Sydney December 2012

Was in Sydney and Tasmania for a few days in mid December 2012.

While in Sydney took time to visit the Sydney Harbour, Opera House and the adjoining Royal Botanic Garden, as well as Darling Harbour.

Here are some of the tame birds which were tolerent enough for me to take their pictures, and some travel pictures of beautiful Sydney. Tasmania will come in later posts.

For this particular trip, I only have a camera phone and a M 4/3 camera with me. Images are taken by Panasonic GF 1 unless otherwise stated. Birds are all wild unless otherwise stated.

Two dogs sit motionless in front of a shop along George Street. The White one has sunglasses on.

A street artist performing at Sydney Central one early morning.

Pictures of Alumni of Sydney Opera House on display.

Male Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata. (Pic by IPhone.)

Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles, a very common bird, can be seen everywhere. Seen some at Jurung Bird Park years ago, and read somewhere that they were breeding there.(Pic by IPhone.)

Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa, a common water bird in Australia. Last recorded in 1885 in Kalimantan Tengah, listed as a scarce vagrant of Borneo, but there was no modern record despite intensive searches in Kalimantan in 1997 and 2000. It may not be valid to still keep this in the Borneo List. (Pic by IPhone.)

 Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa. (Pic by IPhone.)

 

Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa. The red legs and the lack of white on flanks distinguish this from Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus in Borneo. However, I suspect there are some birds in Australia exhibiting white on flanks, as stated in Pizzey's fieldguide.(Pic by IPhone. )

Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus, an abundant bird.This is also recorded in Borneo as escapee. (Pic by IPhone.)

Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa, can be very tame in public gardens due to feeding by visitors. Recorded one time in Borneo at Mahakam Delta in late Nov. 1987(Pic by IPhone.)

Sharing Common habitat.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, with the climbers visible as small dots on top.

The landmark Sydney Opera House under overcast sky.

 The distinct un-Chinese looking stone lion at Sydney China Town.

Prints on display outside Sydney Opera House.

 Darling Harbour at noon.

A giant cruise ship berth at Sydney Cove.

Monorail at Darling Harnour

Clock tower showing 5.30 pm with high afternoon summer sun, it would be dusk in Tawau at that hour.

Darling Harbour with a Santa on top of the floating restaurant.

Juv. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae.

Adult Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae.



Silver Gull is a very common gull, it is increasingly inhabiting settlements and places with availability of food scraps and garbage. They came to pick up french fries thrown to them while I was having some McDonald at Sorell.

Aboriginal artists at Circular Quay.

Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos, smallest of the Austalian Cormorant. This one flew in to perch behind the Aboriginal artists for a little while.

Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca, photogrpahed here in public garden and is very approachable. 

Silver Gulls are seen here congregating near someone who sits down with food package, apparently they know about it.

 Little Penguin Eudyptula monir (Captive)

 Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae (Captive)

 Plumed Whistling-duck Dendrocygna eytoni. (Captive) Much prettier looking than our Wandering Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arcuata.

 Reef in Sydney Sealife Aquarium (GF 1 with Voigtlander f0.95 lens)

 Reef in Sydney Sealife Aquarium (GF 1 with Voigtlander f0.95 lens)

Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala. A common roadside and garden bird.

 

That is all for the Sydney episode, Tasmania will come next.

 

Happy birding.

Photodocument of Wild Birds of Borneo.

Standard References for my blog.