My eldest daughter and I spent a day at the Western Treatment Plant – and what a fabulous day it was.
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 1600
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM
We watched as this beautiful swan preened itself in one of the ponds. This is one of my favourite photographs ever. I can still hardly believe how so many variables all appeared in one shot: the curve of its neck, the drops of water, the tiny ripples from the drops, the ruffled feathers of its wings and lower neck, and, of course, the amazing reflection. The cloud cover meant that the water looks almost white, giving the image a high key, ethereal look. I name some of my images and have called this one Poetry in Motion. I’m not sure whether it’s the perfect name and would welcome your thoughts or suggestions.
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 1600
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM
I like this shot too, the gentle way the swan is looking back. They are such graceful, elegant birds – until they upend themselves and leave just a comical triangle protruding from the water! Their calls are haunting and beautiful. I always feel a joyous calmness as I watch them.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1600
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM
This Little Pied Cormorant was patiently drying its wings on the Little River. The overcast day doesn’t do much for this image but I still think it’s cute.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1600
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM
With the smaller birds it’s much trickier to photograph them in poor light (I have shared heaps of beautifully lit shots of this species if you’d like to search in the box above). We saw heaps of these sweet little birds.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM
I usually stop at the Borrow Pits for lunch but the day brightened, a little, and we stopped near some rocks instead. Hopping about on the rocks were a few different species including a gorgeous Yellow-rumped Thornbill.
The Western Treatment Plant at Werribee is one of Victoria’s twelve Ramsar sites. Back in 1971 there was a convention at Ramsar, in Iran, that set up a system of protecting wetlands of international importance. The waders have headed to the northern hemisphere to breed, we only saw one Sharp-tailed Shearwater that is over-wintering here. The waders usually start returning in August.
I feel very lucky to be able to visit the WTP, and the visit with my eldest daughter was especially brilliant. I wouldn’t usually go on such an overcast day but it was perfect in every way.
Happy birding, Kim
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Your photo tells more than thousand (swan-) poems. 😉 Beautiful!
That’s a lovely comment Sean, thank you, Kim
I like your name for that stupendous shot Kim because its kind of mesmerising with how much more I see in it as I look.
Thank you Tess. I usually prefer one word names, so maybe Grace, or Elegance, or something more like that but I couldn’t make anything work for this one. Perhaps I should have gone with Poetry but that could be a bit too obscure. So, again, thank you!
Wonderful images again, Kim. How lucky that you decided to make the trip even though it was overcast. The photo of the swan takes my breath away. Magnificent!!!
It was so lucky Margot. The trip was more about spending time with each other rather than photography, and yet that exquisite photograph emerged from it. I’m so glad you like it too.
Hello Kim
I was fortunate to work at the Tamar Island Wetlands near Launceston, Tasmania in my last job, which was home for many Black Swans. Their grace and beauty never failed to impress aside from when they upended themselves to feed😊. Your post was very poetic and the love for your eldest daughter shone through your words. The pic of the YellowRumped Thornbill is a gorgeous palette of soft subtle hues with the bird clearly defined. I love it. Very glad that you are once more enjoying the outdoors bringing us joyful posts.
What a fantastic place to work! Just about every day you’d have seen something new. It’s so funny how swans can go from ‘grace and beauty’ one moment, to comically ungainly the next. It was my daughter who noticed the colours in the rocks as we drove past. I’ve driven past those rocks with hardly a second glance every time I’ve visited the WTP. Thank you for your kind words and shared stories Alison, they are much appreciated, Kim
What an absolutely magical day. Heart warming, distress easing – and in perfect company too.
You’ve described it perfectly EC. And because of how overcast it was I didn’t expect to get any photographs I liked, it was magical.
I’ve just noticed the time you sent your message, I hope it wasn’t a sleepless night.
Sleep is a huge issue for me at the moment. 3.30 seems to be when I am up for the day. Obscenely early, but helped immensely by beautiful images like these.
It is horribly early, but does help explain the stunning dawn shots that you capture while most of us are oblivious. I hope the sleep issue resolves itself soon, thinking of you, Kim