Flamingo in Heathsville Sanctuary for Saturday Critter

 

Whenever indolence crept upon me, I would make a gentle escape to Healesville Sanctuary — a place that asked for little effort yet always rewarded the eye. It was my refuge for effortless photography, where birds perched in calm familiarity, and light played kindly even on the most languid days.

It has been a long while since my last visit, but I still recall one image taken with a modest compact camera, its humble lens far from the precision of modern devices. Yet perhaps that simplicity lent the photograph its charm — a red so vivid, so unrefined in tone, that it burned with an honesty no high-resolution sensor could ever reproduce. In its rawness lay a certain poetry, the kind only memory and imperfection can reveal.

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Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo at Healesville for Saturday Critter

 

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) is a notable and distinguished species of large cockatoo indigenous to Australia. Characterised by its striking black plumage and vibrant red tail feathers, this bird species is a symbol of the Australian avifauna.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos typically inhabit open woodlands, forests, and savannahs across Australia, ranging from the humid coastal regions to the arid interior. Their diet is primarily composed of seeds, nuts, and fruits, which they adeptly extract from a variety of native trees and shrubs. Notably, they are also known to feed on insects and their larvae, adding diversity to their diet.

The lifespan of the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo can extend to over 50 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity. These birds exhibit a strong social structure, often forming flocks of several individuals. Their distinctive, mournful calls resonate through their habitats, serving both as a means of communication and a territorial display.

Reproduction in Red-tailed Black Cockatoos is characterised by monogamous pair bonds, with nesting typically occurring in tree hollows. The female is primarily responsible for incubating the eggs, while the male provides nourishment and protection throughout the breeding period.

Panasonic G9

Leica 70-200mm f2.8 

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