After the severe drought of the past couple of years, when it was slim pickings as far as bird photography went, it was certainly a welcome change. A sense that things are finally starting to get back to normal.

I managed to record a good variety of birds this year. Here is a small snapshot of some of the images I was able to record.

What an an amazing bird.

It mimics a great number of Australian birds. The nest is hardly attractive - it looks like flood debris - and hangs on lower branches of trees.

My finds have always been close to water.They make their nest by working it into the hanging mass of branches and leaves. This is repeated in later broods - in the same mass of foliage. They usually have two broods a year.

This is a common kingfisher in our area. Each year it will nest in numbers in termite mounds. This year we have quite a number of them nesting, mostly along the coast. During the nesting season they call all the time, which makes them easier for the photogrpher to locate. The pair I photographed this year were feeding chicks on crabs and small fish , skinks and insects. The chicks were being fed nearly every 10 minutes - again, ideal for the photographer. Sit and be patient. If you don't get a good shot this time, try again next time. Like the Yellow-throated Scrub Wren they have two broods a year.

I mange to come across a few nest this season. I would have to say they are one of my favourite birds. Like the kingfisher, they nest in termite mounds. They are quite common in the Chichester area, which is where I tend to head when looking to photograph them.

The birds I settled on made things relatively easy for me. Every time one came in to feed the chicks it would start calling first, then fly straight to the nest. It was like I was getting a 'get ready' call each time. If only photography was always that simple.

The nest was up a bit and required a longer lens and available light to record it.

One noticeable point was we had four birds feeding the chicks. This is common with kookaburras as they have workers from previous broods to help.

This is different from the Little Corella - the Long-billed has, as ther name suggests, has a significantly longer bill and has crimson or salmon pink splashed about the face and across the chest. It is usually found close to water and nests in tree hollows. The one I photographed was on a property north of Rutherford. They breed from July through to December, a clutch of two to four eggs. The chicks will leave the nest after about 23 days.

I found a pair on a property north of Rutherford. They like open pasture where the male can hunt while the female sits on the eggs. The nest is in a tree hollow. The young will leave the nest about 35 days after hatching.