Ducking in Royal Botanic Garden Melbourne

Pacific Black Duck - ♂

To explain the title, “Ducking” because the aim of the day was just to take some photographs of mainly ducks.
I had 3 primary targets for the day. Waterbirds, Common Blackbird and Eastern Spinebill.

My first bird of the day was a Crested Pigeon, seen around the Shrine of Remembrance while I was on my way to the RBG.

Crested Pigeon

Many times I’ve seen this pigeon, it was very common up north in Newcastle.

Pacific Black Duck Display

Eastern Spinebill

Spotted it at the same area as I did before but it was hiding behind all the twigs and leaves. Gotta go back again and redo my Eastern Spinebill.

Royal Botanic Garden Lake

Seen here is a flock of Silver Gulls which is when I started “gull-ing” :p
Took the opportunity to snap some pictures of them in their more “natural” habitat as oppose to those seen in the city.

Silver Gull-Immature

Silver Gull Display

Little Black Cormorant

Little Black Cormorant Display

Australian Wood Duck - ♀

Common Blackbird Moulting

Unfortunately I didn’t get a really good picture of the Common Blackbird. Surprisingly there weren’t many of them this time around! I usually see them hopping around the garden.  Wonder where they all went.
That’s that. Having been there so many times I figured that maybe the RBG is not a really good place for birding, not exciting for me. Certainly a good place if you are aiming for the common birds. Or perhaps the pretty Eastern Spinebill!
Then again, it all boils down to luck.

These pictures? Definitely not taken by the S90 nor googled.
I got a D7000 as a replacement now for my D90 (which I supposedly lend to a certain SOMEONE). *positive thinking*
Still getting used to the new and different Auto-focus system though. My pictures seem to appear soft when wide open. hmm
Slowly but surely I’ll soon be on my way to my “old self” :p

BTW, I’m back.