Werribee’s Western Treatment Plant, affectionately known as the poo paddocks, is a 10,500 hectare Ramsar wetlands with over 300 bird species recorded, with Brolga being one of the most hoped for sightings. I saw ten Brolga, along with seventy-nine other species when I teamed-up last week with Des from Australian Bird Tours.
Watching ten Brolga foraging in a field of stubble was a definite highlight. They are omnivorous so were probably after seeds, grasshoppers, other insects, frogs and small reptiles. I’d like to share one of these photographs on my facebook page but can’t decide which one, so if you have a preference please let me know. I love the stately pose in the shot above, and the beautifully blurred (apart from the focal plane) field of stubble.
But there’s something pretty incredible about this flurry of feathers that were caught in the wind.
The sun was very low as this Brolga strode across the stubble with its wind-ruffled feathers, and its bill ready to capture something ‘delicious’.
I was using the 600mm prime lens so couldn’t get more than two Brolga in a shot at one time. I like the way these two appeared to be synchronising their preening.
As we turned around the full moon was just rising above a bank of clouds. It was incredibly bright so when I lowered the ISO to 200 it plunged the darkening sky into blackness.
The exciting news is that Des has asked me to occasionally join his bird tours to the treatment plant to offer a bird photography masterclass alongside his brilliant birding tours. If you’re tempted to treat yourself, or someone you care about, to a magnificent day out then you’ll find the details here: https://www.australianbirdtours.com.au/bird-photography-masterclass
Happy birding, Kim
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