Rainbow Lorikeets may not be true native Western Australian Parrots but they are still beautiful birds, full of personality, and they’re here to stay.
This Rainbow Lorikeet was getting a bit agitated by some local Magpies so he got into some serious foot stamping & wing flourishing. Proof that sometimes you just need to be in the right place at the right time
Rainbow Lorikeet, Scenic Drive, Wanneroo, Western Australia – Photographic Art
Below I will show the progress at various stages of my workflow so you can see how the image processing progresses.
Rainbow Lorikeet – Out of Camera RAW Image
This is the RAW image as produced by the camera (Canon EOS R5 + Sigma 150mm – 600mm) and exported from Lightroom with no changes made. As a general rule RAW images are slightly darker than required to allow for a good overall exposure and maintain the detail in the highlights.
Rainbow Lorikeet – Processed in Adobe Lightroom
Here I have processed the image solely in Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is always my first step for an initial pass of adjustments. In this case adjustments include the Basic tab controls (Colour Profile, Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, etc..) and some tweaks in the Tone Curve tab.
Rainbow Lorikeet – Processed in Topaz DeNoise AI, ON1 Effects & Topaz Sharpen AI
Rainbow Lorikeet – Final Processing in Adobe Photoshop
Finally, I finished the processing of the image in Adobe Photoshop, adding some colour balance, a slight Orton effect and making sure the saturation & levels look good.
Location: This image was taken at Rotary Park, Wanneroo, Western Australia. Camera: Canon EOS R5 + Sigma 150mm-600mm1/3200 sec at f8.0, ISO 5000
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
These Silvereyes were darting & dashing through the bushes between the beach & the coastal walk at the end of Rosslare Promenade in Mindaire, Western Australia.
Along with the Welcome Swallows & Singing Honeyeaters, I was literally surrounded by swooping & fluttering birds, amazing experience 👍
The combination of my 45MP Canon EOS R5 & Sigma 150-600mm lens allowed me to get some amazing shots of these beautiful little birds. Although heavily cropped the detail in these images is amazing.
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1000 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
I’m currently using the R5 set to full manual with auto ISO & I believe this to be an ideal setup for bird/animal photography.
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
While my old 5D Mark II was fine for landscape photgraphy I’m really noticing the difference using the R5 for birds & wildlife. The animal Eye Tracking AF is a real game changer & the high ISO performance is also a big aid in getting the higher shutter speeds.
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/2000 sec, f8, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/2000 sec, f8, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/2000 sec, f8, ISO 1600 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
I know I’ve broken all the “rules” by shooting in the “harsh” midday light with the sun shining in all its glory but I’m afraid I don’t subscribe to the idea that early mornings & late afternoons are the only times to shoot birdlife. I like to see the colour pop and I believe the shadows give the images depth and a sense of reality over the flat and lifeless illustration type images that many bird photographers favour.
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/2000 sec, f8, ISO 500 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1600 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1600 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1250 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1600 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Silvereye, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia – Photographic Art Canon EOS R5 1/4000 sec, f6.3, ISO 1600 with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM ‘C’
Post Processing
All of these images are processed solely in Adobe Lightroom Classic with some colour grading, minimal sharpening & no noise reduction.
My next step will be to select the best images which will be exported to Photoshop CC for some additional tweaking, noise reduction in Topaz Denoise AI, and possibly a touch of ON1 Photo RAW Effects to add the finishing touches.
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
If you’re looking to get some practice for your bird photography skills then Lake Monger Reserve is a great place to visit. Located in the heart of Perth’s northern suburbs you’ll be amazed at the variety & abundance of birdlife that you’ll find here.
Blue-Billed Duck, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Being relatively new to serious bird photography I still have many birds that I have not photographed and just one trip to Lake Monger Reserve gave me the opportunity to capture several new bird species which was very exciting.
Australasian Grebe, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Australasian Grebe, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
The walk around the Lake is very a beautiful 3.5km trail with plenty of photo opportunities, several lookouts and a variety of habitats attracting a wide range of bird species from water birds to parrots, wrens & even Kookaburras.
Kookaburra, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Whilst Lake Monger is a great place for nature & birds don’t expect your experience to be entirely natural or peaceful as this lake is a very popular tourist & suburban walking spot. You will be surrounded by people walking the lake with their earbuds firmly inserted, taking their prams for a walk, or exercising their bikes on the dual-use paths. Much as the experience is not equal to a walk in a National Park up in the hills it is still great to see busy people getting some exposure to nature so I can happily accept the compromise 😃
Australian White Ibis, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
It’s always great to see the Willie Wagtails out and chattering away as they do and there is no shortage of them around Lake Monger allowing for plenty of practice getting that perfect shot.
Willie Wagtail, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Willie Wagtail, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
As spring was in the air there were also a few ducklings parading their cuteness around the lake, and it doesn’t get much cuter than a Pacific Black Duckling 🦆
Pacific Black Duckling, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Duckling, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Duckling, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Duckling, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Ducks, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Duck, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Pacific Black Duck, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Lake Monger is definitely a great place to visit for a walk and to get some amazing bird photos. The 3.5km walk around the lake would normally take easily under an hour but you might want to allow a bit longer and take a few spare memory cards if you plan on taking some bird photos as there really is so much to photograph here.
Blue-Billed Duck, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Blue-Billed Duck, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Did you know that Lake Monger along with Herdsman Lake was once part of a larger series of wetland lakes known as The Great Lakes District? Sadly many of the lakes were reclaimed for farmland, parks & housing in the mid-1800’s 😢 Luckily for us Lake Monger & Herdsman Lake were too large to be drained and so remain with us today as a reminder of the vast wetland lake system that once covered Central Perth.
Dusky Moorhen, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Dusky Moorhens, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Australian Reed Warbler, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Reeds, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Eurasian Coot, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Eurasian Coot, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Little Corella, Lake Monger, Perth, Western Australia
Post Processing
These images were processed using a combination of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Adobe Photoshop CC, ON1 Photo RAW 2020 & Topaz Denoise AI.
Topaz DeNoise AI is a new addition to my workflow that simply works wonders with any unwanted noise present due to the use of higher ISO values.
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
I felt it was time to take my Wildlife Photography to another level so I bought a 600mm lens and WOW, what a difference!
White-winged Fairy-wren, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia
Until recently I have focused more on Landscape than Wildlife Photography, I can’t exactly explain why as I have always loved animals but that’s just the way it happened. I have always had a 70-200mm lens which I would use to photograph wildlife when the opportunity presented itself but as a rule, I had my wide-angle zoom attached to my camera when I was out and about.
However, over the past few years, I have spent more & more time looking for and photographing wildlife. I guess the turning point was when we talked to Native Animal Rescue here in Perth about photographing some of their permanent residents with a view to helping promote the work that organisations such as NAR do to help protect & preserve our native wildlife.
Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo, Native Animal Rescue, Perth, Western Australia
I now have the Wildlife Photography bug, my wide-angle lens is on temporary leave & I have been doing my best to get wildlife photos using my trusty 70-200mm lens. Needless to say the more I did the more frustrated I became, getting close to wildlife is not easy and having to crop your images too heavily can cause quite a loss of quality, even for my incredibly sharp 70-200mm.
So I started looking at alternative lenses to give me that longer reach. Obviously the Canon 100-400mm L II was an option but I wasn’t convinced that 400mm would make enough of a difference so I started researching what long time pro Wildlife Photographers were using. Guess what, they were all using 600mm fixed length primes costing a tidy $18,000+ and weighing in at over 3kg 😲 I’m not quite brave enough to ask my wife to let me spend that sort of cash on a lens just yet 😱
After more research, I also discovered that Sigma & Tamron had started to introduce longer & longer zoom lenses culminating with their flagship 150-600mm models. What’s more these lenses were getting incredibly good reviews for image quality & being at a much more reasonable price point they were an ideal entry into the 600mm club.
Silver Gull, Neil Hawkins Park, Perth, Western Australia
Choosing the Right Lens
Both Sigma & Tamron have 2 lenses in the 150-600mm category with varying price points & features, although they all share a lot in common: f/5-6.3 / Stabilisation / Zoom Lock / Quiet AF Drive / Tripod Mount … Here they are in price order:
Weight: I want to be able to use the lens with or without a tripod and these lenses are not light so weight is very important.
Image Quality: Obviously I want the best image quality I can get.
Build Quality: I also want a lens that feels sturdy and well built.
Features: Lens functionality is an important factor especially regarding Stabilisation & Auto Focus.
Accessories: Not a big factor but something to throw into the mix.
Support: I prefer to buy a brand that is known for good customer service.
Pied Cormorant, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia
After much research, reading reviews, watching reviews on youtube & deliberation I decided to go with the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens. Here are my reasons based on my criteria above:
Weight: The Sigma Contemporary was one of the two lightest lenses at 1.95kg
Image Quality: The Tamron G1 (the other lightest lens) consistently came out at slightly lower quality while the other 3 all seemed very similar.
Build Quality: All 4 lenses seemed to have good build quality with the Sigma Contemporary lacking in the weather sealing.
Features: The Tamron G1 lacks a dedicated panning mode which is the biggest problem I could see.
Accessories: Both Sigma lenses come with carry cases & straps, the Tamrons have neither which I would have a problem with.
Support: From what I have read Sigma appears to come out top in the customer service area.
New Holland Honeyeater, Gidgegannup, Perth, Western Australia
This is not intended to be a review of these lenses in any way, simply my subjective opinion based on the research I have done. There is a lot of information about these lenses on the internet, some of it very conflicting, but the one consistent opinion I came away with was that you would not regret buying any of them and the differences are minimal.
All 4 of these lenses are amazing at what they do, especially when considering the price point and the image quality they produce for lenses with a 600mm reach.
I decided early on that I would most likely get one of the Sigmas due to their better reputation for customer service & the fact that they came with a case & strap (a more important criteria than I initially realised). Nothing I read about the Tamron’s was enough to change my mind, which in no way says Tamron are bad Sigma just seemed to suit me better.
In the end, it was the weight that swayed me towards the Contemporary model over the Sport which is almost 1kg heavier and really not suitable for hand-holding for any period of time. I would have liked to have the weather sealing but you can’t have it all ways and I don’t plan on going out in thunderstorms or traveling through the desert just yet.
Overall I think the Sigma Contemporary model is the best value for money for anyone who wants to get into some serious Wildlife Photography on a budget.
Silver Gull, Neil Hawkins Park, Perth, Western Australia
Initial Thoughts on Using a 150-600mm Lens
I’ve had my new Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens for a few weeks now and you can see some of the results I’ve been getting on this page.
Learning to get the best from a lens like this is a journey, you don’t simply buy a 2kg 600mm lens and get perfect results straight up. There’s a bit of a learning curve on how to use these monsters and I’m definitely still learning a lot.
Little things like changing how you carry your camera & transport it are all new. I’m so glad this lens came with a strap & case which allowed me to start using it practically straight away.
So far I’ve got some amazing images that I could never have taken with my 70-200mm but I’ve also got a lot of duds. Managing shutter speed, aperture & ISO create a whole new challenge with a 2kg 600mm lens so I’m now watching a whole new set of youtube videos on the best approach to handling & using these beasts.
I hope to be posting some more articles about my journey with this lens so keep an eye out and feel free to ask any questions you may have 👍
New Holland Honeyeater, Gidgegannup, Perth, Western Australia
New Holland Honeyeater, Gidgegannup, Perth, Western Australia
Pied Cormorant, Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia
Silver Gull, Neil Hawkins Park, Perth, Western Australia
Post Processing
These images were processed using a combination of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 & ON1 Photo RAW 2019.
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
Silver Gulls, or as they are more commonly known here in Perth, just plain old Seagulls are an enigma!
Fly Like a Bird! – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Our Seagulls are renowned for their annoying & scavenging lifestyle swooping down on unfinished open-air restaurant dishes and foraging through rubbish bins in their dozens.
Yet they are incredibly beautiful creatures, so pristine & almost picture perfect. Because of this they make very good photographic subjects 📷
These particular Silver Gulls were photographed at Burns Beach a few days ago in their natural environment not being a nuisance to anyone 👍
Burns Beach in Perth’s Northern Suburbs is a great spot for a walk, there is usually plenty of bird life and lots of rocks & rock pools to explore.
Besties – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
In a world where native wildlife is struggling to survive, mainly due to the irresponsibility of the Human Race, these Silver Gulls are thriving , mainly due to the irresponsibility of the Human Race 😱
As natural scavengers they benefit enormously from our increasingly wasteful “throw-away” approach to life in general and more importantly food & refuse.
In the animal world food is hard to come by and generally very little is wasted, in the human world food is over-supplied in abundance (except where it isn’t, which is another sad reflection on Human Society) and much of what we purchase / produce is cast aside.
One Step at a Time – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
On the positive side, many people are now trying to live a waste free life by avoiding packaged food, growing their own herbs & veggies, reusing unused food scraps as compost and recycling wherever possible. That is certainly our approach to life, we keep our bins as empty as possible and our garden as healthy as possible 😃🍎
On a Mission – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Bird photography can have it’s challenges but is also very rewarding when it pays off 🦅
Lots of patience & a fair bit of luck go a long way to getting some great images, but what I find most rewarding is seeing the individual character in each and every bird that I Photograph. Photography is as much about telling a story as it is the image itself.
Thinking of making some inspirational products soon, what do you think of my “I Love to Fly Like a Bird” Mug mockup❓
I Think I’ll get Maggie to print one for the Gallery.
“I love to Fly Like a Bird” Mugs – Wanneroo Markets
Prepare for Landing – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Preparing for Launch – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Houston, We are Go – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Chaos on the Rocks – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Are You Lookin’ at Me! – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Grace in Motion – Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Silver Gulls, Burns Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Human shortcomings aside, what do people think of our scavenging but pretty little friends? Beauty or Beast ❓
Post Processing
These images were processed using a combination of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 & ON1 Photo RAW 2019.
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
Last weekend I attended my first Tour Day at the Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre and I must say it was amazing and worth every bit of the low $15 booking fee 😃
Tour Day, KaarakinBlack Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Located in the Banyowla Regional Park in the Perth Hills on a former tourism wildlife park site their purpose is to protect and rehabilitate our native wild black cockatoo species here in Western Australia.
As the tour begins we are given an introduction to the organisation, the work they do and how they are working to restore the site to it’s original native state along with several other revegetation projects in WA.
First stop is the Kangaroo enclosure containing a community of Red & Western Grey Kangaroos left over from the old wildlife park. Sadly these Kangaroos have been isolated for decades, they are suffering from inbreeding and cannot be released back into the wild so they are cared for as best as possible.
Kangaroos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Next came the Emu enclosure, where we found that our Tour Guide had a strangely close relationship with the resident Emu’s. Personally I don’t think I’d trust getting up close & personal with an Emu!
Emu, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Finally we arrived at the Dingo enclosure, something I was really looking forward to and I wasn’t disappointed.
On the way into the Dingo enclosure is an aviary full of beautiful Finches.
Finches, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Apparently the Dingoes are walked around the site daily for exercise and also to help prevent / detect any rogue foxes attempting to enter.
Dingoes, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Dingoes have had a bit of a bad rap over the years, including being threatened with removal from the protected native wildlife list (thankfully overturned) but these guys are seriously cute …
Dingoes, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Dingoes, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Dingoes, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Finally we arrived at the Black Cockatoos and were taught about all the different aviaries designed for different purposes and how injured Cockies are prepared and returned to the wild whenever possible 🐾👍
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Having been told how we had to respect the Black Cockatoos space and be respectful, we were then told that they had no intention of doing the same (being wild animals) 🤣
We then had our feet sprayed, removed jewelry and entered the Aviary to play with the Cockatoos, or maybe for them to play with us 😎
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
If you’ve never been up close and personal with a group of Black Cockatoos then I highly recommend an experience like this.
They will swoop over you make loud raucous noises and randomly land on shoulders (or heads), and they are a lot bigger than most people would imagine.
Black Cockatoos are, however, incredible social and gentle birds. They will not harm you and you will fall in love straight away ❤
Unlike cuddling Koalas, which should never be allowed as it is stressful and dangerous for the animal, interacting with Black Cockatoos is a two way relationship.
It is also worth pointing out that these “educational” Cockatoos are very familiar with humans and can not be released back into the wild for health reasons. You will never get near a Cockatoo that is being prepared for release as they need to maintain their natural caution of humans.
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia – MADCAT Photography
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Centre, Western Australia
Please remember that these magnificent Black Cockatoos are highly endangered, if you want to help protect WA’s Black Cockatoo population then support the local organisations that are working hard to keep these amazing birds alive:
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
I got some great Black Cockatoo images from the recent open day at Native Animal Rescue here in Perth but I wasn’t expecting this!
This particular trio of images feature Obama, one of their resident Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos chewing on a gum nut. It wasn’t until I got home and checked out the images that I realised that his nut had exploded with perfect timing.
A Short Timelapse Video Experiment
The trio of images looked so good that I decided to experiment with a short Timelapse video showing just how seriously these guys take their gum nuts 😎 I just love how his claws open up in the second shot as the nut explodes.
I’ve been meaning to make some video’s for a while now and initially thought I should just do it in Photoshop. While I did successfully create a video very similar to the above in Photoshop I found it somewhat inefficient, especially when I just wanted to make small changes.
Eventually I remade the video in much less time using Premier Pro, and that included reminding myself exactly how Premier Pro worked. However, if Photoshop is all you have access to then it will work fine for simple videos like this one 👍
Here are the individual images …
Obama the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo
Obama the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo with Exploding Nut!
Obama the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo
These 3 images are available now as Fine Art Prints or on any of our Photo Products. I’m thinking a Triptych of square canvases or Aluminium Prints would look amazing 😃
Please remember that these magnificent Black Cockatoos Cockatoos are highly endangered, if you want to help protect WA’s Black Cockatoo population then support the local organisations that are working hard to keep these amazing birds alive:
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
The Carnaby Black Cockatoos were out in Yanchep National Park last week when we turned up there for a walk. Noisy as ever they paraded around the treetops with their usual majesty and charm allowing me to get some great photos.
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
Black Cockatoos truly are magnificent, you really have to see one up close to realise just how big and beautiful they are. They each have a unique character and are very friendly & gentle creatures.
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
But the sad thing is Black Cockatoos are highly endangered!
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
A survey in April last year known as the “Great Cocky Count”, held here in South Western Australia, reported that Carnaby Black Cockatoo numbers had fallen by 35% over the last year. Carnaby’s are only found here in Western Australia and their numbers are dropping due to increasing decimation of their habitat and food sources due to urban and industrial development.
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
There will be another “Great Cocky Count” in April this year, conducted by Birdlife Western Australia, volunteers will count Carnaby’s & Red-tailed Black Cockatoo’s at known roost sites across South Western Australia.
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
Carnaby Black Cockatoos, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
If you want to help protect WA’s Black Cockatoo population then support the local organisations that are working hard to keep these amazing birds alive:
Also available at the Gallery are Greeting Cards, Magnets, Keyrings, Mugs, Scarves, Tote Bags, Wall Tapestries, Lens Cloths, unique 3D Printed Gadgets & Gizmo’s and much more …
Perth Zoo is an amazing place to visit and experience some of the incredible wildlife from Australia & around the world. To be honest we haven’t been to the Zoo for many years, must be time for another visit, I’m sure there have been many changes over the past few years.
African Lion, Perth Zoo, South Perth,Western Australia
Baby Giraffe, Perth Zoo, South Perth,Western Australia
Bonzai the Numbat, Perth Zoo, South Perth,Western Australia
These gorgeous creatures were captured during our visits between 2003 & 2010 when we were working with the Zoo on their website and I decided to have a play around with them to create some Perth Zoo Photo Art.
Sadly Bonzai the Numbat has since passed away but we were proud to have our images used on the signage around his enclosure for a few years before he died.
Perth Zoo and many other zoo’s around Australia and the World do an amazing job help protect & preserve our wildlife, we owe it it to them to do what we can to support these efforts.
Post Processing
All images were processed in Adobe Lightroom, ON1 Photo RAW 2018 & Adobe Photoshop.
Did you know it’s a proven fact that being out in nature is great for your mental and physical health! While you won’t get the full health benefit from our range of prints and photo gifts they are always a great reminder of where you’d rather be. So be sure to check out our range of Fine Art Prints here in our online gallery and our unique photo gifts (scarves, wall tapestries, beach towels, tote bags and much more) at madaboutwa.com.au.
Note: Our Perth Zoo images are not for sale currently though we would dearly love to create more amazing images and products that could help support the Zoo.
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