Category Archives: Fauna

Love Birds

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Peter MacDonald

I guess these two wedge tailed eagles are an item. I have seen them soaring around the skies in this area for some time.

One sits atop a surveyors cairn, one of many that are scattered around the Flinders Ranges.

They are usually built high on some rocky hill and are incredibly well made.

They would have to be…some having stood for well over a century.

This wasn’t taken with a zoom lens…just the 23 mm lens of the Fuji X100s.

I had managed to get quite close to the one on the cairn but nearly missed the one passing overhead.

F14, shutter 1/210 sec, ISO 200

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Sea Lion

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Peter MacDonald

Where I come from all animals, kangaroos, euros, wallabies, emus, birds, they all run away when you come near. Even sheep and cows.

So it was a bit unusual to find this rather large sea lion sizing me up as I walked around the sand dunes of the previous post.

It took me a while to become aware that it was right there…not charging back into the sea or disappearing up the beach.

Unaccustomed as I am to these sorts of encounters, we had a good 10 minutes while it posed for me. He/She was pretty relaxed about the whole thing …so relaxed that eventually with a couple of very large and long yawns the photo session was over.

And with that it lay down, rolled over on its back a couple of times to cover himself in sand and went to sleep.

Pretty soon I became bored with the lack of action and went for a walk up the beach in search of perhaps a more lively sea lion.

I returned about 40 minutes later and took this shot.

I did suggest it open its eyes for the photography so that people wouldn’t think it was dead, but a slightly raised eyelid was all I got. So much for wild life photography on the Eyre Peninsula.

The Wings of an Eagle

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Peter MacDonald

I was about 800 metres up, the wedge-tailed eagle was at least that high again.

A 30 knot wind blowing, storm clouds all about.

It hovered almost stationary — completely in control.

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A Tail or Two

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Peter MacDonald

I have been working on a commission at Arkaroola in the northern Flinders Ranges recently. It required an afternoon shot, so mornings were free.

It was a chance to visit a really beautiful waterhole there.

I have taken photos of Arkaroola Waterhole previously in the morning light but when it has been nearly full. You can see one of the images here

Now well into summer the waterhole has contracted to where the water level is quite small.

However it has become an essential part of life for all the wildlife that live in the area.

Before the sun’s rays had reached the rocky crags surrounding the waterhole it wasn’t hard to spot yellow-footed rock wallabies.

I counted eight and took quite a few photos. I’ve used just two that show the little wallaby’s extra long tail – a very handy body part that enabled them to be so nimble across the rock slopes that are their home.

I’ve posted articles about yellow-footed rock wallabies before and how they are still considered endangered.

You can find that on the link here.

However actually photographing them at the water’s edge is a first for me.

Beautiful little creatures in a beautiful location.

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Poolside

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Peter MacDonald

Zebra Finches around an outback stone tank enjoying an unlimited supply of cool water on a 40 degree C day.

I think half of Australia is looking for a cool place today.

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At the Waterhole

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Peter MacDonald

A healthy young euro or walleroo enjoys life along the banks of a creek.

It has got some seriously big ears to grow into.

The Flinders Ranges, especially in the north, generally get summer rains so there’s a good chance the water supply will continue over the coming hot months.

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