(and sometimes the beast!)

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14.6.14

WORKPLACE WONDERS....

 I've posted before about the creek that runs behind the building where I'm employed and how wonderful it would be to just sit on the balcony for 8 hours instead of going inside to actually work.  Much more entertaining anyway.  I take photos all year of the birds, insects, fish, turtles etc that entertain me; above is the first dragonfly I've managed to snap of the multitudes that zoom around.  He must have been tired.

  Yesterday I got to sit at the window that gives me a view down the street of some nesting osprey on an antenna which is at least 600m away.  On the left is one of the better shots (I have more than a hundred) of one coming in to land and scaring off a crow.  I was even privy to a bit of love making, and was actually snapping off the camera through the window from my desk while talking on the phone. This photo is a bit grainy because I was further from the (dirty) window and they'd have been moving about a bit which doesn't help the focus.
Here they are a little closer.  One day I worked out that I could probably see them from the shopping centre.  I went up to the top floor but anywhere I could see out a window, they were blocked by trees. In the end I took these from the walkway behind the shops and although I was closer, they were higher than my first floor vantage point at work. Would love to see if there are babies but I guess if I sprung them mating yesterday, then the babies have gone?  These birds are very entertaining. I've also watched them come back back with fish which they promptly rip to bits on the edge of the "nest". The ground below the antenna would be littered with bits of fish.
A good day yesterday because as I was getting into my car, I noticed a butterfly landing on some lilly pilly. I make up a calendar each year for the office and have limited the photos for it to only those things which we see around our building so this slightly tattered butterfly was quite a bonus.  
      There are fish in the creek and I'm told by the lads at work that these are mullet.

And someone thought that these guys might be lung fish, but I'm not sure. Always thought they were eels.  The photos I've seen of lung fish are not exactly the same and is a bit hard to tell looking down on them.
There are always ducks on the creek and the Pacific Black Duck would be the most common.  I was watching this one have a bath and couldn't resist the flashing iridescent green under the wing.  Almost a fan dance!
 We occasionally get pelicans fly in, of course it's not that far from the sea and I daresay they enjoy the variety of food.
A lot of my colleagues thought these little guys were just ducklings but I've asked Mr Google and discovered they are Australian grebe.
 Another bonus yesterday while I was at lunch. I was lucky enough to get a shot of this beautiful rainbow lorikeet enjoying his lunch of melaleuca or paper bark flowers. They don't come around a lot and are usually at the back of the trees, lost in foliage.
Another regular visitor are the egrets and this one was caught flying away. Bit glary because he is sooooo white.  Not at all grubby looking like the ibis which nest in the trees across the creek.
Looks like there will be lots to choose from for this year's calendar eh?

11 comments:

  1. Some lovely photos here (Pams sister) there are two talented ladies in the one family. Thanks for sharing.
    Chris ( Pams friend) :-)

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  2. You are very welcome Chris, thanks for the compliments and for visiting. She is very good isn't she?

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  3. Hi Sandy, I have to say what a great workplace you've got with all that beautiful scenery and action going on.
    Love the Osprey pics. Great result, especially when taken through a window! That antenna was begging for a nest wasn't it - perfect shape.
    The duck doing a fan dance - fabulous reflections.
    Loved your post, cheers now :D)

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    1. Very kind Susan thank you. It is much lovelier out on the balcony than inside of course! It was ages before I realised that the ospreys were nesting; was just entertained by their comings and goings until the new Canon with a longer zoom showed me the nest. Nice to get a duck doing something other that swimming too.

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  4. Wow, great photos! Don't think I've seen that much detail on a dragonfly before, and the lorikeet and butterfly are so pretty! Great work :)

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    1. Thanks Di, cameras today make quite a difference and of course that the dragon fly sat still! Thanks for visiting.

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  6. All so beautiful Sandy! Outdone yourself yet again! That calendar will look outstanding me thinks. Hope I'm getting one too? Or does the family get a different line up? ;) ♥

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  7. Thank you my dear. You get the family one which will probably include a couple of these. The work one is only things that are seen or can be seen from and around the building.

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  8. Your photos never cease to amaze me. What lens do you use for your close up work?

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    1. Wow Badger, I am flattered, thank you. Now have to confess that I don't have a separate lens for macro, using my new Canon which has fantastic zoom setting (ergo the nesting osprey) but I can't seem to manage macro setting well on it so have been standing back and zooming in. Probably better for insects because macro means getting a bit too close and spooking the subject. Guess what might be going to Vienna next year during one of those European cruises. What a shame you've moved on, will have to badger Merisi instead!

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