I’ve taken on a new challenge, spurred on by another bird photographer, to see how many different species of birds I can photograph this year. I’ve created a page for it and will probably have to do a page a month as they will get long in themselves – assuming I get photos of different…
Author: Kathie Thomas
Surprise in the Paddock
Went out to feed my chickens and thought I’d wander down to the paddock, just to see if there was anything worth seeing. I had my camera with me – I always do and so glad I did! I saw movement in a tree branch, only very slight and whatever was there, was quite small….
Walking with Purpose
Walking with Purpose – what does it mean to you? Had an interesting chat with a friend today, as we walked around Birdsland. She is used to walking faster than I, to help with her fitness, whereas I’m used to walking slower, building up my steps for the day, but also taking in what’s around…
Peaking out at me
I was walking at Birdsland Reserve yesterday and watching some Blue-banded bees, so was standing still, camera focused towards the ground, when a cyclist came to a screeching halt, sliding on the path nearby and then turned his bike and rode down the path towards me. He’d seen a ‘spiny anteater’ and wanted to tell…
Using Bird Mode with the P950
I’ve been getting a few questions about this so thought I’d share a post on it. I’ve been using the P950 for 3 years now, having bought it at a Black Friday sale in November 2020. I’d done research, read reviews, even got to test a P1000 that someone had before the purchase and was…
2024 Calendars – order yours today
Almost mid November – not long before Christmas now. I still have calendars available, both the Dandenong Ranges ones and the Birds of the Dandenong Ranges. I have one market left on Saturday 9th December, however it’s possible my stocks will be low then – don’t leave it too late! Some interesting facts that you…
Amazing nature rescue
Most amazing thing happened today at Birdsland Reserve. I was watching two Spotted Pardalotes dancing in the air and flitting from tree to tree. Then they dive bombed towards the lake, both hitting the water. One flew off but the other couldn’t, it tried really hard and kept moving along, then stopping and panting,…
How did you get into photography?
When I was young, in my early teens, my uncle would show me his camera and some of the photography he’d been doing. I was very interested in what he could do with his camera. So much so, that on my 14th birthday, my parents gave me my very first camera. It was a Kodak…
2024 Dandenong Ranges Calendars available
That time of year again! The next year’s calendars are on the printing press as I share this news and will be available this coming Saturday at the Monbulk Market. As was the case last year, I produced two different calendars – one with scenes from the Dandenong Ranges, the other totally focused on birds…
199 species and counting
Since my last post I’ve documented 3 more species. I’m now at 199 species I’ve seen and recorded on the eBird app, since I really got into it seriously around 2 years ago. The latest is a Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo – a tiny little bird and its call is not at all what I thought…
Tracking my bird count
If you’re into birding, have you used eBird? I’ve taken things much more seriously with my birding over the past two years (since I’ve been retired) and track what I see and where. I’ve learnt that I’ve seen 53 species on my own 2 acre property here in the Dandenong Ranges, Vic in less than…
Using the P950 – 3 years down the track
Well, it’s almost 3 years since I bought this camera. It’s my favourite camera, my every day camera, lightweight and easy to use, it’s always at my hip – even when I’m out in the garden here at home. When I first got the camera I quickly realised I didn’t like the neck strap –…