Bird watching in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Little Black Cormorants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
September 2007
Wherever we go when travelling or on holidays I look out for places to visit where I have a good chance of seeing a good range of birds. I therefore look out for national parks, lakes and rivers, parks and gardens and beaches. Botanic Gardens are extra good because that also caters for my wife’s interest which is Australian native plants.
On our recent trip to Sydney we spent a whole afternoon in the Royal Botanic Gardens. These beautiful gardens are an easy walk from the CBD and are used by thousands of people every week. Despite the large numbers of daily visitors, the bird population is abundant and vibrant. The birds are used to large numbers of people using the park so they are relatively easy to approach. This means one is able to take some close up photos of the birds without the need to have an extremely long lens.
These two Little Black Cormorants were resting on a small island in one of the ponds in the gardens. This is just one of about a hundred species of birds that have been recorded in the gardens in the last fifteen years or so.
For more about bird watching in Australia visit my birding blog called Trevor’s Birding.
You can also see more bird photos on the family Photo Gallery.
Little Black Cormorants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Our holiday in New South Wales
September 2007
The Royal Botanic Gardens in the heart of Sydney are a mere ten minute walk from the CBD (depending on where you start your walk of course). They are extremely accessible from the city. As a consequence many people come to the gardens to relax from the hustle of the city. The large artificial ponds in the middle of the park are ideal for a time of relaxation, whether that is for five minutes or an hour or more.
During our recent visit my wife spent a little extra time in the Gardens Shop. During this time I wandered down past the Restaurant and Cafe to the small lakes. I wanted to see if there were any birds worth photographing there. I was drawn instead to the relaxing scene shown in these photos.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
On watch in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Feral Pigeons, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Our holiday in New South Wales
September 2007
I just had to take this photo of two Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons) on watch in the middle of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. They seemed to be on watch. Quite a few children were playing on the water’s edge just a few metres from this sign post. Anyone could have easily slipped into the ornamental pond. These pigeons were ready to sound the alarm.
White Ibis in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Our holiday in New South Wales
September 2007
White Ibises are one of the most apparent species of wildlife living in the grounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. After the Grey-headed Flying Foxes that is. The Ibis seem to be everywhere when we visited in September 2007. And they were extremely noisy, squabbling in the trees overhead. It was nesting time with quite a few of them carrying sticks to add to their nests. The arguing seemed to be over who was going to occupy each nesting area.
People wanting a restful and relaxing day at the gardens would have been wise to choose another, quieter section of the park during Ibis nesting season.
White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
No Comments »15th October, 2007; Category: Botanic Gardens, New South Wales, Parks and Gardens, Sydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Our holiday in New South Wales
September 2007
Some sections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney are just broad expanses of lawn. This is an important part of the gardens because so many thousands of people visit the gardens every week, many of them coming for picnics or just plain relaxation in the beautiful surroundings.
My wife and I have a different set of interests. I like to go birding (bird watching) while my wife is interested in Australian native plants. Bordering the wide spread of lawns there are many sections of the gardens where plants are in abundance, some of them quite brilliant in colour like those shown in todays photos. I mainly love taking photos of birds, but flowers also take my eye as wonderful photographic subjects.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney