Silver Gull trying out a poisonous toadfish…hopefully, both for creatures, it failed
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/7.1 and 1/640 SEC])
Silver Gull juvenile carrying the puffed-up toado to a quieter location
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Parts of mangrove trees used to make a fence
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 170mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Orange canoe with a paddle tied to a tree on the bank of the river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Seaweed over a log up the river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Oyster farm sign nailed to a mangrove tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Little Black Cormorants perched in a dead tree over the river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Another group of Little Black Cormorants, further up the river, taking off
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
White-bellied Sea-eagle
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Striated Heron adult in the mangroves
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC])
Striated Heron juvenile
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Mangrove tree among a group in a bend in the river
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Mangrove tree further up the river when the rain started to fall
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
White-faced Heron, in the rain, making use of someone’s private jetty
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Close-up view of the tops of an oyster lease as the rain came down
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 263mm, f/10 and 1/500 SEC])
Flooded forest at the turnaround location, but slightly above the level of the river
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 25mm, f/20 and 1.0 SEC])
One of the trees in the area
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 100, 35mm, f/14 and 0.5 SEC])
Boat shed on the river with a canoe ready to go
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2000, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Great Egrets in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 255mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Head study of a Great Egret
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Sydney Rock Oysters on a log
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
Australian Pelican flying in
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Australian Pelican
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 220mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Australian Pelicans lining up for fish guts from a returning angler at the boat ramp
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM [ISO 400, 35mm, f/11 and 1/160 SEC])
Face of the wooden statue in the rain outside of some shops in Mogo
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])
Winter tree and rocks on the way back
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 100mm, f/11 and 1/320 SEC])
