Archive for January, 2011

Barn Owl, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Barn Owl, Free Flight Bird Show, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

When we go to Sydney to visit family, we always try to fit in a visit to the wonderful Taronga Zoo. I would recommend this world-class zoo to all visitors to the city. Set aside a whole day as the collections of birds and animals are extensive.

As a part of your visit schedule in one of the Free Flight Bird Shows. These are held daily at 12 noon and 3pm. The keepers give a running commentary while free flying birds from the zoo’s collection do various tricks and displays. On this post I have featured a Barn Owl, a well-known Australian bird found throughout much of Australia. In the photo above the owl is rewarded with a morsel of food hidden behind the rock in the photo. Its signal to “capture” its prey was the recorded call of a frog from a speaker hidden in the rock.

Barn Owl, Free Flight Bird Show, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Barn Owl, Free Flight Bird Show, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Black Kite, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Black Kite, Free Flight Bird Show, Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Whenever we visit Taronga Zoo in Sydney we always make a point of watching the Free Flight Bird Show. This show is on every day at 12 noon and 3pm and it always draws a large crowd, so my advice is to get there 10-15 minutes before the show commences to ensure a seat in the amphitheatre. The seats have a panoramic view of Sydney Harbour, so the wait is never boring.

On our last visit earlier last year I was able to get this close up shot of a Black Kite, one of the birds featured in the show. This is a relatively common species in many places in Australia including my home town of Murray Bridge in South Australia, yet I’ve not been able to get a good close up photo previously.

Related posts:

Happy New Year

Town Beach, Guichen Bay, Robe, SE South Australia

Happy New Year.

I trust that 2011 will bring you many blessings and enjoyable times.

I have enjoyed sharing with my many readers some of my adventures as I have travelled the wonderful country of Australia. My articles here have been a little spasmodic over the last three years as I’ve struggled with the demands of my Master of Arts degree and with some health issues. Now that’s behind me, I hope to be able to share with you many more travels in the coming years.

New adventure

A few years ago my daughter inspired me to accompany her on a trek through the Himalayas. You can read about my adventures in my archives called Travels in Nepal. Later this year she will be teaching overseas for a semester. My wife and I are planning to visit her and so you can look forward to many photos and articles about our travels in Africa. Stay tuned.

In the meantime come back here often as I plan to update this site at least three times a week.

Happy New Year.

My daughter taking a photo of me, Sydney Fish Markets