2014 Calendar

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on a high quality, full-size calendar for 2014 which is available through Redbubble. The April image shows a critically endangered wild-born Helmeted Honeyeater juvenile, it was thrilling to see this little miracle and 100% of profits from the sale of the calendar will be donated to Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater.

* Images marked with an asterisk have been successful in International Photography Competitions, the Helmeted Honeyeater image is yet to be entered.

Front Cover

Back page

Here’s a brief story about each of the thirteen images:

Cover – Eastern Yellow Robin, I Spy*

This image was taken in my garden. These robins usually look ’rounder’ as they perch on low branches looking for invertebrates. I particularly like the way this robin is stretching forwards and looking intently at the ground just prior to pouncing.

January – Silvereye, Morning Glory* 

This is one of my very favourite images, taken at sunrise in my garden when the fig tree was laden with fruit. I didn’t get to eat many figs myself, it was too much fun watching the birds enjoying themselves. I like the way the fig leaves form an umbrella over the Silvereye, and the way the tiny bird’s wings are held away from its body as it paused momentarily on the branch. The eye contact was an added bonus.

February –  Australian King Parrot*

A friend and I took a wrong turn as we headed home from Apollo Bay on the Victorian coast. When we stopped I was delighted to hear, and then see, a family of Australian King Parrots cavorting in the branches above us. The bird depicted is a juvenile male in the process of losing the green ‘baby’ feathers on his head and chest.

March – Australasian Darter, Darter at Rest*

I was walking with a friend who was temporarily wheelchair-bound when we saw this female darter resting at the edge of Lillydale Lake, east of Melbourne. I like the way the bird’s bill is partially open, the bristly feathers on her head, the soft feathers on her neck and her fascinating eye.

April – Helmeted Honeyeater, Endangered Fledgling

Helmeted Honeyeaters are one of Australia’s most critically endangered species and to see this little miracle emerge from the undergrowth was pure delight. A team of dedicated professionals and volunteers work tirelessly to help ensure the survival of the species. A friend and I are privileged to be part of the volunteer team, the experience is worth every visit from leeches and mossies.

May – Providence Petrel, Providence Petrel*

Sir David Attenborough was fascinated by Providence Petrels as they can be ‘called in’ by people imitating their calls; he included footage of them in his series The Life of Birds. I witnessed this amazing sight on the pathway to Little Island, Lord Howe Island, NSW. I love the way this image highlights the beauty of the petrel with its incredible bill, softly scalloped feathering and dark, soulful eye reflecting that evening’s sunset.

June – Laughing Kookaburra, Perfectly Perched*

This iconic Aussie thoughtfully flew to a perfect branch just as I hopped out of my car in Monbulk, Victoria. Kookaburras are famous for their laughing call that crops up in movies set in African and South American jungles.

July – Red-tailed Tropicbird, Celestial*

This image was one of thousands taken at Malabar Hill on Lord Howe Island, NSW. A friend and I were perched on the edge of a cliff, 200m above sea level, watching as these tropicbirds swooped towards us at great speed. I like the bird’s mid-air pose and the way the clouds complement the image.

August – Black Swan, Serenity*

This cygnet hatched during Winter solstice and was well worth the trip to Berwick, Victoria, with the friend that spotted the early-bird specials. The overcast day gave the image a soft, pastel look and the drip from its bill was serendipitous. I was feeling serene at the time despite being covered in sand and dirt from laying at the edge of the lake to get a low angle for the shot.

September – Brown-backed Honeyeater, Brown-backed Honeyeater*

Springtime found me sitting at the edge of a dam, near crocodile warning signs, to focus on a nest overhanging the water at the Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, Queensland. It was magnificent to see the parent birds approach and leave the nest so quickly and from so many different angles; an excellent strategy for confusing predators, and photographers.

October – Australasian Darter, Backlit Beauty*

This darter image was also taken at Lillydale Lake. I’d arrived at the lake at sunrise to join a birder doing a survey for Birdlife Australia. The darter was perched on a large branch that had fallen across a creek, just as I was lining it up for a photograph it raised its head and began calling, by bending low I was able to eliminate distractions in the background and enhance the impact of the backlighting. As I took the shot I thought the feather on its bill was from preening, it was only later that I realised it was discarded fishing equipment.

November – Superb Fairy-wren, Changing Colours*

This is one of the fairy-wrens that lirralirra is named for, my home is in their territory. They move quickly as they search for insects on the ground and amongst low garden and bush plants. I particularly wanted to get a shot of a male changing from his drab winter plumage into his superb breeding plumage. I was delighted that this shot captured such a motley looking fellow.

December – Nankeen Kestrel*

Nankeen Kestrels are magnificent raptors with bold rufous and black colouring, yellow ceres, legs and eye-rings. This one was posing at the Western Treatment Plant at Werribee in Victoria, one of the world’s most spectacular birding sites. I’ve often thought that one of the strangest things about birders is how much we like visiting poo paddocks.

If you’d like a closer look at the images, or to purchase a calendar for yourself or a friend please visit the magical mystery of birds ~ 2014 Calendar or search for lirralirra on Redbubble.

Happy birding, Kim

* Images marked with an asterisk have been successful in National and International photography competitions, unmarked images are yet to be entered.

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