Perth Birdlife
With the Swan river coursing through Perth, and with so many little lakes dotted around the suburbs, we have an abundance of bird life of all kinds of varieties here.
Some of my favorite photos of birds have been taken around the waters of Perth. On a clam, clear day, sky reflecting off the water makes for a perfect background for photo of some of the birds. the Here are three of my favorites I have taken while about and about, enjoying the outdoors.
The Willie Wagtail
The Willie Wagtail is the largest, and most well-known Australian fantail. It is distinguished form the other fantails by its black throat and white eyebrows. His name comes from the way he wags his tail from side to side when he lands, or stands still for a split second. They are cute little birds and aren't afraid to take on the ravens, or even walk around you while you're standing in the parks.
This picture is one of my favorite water-background shots because of the way the blue background really brings the bird on the branch into the forefront, with no distractions. The blue offsets the black and white, adding a nice color to what could otherwise be a dull photo.
The Pacific Black Duck
These ducks are probably the most common species of duck in the Perth region. Wherever there is a body of water, you are likely to find a few of these swimming around. They are quite used to people, and it is quite easy to get them to take a piece of food from your hands. Unfortunately some people get carried away and throw too much food into the lakes, which sinks and can cause unwanted pollutants and Bacteria to grow in the waters, posing a health risk to the birds. Many lakes now have warnings not to through bread or other food into the water for this reason.
Again, the blue water makes this photo look so peaceful while the duck glides through the water, leaving the smallest of wakes behind.
The Pelican
There are a number of Pelican colonies along the coast, one being on Penguin Island, just a short drive south of Perth along the coast.
With the pelican colony so close, you will often see squadrons of pelicans flying around, and occasionally come down and land on some of the larger lakes in the suburbs. These are awesome birds to watch as they glide in for a smooth landing.
This guy was a bit of a poser, and seemed to enjoy the attention he got. The blue background is not as strong, but the color it adds remains a source of brightness to the shot.
Perth is a really fantastic place to live and raise a family, and it seems the birds would agree too.
Thank you for reading my post, I hope you enjoyed the photos.