Trip to Australia in March 2002


Sydney
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
The reason many people visit Sydney - the Sydney Opera House and harbour bridge, viewed from a ferry

Caitlin
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
The reason I visited Sydney - Caitlin, my niece of 9 months age in March 2002. My brother, Jurgen, and his wife Kim, moved to Sydney in December 2000. This was my visit visit to Australia to visit them.

Waterbirds
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
During my stay I was able to do much birding. Here is a small selection of birds I photographed in Sydney and as far as Canberra. Most of the waterbirds shown here were common in the larger parks in Sydney, including Centennial Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Little Pied Cormorant
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Little Pied Cormorant, Centennial Park, Sydney

Australian White Pelican
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Australian White Pelican, Centennial Park, Sydney

Black Swan
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Black Swan, Centennial Park, Sydney

Chestnut Teal
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
I have my ducks in a row - Chestnut Teal, Hunters Valley, N of Sydney

Masked Plover
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Masked Plover, Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Silver Gull
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Silver Gull, Sydney

Waterbirds
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Sydney has large tracts of eucalyptus woodland. This forest is a few minutes walk from the house Jurgen and Kim live in, in Cherrybrook, Sydney. It was strange seeing so many eucalypts in their natural state - at least in Australia they support many birds

Tawny Frogmouth
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Tawny Frogmouth, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Lyrebird
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Male Lyrebird foraging in the Minnamurra forest, S of Sydney

House
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
The house Jurgen and Kim live in - Cherrybrook, northern suburbs of Sydney. Parrots and a variety of other birds frequent gardens and parks

Crested Pigeon
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Gardens, Sydney. A common, but pretty, pigeon

Kookaburra
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Laughing Kookaburra, Cherrybrook, Sydney - very tame, allowing close approach

Crimson Rosella
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Crimson Rosella, Murrays Beach, Booderee National Park, S of Sydney. The most common parrot in Cherrybrook

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Botanic Gardens, Sydney - very noisy

Rainbow Lorikeet
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Cherrybrook, Sydney - my favourite parrot species

Orb web spider
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Orb web spider with dragonfly prey. There were plenty of spiders around Sydney, including the poisonous Redback Spider

Royal Botanic Gardens
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
The Royal Botanic Gardens in central Sydney were a great place for birdwatching. "Please walk on the grass" is a welcome change to the usual sign

Pied Currawong
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Pied Currawong, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, W of Sydney

Magpie-Lark
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Male Magpie-Lark, Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Noisy Miner
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Noisy Miner, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney - drinking water from a tap. I found two nests with chicks; most other species had finished breeding for the summer

Grey-headed Fruit Bat
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Grey-headed Fruit Bat roosting in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Ringing
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Ringing at Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Superb Fairy-wren
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Adult male Superb Fairy-wren, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Grey Fantail
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Grey Fantail, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Mistletoebird
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Immature (red bill) and adult female Mistletoebird, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Canberra
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
View of Canberra Parliament House from the War Memorial. We spent two days and a night in Canberra, so that I could visit the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Association

Murrays Beach
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Murrays Beach, Booderee National Park, about 300 km S of Sydney - tropical paradise

Bottlenose Dolphins
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
Bottlenose Dolphins in Jervis Bay. We had wonderful sightings of these dolphins - a group of about 80 are resident in Jervis Bay

Blue Mountains
Photo H.D. Oschadleus
View from Katoomba, Blue Mountains, W of Sydney. One of my last trips was to the Blue Mountains

Will I be back? As soon as I have another free month!