Wild Wing Images in Roleystone, Western Australia, Australia | Photographer

Wild Wing Images

Locality: Roleystone, Western Australia, Australia

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25.01.2022 I have been watching the Cockatoos flying high above the road as I drive to work each day. They seem to be very active but alas I havent had time to stop and photograph them. This image was photographed a while back. The Cape Lilac trees grow in a paddock by the side of the road, when the leaves turn yellow the birds come to feast on the berries. The usually peaceful paddock comes alive with the raucous screaming of Black Cockies feasting and cavorting in the trees. #aust...ralianbirds #westaustralianbirds #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #australianbirdsofinstagram #australianbird #birdsonearth #best_bird-shots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #cockatoo See more

25.01.2022 Portrait of a Hoary Headed Grebe in action, mid jump with water droplets descending all around as it flicked its head!! Although they are common in the local lakes and waterways, this week was the first time I have actually photographed one. I often photograph Australasian Grebes and that is what I was doing!! Hidden in a muddy hole behind a huge hummock of couch grass which gave me a soft and convenient rest for the camera, allowing me to get my lens at eye level to the wat...er. Images take on a different quality when you are at eye level to your subjects. I find that it feels more as if you are there, within the scene and a part of it, rather than outside observing. Very interesting how a slight shift in perspective can change everything! I noticed this particular Grebe was lighter in color, had head feathers with a different texture and different eye. When I loaded the images onto the computer I realised that what I had photographed was a Hoary Headed Grebe!! Very excited, just the name itself makes me want to photograph these guys!! Out of interest I googled the dictionary definition of Hoary to find it means grey or white with age or ancient and venerable. That makes me even more inclined to photograph the Hoary Headed ones!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #grebe #hoaryheadedgrebe See more

25.01.2022 It is that time of the year again, where the cold air, and rain give way to beautiful sunny days. We have had a few, although the last couple of days it has been cold and raining. The bush needs the rain, it is very dry in some places out there, so even though it feels like winter I am happy that we are getting more rain!! I am hoping to go looking for this little fella in the next few days. A Blue Breasted Fairy Wren. A stunning little bird that wears probably the most ...beautiful shade of blue that I have ever since. Rich, deep dark blue with a beautiful shimmer that reminds me of raw silk!! The color blue was coveted in older times across the world, treated by many cultures as something precious and often rare. In Afghanistan, rich blue Lapis Lazuli has been mined and traded for over three thousand years. Ground to make beautiful blue pigment used as dye for cloth and later as ink in early writings. Azurite was used in a similar way and in more modern times copper was used as a pigment. Photographing the Blue Breasted Fairy Wrens a few years ago was a photographic highlight so am really hoping they are in the same area of beautiful bush!!#planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #fairywren #bluebreastedfairywren See more

24.01.2022 Another fig thief? This cute little yellow fluff ball even seems to have a guilty expression on his face, although I doubt birds are ever plagued by guilt? I am pretty sure it is a Weebill, named for its very tiny beak. I looked it up in my bird book, wondering what they eat? My fig stealing assumptions appear to be wrong as the book states that Weebills are insectivorous and the tiny beak is particularly good at removing scale type insects from leaves. When I looked clos...ely at the image I am pretty sure I could see a tiny white scale bug on the fig and more on the stem, so need to retract my accusations!! This image captured with my Nikon D800E and Nikon 80-400mm lens. Settings were; ISO 800, 400mm, f5.6, 1/2000. #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #weebill See more

22.01.2022 I spent the the early morning photographing Australasian Grebes in a local wetland that happens to be conveniently located just off the highway on the way to work. It was a misty morning and the water was very still. This is a ephemeral tiny wetland, that fills quickly but also dries out quickly. The open water is surrounded on all sides bar one by a dark eerie paperbark thicket. The side that is open is filled with flourishing apple green reeds and grasses. The water is st...ained dark with tanin but very clear and on the shallow edges a pretty water plant with fern like leaves reaches for the light. In the deeper water there are clumps of reeds, but it is mostly open and very dark, in most places the surface of the water appears black. The reeds and gnarly trees create some beautiful reflections and an array of color and texture, perfect for backgrounds. As the sun rises, colors emerge from the darkness and the dense blackness of the water is broken by waterbirds leaving silvery ripples and starlike sprays as they begin to move about, chasing each other, preening and feeding. About half an hour after dawn, the water seems to turn gold, broken by reflections of deep green and rich browns. I was hoping to capture the Grebes running across the water chasing each other. During my last few visits, I have noticed that there seems to be a lot of action and splashing in the water, mostly by Grebes and Coots. By leaning agains the base of a paperbark tree I am able to get the lens very close to the waterline, so I am at eye level with my subjects. They are fast and today were too fast for me!! I did capture a few good images, mostly of them preening and shaking the water out of their feathers!!#grebe #australasiangrebe See more

21.01.2022 A Silver Eye having honey for breakfast!! The Watsonias out flowering everywhere in Perth, beautiful colours, orange, red, pink, purple and white. They are a noxious weed so I usually pull them out when I see them in the bush before they form big clumps. That aside, the honeyeaters and silver eyes love them!! This image photographed high on the hill, a sweet little silver eye visited each flower in turn!!! Captured with my Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-400mm lens. Settings were;... ISO 500, 400mm, f5.6, 1/2000. #australianbirds #westaustralianbirds #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #australianbirdsofinstagram #australianbird #birdsonearth #best_bird-shots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #silvereye #silver_eye See more

21.01.2022 Portrait of a Cygnet. I am pretty restless, someone who finds it difficult to sit still. At this particular place I usually can. Peaceful, beautiful colors,still waters and almost always something happening in the reeds. I arrive before dawn, find a spot and sit. Sometimes I lie down to get the camera close to the waterline and capture images at eye level with my subjects. I had been photographing Grebes when I sensed movement on my right, something bigger. A Cygnet wit...h its Mum and Dad tailing behind. I have not been to this spot for a while, so didnt realize the Swans had successfully bred! The baby was making its way through the maze of reeds plucking at the top of each clump. I am guessing it was eating the soft new growth. I was focused so intently on the cygnet that I totally forgot about capturing Mum and Dad. For me, photography is always about learning. In this case, when I uploaded the images to my computer, I realized that I had inadvertently captured the parent birds in my images. Blurred out nicely in the background. Maybe not for everyone but I liked it! A sense of their presence. Problem was that in nearly all of the images I had chopped off their heads. Only a couple where the beautiful bright red, blurred out beaks were there. This is one of them. Interesting how we never see the whole picture, in both photography and life!! Next time I am lucky enough to have a bird family in front of me I will hopefully remember this and work my compositions to capture the head of anything I am attempting to blur in the background!!#planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #swan #cygnet See more

20.01.2022 Double Trouble!! An image taken a while back. A re-post because I am having a very busy few days and wont find time to process the latest images. My beautiful daughter Soraya has settled into her new house and is looking for pictures to hang on the walls. They have chosen this one which great with a textured wood frame and wide double white matt board!! Here is the story of these two gorgeous babies!! Black Shouldered Kites are probably my favourite birds. The are curiou...s, intelligent, extremely agile and incredible hunters. I almost always see them catch mice, although very occasionally they will catch a skink or some other small unfortunate creature. The shimmery white feathers of these birds contrast stunningly with their rich red eyes and bright yellow talons. In flight they are magnificent and can often be captured hovering as they pinpoint their prey before dropping down to snatch it from the grass. Recently I came across these twin juveniles. You can tell they are young birds because their golden eyes have not yet turned rich red and they still have mottled brown baby feathers on their chests. I was in a soggy paddock when I spotted the first bird and moved slowly and carefully through the wet grass to get closer. As I did I realised there were two. They stayed close to each other but didnt sit on the same branch. It took three trips to the area to capture this image of both together, close enough to fit in one frame. #australianbirds #westaustralianbirds #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #australianbirdsofinstagram #australianbird #birdsonearth #best_bird-shots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #blackshoulderedkite #raptor See more

20.01.2022 Portrait of a Black Shouldered Kite, coming in to land, fast!! I thought it would be good to post my two favourite birds one after the other. Yesterday the little Red Capped Robin and today this intense, wild creature with enticing red eyes and flashy yellow talons!! I think in this case the image captures the soul of this bird far better than words!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #blackshoulderedkite

19.01.2022 The dark one with the golden eye, that lurks in the shadows, deep in the paperbark swamp, silently swimming alone. It is an Australian Shoveler and while I have seen them at some of our local lakes over the years I have never had the opportunity to photograph them. The light yesterday was gloomy, it added to the dark intense atmosphere of the swamp but made photography difficult. Dark sky, black water and dark subject? I hardly every use a tripod because I am too restless... and impatient. I also tend to use high shutter speeds to freeze the movement and compensate for the weight of the camera and relatively long lens. Using these settings light is often scarce! For these reasons I often shoot underexposed, sometimes to add to the atmosphere of the image, sometimes because I have no choice and sometimes because I know the image can be rescued in Lightroom. This was the case with this image, the light was catching the eye and the feathers which was enough!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #australianshoveler See more

19.01.2022 Sometimes it is good to gaze at the sky!! It is always there with the offer of a broader perspective should we choose to take it? A few years ago I was at a business lunch and to break the ice there was a pile of cards on the table with a series of questions, that we answered in turn. I usually hate these kind of exercises with a strange intense passion, but this one was interesting!! I only remember one question. What is the last thing you would like to see before you die...? Slightly morbid and a bit personal for lunch? It was my turn to answer first and without hesitation I said the sky. My answer surprised me. My lack of hesitation surprised me!! I am a person that gets so tangled up with the pros and cons of different options that even choosing which colour socks to wear can consume far more time than it should!! In this case my choice was clear and definite. The sky!! Since then I have given it some thought. I have always loved the sky. I spend a lot of time looking at the sky. At night, sparkling stars, silhouettes of ancient twisted trees, constellations, satellites caught in endless rotation and the thin sliver of a silver moon!! During the day stormy skies always catch my attention. Dark, thunderous clouds, heaving and moving, changing the nature of light in unpredictable atmospheric ways. On lighter days, dappled light cloud breaking a blue sky with beautiful fast moving patterns. The power of the sky is far beyond anything else I know. I took this image on Yagahong Hill in the Murchison. Deep red cliffs of crumbling slate towered above me. I was lamenting my lack of prowess as a landscape photographer, knowing the rugged beauty lay way beyond my skillset! Then I looked up. It changed everything!! A jagged precipitous cliff on my left, khaki lace leaves of a mulga tree on my right, soft textured cloud breaking blue in the middle. I was inspired! It is nowhere near a masterpiece, but this image captured exactly how I felt when I was up there!! Awe, freedom, beauty and trust in something far greater than me!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #murchison #meekatharra #yagahonghill #sandstone #skyphotograp See more

19.01.2022 A beautiful Galah feeding on the lawn at Murdoch University!! I had been to visit Soraya and taken a lunch of delicious sushi. We had chatted her Phd, my work, our gardens and what our respective dogs were up to! As I headed to the car I spotted three Galahs feeding in the grass. I love being on eye level with my subjects so lay down with the camera to the amusement of several passerbys. The Galahs didnt mind. They must hang out at University and be used to people becau...se all three slowly came closer and closer. Nothing special, but some nice portraits. There are a lot of Galahs about at the moment, feeding on the grasses and flowers of spring. A time to be really careful on the roads, because they are often on verges and traffic islands. Once we found a Galah that had been hit by a car and was badly injured. I took her to Fiona, my wildlife carer friend and she was slowly nursed back to health. Fiona lives close to where we found her. Once the bird was recovering in an outside cage Fiona had noticed a wild Galah flying in to visit every day. It was the mate of the injured bird. Somehow he had managed to find his wife and would sit on her cage taking to her. When the injured bird was well enough to be released, the two flew off together. It was so touching and something I have never forgotten. Many birds pair for life and forge what appear to be deep and loving bonds. LOL, they could probably teach us humans a thing or two about love!! I hate seeing dead birds on the road, it always makes me think of the confusion and sadness the mate must feel and it definitely makes me drive more carefully. #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #galah See more

18.01.2022 The rings of life? Massive Oregan beams slowly disintegrating into the red dirt! Surrounded by a moonscape, hard country dominated by quartz and ironstone rocks broken by wispy yellow wind grass and Mulga tree thickets! A creek has cut its way through the rocks and shallow pools evidence the rain last night that caught us unaware!! Wet bedding is now drying on a makeshift clothesline. The Oregan Beams were used in a gold mine, long abandoned. Piles of tailings and a deep dang...erous shaft remain. More recent gradings and diggings pervade the landscape which has been deeply disturbed in the search for gold! You often see remnants of Oregan timber in old desert mines and ruins. As far as I know it came from America in the early days! On Tall Ships and then transported to what must have seemed like the end of the earth by Camel trains? Oregan has a very strong vertical grain, perhaps that is why it was used instead of our own Jarrah or Karri? Clearly Oregan is durable, the beams are probably well over a hundred years old, remnants of the goldrush that saw huge numbers of people head into the unknown seeking their fortune!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #desert #meekatharra #oregan #murchison #gold See more

17.01.2022 The remains of a StickNest Rats nest. I often come across these in breakaway caves. Very clever rats that make a home from sticks glued together with their sticky tar like urine. Over time the tar sets hard preserving the nest. Very sad that this species almost went extinct due to predation by cats and foxes. In recent years there has been some success with breeding programs to try and reestablish the species on the mainland.

17.01.2022 An intense love affair with whale photography has developed over the last few years!! Last year I did a few trips out to the Perth Canyon to photograph Albatross, Blue Whales and the annual Humpback migration. Earlier this year I spent a few days photographing Orcas in the restless, heaving swell of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Bremer Bay with Naturaliste Charters. Sadly the Orca Photography tours were shut down due to Covid so that trip was cut short!! Luckily whale... watching tours are back up and running so I am hoping to do a week of Orca and Seabird photography in 2021!! While the desert is my favourite place to be, the open ocean comes in as a very close second. I love the vast expanse, the constant movement, the changing light and of course what lives beneath. The unpredictable, chaotic nature of the action, movement of the boat, seasickness and constant salt water spray make photography challenging, but I think that is part of why I love it so much!! It is hard to describe the feeling because ocean photography touches something in me that is way beyond words. Freedom and a sense of being alive and part of it, yet totally insignificant at the same time is about as close as I can get. This image is of a Humpback Whale just after it breached. The pectoral fin disappearing back into the ocean amidst the disturbance of water, spray and droplets going in all direction catching the light!! I love it, a sense of scale, mystery and movement!! I have a day of whale photography off the coast of Dunsborough with Naturaliste Charters planned for next week and I cannot wait!! #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #bestnatureshots #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #seeaustralia #humpbackwhale #whalephotography #whalemigration #whalewatchwestern australia #rottnestisland #whalebreach #naturephotography #cetaceanphotography #cetacean #naturalistecharters #whalewatching #dunsborough See more

15.01.2022 An Inland Thornbill with gorgeous knobby little knees!! These tiny ones seem to be prolific!! I saw them in every spot that we camped, often in small groups flying from tree to tree catching bugs. Wonderful to watch them in action together. A very short post today because I am off to Sorayas house to pay back some of the slave labour debt that accumulated over her childhood. I always think I can do far more than is possible and this happened over and over when Soraya was ...little and I coerced her into helping me with big gardening projects!! Today we are undertaking a Mother and Daughter challenge to remove a whole lot of big Yukka Trees from the garden beds in her new house!! I am taking axes, shovels and mattocks!! Also chains and levers, LOL it will be a pretty high tech operation!! A fight to to the death, hopefully of the Yukkas!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #inlandthornbill #thornbill See more

13.01.2022 Portrait of a kind hearted stockman! Mulga Mat from Cogla Downs giving some love to Bruce the orphaned calf after a hard days work. The nickname Mulga Mat is pretty recent and came about after a spectacular incident involving a Mulga Tree, a Ute and Mat himself. Details are probably not necessary except to say the tree was in the wrong place at the wrong time (apparently they move around) and all were unharmed. Bruce is a friendly, demanding little critter who loves a g...ood scratch under the neck and lots of pats. Mat feeds him in the morning and evening and he often brings three big bottles of milk in one session. Bruce lives with two dogs, a turkey, a chook and an orphaned goat. We noticed that he has started copying the dogs. When a car pulls up he runs around all excited doing laps of the yard and I reckon if he could figure out how to bark he would. When we woke up on our last day at Cogla Downs we found Bruce asleep in the dog bed. The dogs had found alternative accomodation during the night but they all seemed happy with the new sleeping arrangements. #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages See more

13.01.2022 Nicotiana exelsior or Native Tobacco. A true member of the tobacco family and a plant used by aboriginal people as chewing tobacco. The leaves were dried and mixed with ash to chew. This is a common practice across the world and it is because the alkaline qualities of wood ash work to chemically release the nicotine increasing the effect. I love seeing these gorgeous little plants and in this case they were growing on the vertical cliffs of Yagahong Hill in the Murchison.... The apple green leaves and white flowers agains the rich red of the rugged cliffs was truly beautiful. It is interesting that this plant is often found at the entrance to breakaway caves and areas well used by peoples past! it is thought to have been introduced from its natural habitat which lies further east!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #desert #bushtucker #murchison #pilbara #westernaustralia #bushfood #outback #tobacco #nativetobacco #meekatharra #sandstone See more

12.01.2022 One of the highlights of the trip North was an evening spent photographing a beautiful pair of Hooded Robins. I have only photographed Hooded Robins twice before so when I heard the call and then saw first the male and then the female I was pretty happy. We were at the Homestead dump fossicking through over a century of abandoned possessions. All station homesteads have a dump, where rubbish is usually burnt and buried. Some dumps are better than others and this was one of... the best I have ever seen. Ancient vehicles, trucks, cars and motorbikes lay silent, rusting quietly beneath the Mulga trees. Household discards, washing machines, ovens, sinks, troughs, toilets, plumbing was in another section as was wire, barbed and straight in neat coils beside the windmill parts and an old pram. I could go on. The Hooded Robins seemed to have claimed the dump as home. Maybe because the rubbish caught the water allowing seeds and grasses to grow, thus attracting bugs which in turn attracted Robins. Maybe they just liked perching on cool trucks from the 1950s? It was late in the day and the light was warm and low against a cloudy sky. I captured many images of the male Robin so was very excited to see the shyer female. They were an animated pair and liked to stay close to each other. Several times they came together in the same tree and twice on the same perch. I was able to capture the two birds in the same frame which always makes me very very happy. I took a lot of images but there were only a handful where both birds are sharp, the glint in each eye is captured and the composition is okay. This is one of them!! #birdsonearth #birds_private #birds_captures #bb_of_ig #featherperfection #marvelouz_animals #wildgeography #gottalovethis #birdphoto #birdstagram #discoveryglobe #global4nature #women_wildlife_photography #birds_adored #best_birds_of_world #instawildlife #birdlovers #dailybirdpix #zebrafinch #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #robin #hoodedrobin #meekatharra See more

11.01.2022 A couple of Yellow Robins!! A while back I was lucky enough to capture a set of images of these two gorgeous little birds. It was completely unplanned. I had finished my expedition and was heading home but stopped for one last look in a different place on a whim. I had only been there a few minutes when a Yellow Robin landed in front of me on a beautiful perch, quickly followed by another. No time to check settings, so I did as Georgina Steytler refers to as Spray and Pr...ay hoping to capture something good. In most of the images one or both of the birds are looking away, positioned awkwardly or obscuring part of the other bird. They stayed on the perch together for perhaps a minute, maybe two but I probably only got five images where I caught the eye of both, they are positioned in a good composition and are both clearly in focus!! Of the five images there are two that I absolutely love and this is one of them!! Yellow is my favourite colour and to capture two birds together like this is so rare!! Interesting how some of my favourite images are totally unexpected!! #australianbirds #westaustralianbirds #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #australianbirdsofinstagram #australianbird #birdsonearth #best_bird-shots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #westernyellowrobin #yellowrobin #robin See more

11.01.2022 Portrait of a Red Capped Robin captured near Dowerin in the Wheatbelt. The pale pink background is actually the bleached limestone of an old dam wall. Pale pink is not a color that appears in many of my images. Although I had deliberately positioned myself so the dam wall formed the background I did not expect such a pretty shade so was very happy when I loaded the images onto my computer. There are two birds that I think of as kind of spirit companions if that makes any s...ense. One is this little fella, the Red Capped Robin and the other is the Black Shouldered Kite. When I am up North or out East there always seem to be Red Capped Robins, they are animated and busy and seeing them with their bright red color just makes me happy. I feel safe when there are Robins about, they are curious little birds and seem to seek out my campsites and often appear very close when I am photographing other birds. Black Shouldered Kites evoke similar feeling in me, although I usually have to seek them out, and they are a far more intense creatures!! Time spent observing these beautiful raptors is precious, the piercing red eye, shimmery white feathers, bright yellow feet combined with intelligence, agility and speed is something beyond words. They are also curious birds, and will sit and watch, often preening at the same time!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #robin #redcappedrobin See more

11.01.2022 You know it is a good day when you wake up, open the bedroom door and find this outside!!! What a creature!! Truly beyond words!! I was instantly captivated and spent a significant amount of time over the next few days in stealth mode stalking the Turkey. Hiding behind fences, in chookyards, underneath cars. The turkey mostly knew I was there and became more paranoid which may explain the look on his face in this image!! I have never been up close with a turkey before and didnt realise how magnificent they were. Incredible subject for photography, colour, texture and expression. I think the turkey is probably glad I have come home and he can have some peace!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages

10.01.2022 A beautiful pair of Singing Honey Eaters working the fence line, catching bugs that emerge from the long grass below just after dawn. I have a hiding place beneath a gnarly old gumtree that looks along this fence. It is a spot where the Red Capped Parrots often perch in small groups. I have spent a few mornings waiting, hoping they will land close, preferable on one of the old weathered fence posts. So far it hasnt happened. They have landed too far away and as often ha...ppens right behind me, very close but obscured by branches. On the morning I captured this image I had to content myself with these guys. Very beautiful birds that I often see. Felt very happy that I was able to capture a pair together both in good light!!#planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #singinghoneyeater #honeyeater See more

10.01.2022 A stolen kiss? I am back from the bush with a lot of images to sort through and process. The two weeks away feels like a lot longer for some reason and the trip to my desert homelands has had a healing effect!! Bush medicine!! Things feel a lot better in mind body and spirit. Zebra Finches are tiny little birds that usually hang around in flocks. When you see Zebra Finches you know that water is close. These tiny ones are almost always seen close to a reliable water sourc...e which could be very valuable information if you are lost in the desert with no water. We were doing a mill run which involves a long drive to check several mills and make sure they are pumping, ensure nothing has broken and that troughs are full and clean. At this particular mill the remains of an old fence made the perfect perch for the tiny finches. When we first approached the mill the small flock flew off but they soon came back and I was able to capture a few images of the little birds perched on the rust old wire. There was no time to position myself so I quickly ducked down shooting through the remains of one fence to the birds on another. The kisser looked pretty pleased with himself but the kissee didnt look so sure and took off right after the kiss to land on a wire square a little further away. I was hoping they would come back together so waited a few minutes but they didnt and we had to continue on to the next mill!! #birdsonearth #birds_private #birds_captures #bb_of_ig #featherperfection #marvelouz_animals #wildgeography #gottalovethis #birdphoto #birdstagram #discoveryglobe #global4nature #women_wildlife_photography #birds_adored #best_birds_of_world #instawildlife #birdlovers #dailybirdpix #zebrafinch See more

09.01.2022 A Crested Bell Bird amidst the tangled branches of a Mulga Tree. It is a bird that you hear far more than you see. Also known as the Morse Code Bird because of its distinctive call. A reassuring do do do-do doot, do do do-do doot, over and over in clear bell notes that ring through the landscape. In the desert it is almost always the first sound of the day, reliably there at first light, day after day. This bird can throw its voice, the sound will seem very close, then mo...ves, backward, forward, left and right making it very difficult to identify where the bird actually is!! It is one of the things I love about the sound, it moves, at times it would be all around and just when you thought you had it figured out, it shifted!! Interesting how much sound and smell embed in our mind and link to emotion. Whenever I hear the sound of the Morse Code Bird I feel safe, I know I am home in the desert, on the country I love. It is often a difficult bird to photograph because it is hard to find. I photographed this one at Nannine an abandoned mine between Cue and Meekatharra. It had rained the previous day after a dry spell and a few shallow pools in the small creek were full of water. Birds always seem particularly active after rain in the desert so I was lucky. A pair of Crested Bell Birds spent the morning along the creek line enjoying the water and foraging around the edge of the pools. My favourite images are those that show a wider view, the bird in its environment. I could crop this one a lot tighter but I like the twisted tangled grey Mulga branches, it portrays a far more realistic sense of the scene that morning!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #crestedbellbird #bellbird See more

08.01.2022 Portrait of a the newly recognised species of Peacock Spider, Maratus banyowla. Named after the place of its discovery, the Banyowla Regional Park in the nearby suburb of Gosnells. I have an on again - off again love affair with Peacock Spiders, that has been re-ignited in recent days. They are tiny, about the size of a big grain of rice, so tricky to find and hard to photograph. Very high maintenance, yet on the flip side, they have hairy legs, sparking jewel like eyes, ...magnificent colours and a courtship dance that looks like something from Monty Pythons Ministry of Funny Walks. The pros definitely outweigh the cons!! I was extremely happy to find this little critter yesterday and consequently abandoned bird photography to spend a few hours ferreting about in the leaf litter with my camera. Not much distracts me from bird photography. Helicopter rides usually work, Breaching Whales tend to do it or if I am really hungry a double dipped cherry ripe!! I have been really wanting to photograph Peacock Spiders for a while so was shaking with excitement when I found this little guy!! Extremely lucky to see him do his courtship dance and to capture some images of both the male and female in the same frame!! Very interesting to note that the genus Maratus has expanded rapidly over the last decade with the recognition of over seventy new species. Also interesting to note that all species of Maratus except one are found in Australia. We are the Peacock Spider hotspot of the world!! Spring is the time to see these gorgeous little creatures, it is when they breed, so they are out and about and a little easier to spot!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #macrophotography #spiderphotography #peacockspider #maratusbanyowla #banyowlaregionalpark #spiderhunt #spiders #sspodder #spider.photography #naturephotography #arachnidphotography #nature_australia #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst See more

08.01.2022 Portrait of a Red Capped Robin living at the Cogla Downs Homestead. Station Homesteads tend to have a lot of outbuildings. Back in the 1940s and 1950s wool production was on a high. The stations ran large flocks of sheep which needed to be shorn every year. As a result there were large shearing sheds, self contained shearers quarters and often several separate workers cottages. Cogla Downs is typical of the era it was built and there are several gorgeous corrugated iro...n cottages surrounding the main Homestead which in its day was actually an outcome of an even larger property. I noticed that this little Robin had adopted one of the cottages as his home. He loved perching on this piece of iron which a strip of red paint? I guess Red Capped Robins can recognise the color red easily for various reasons!! It is a quick post this morning because I am scurrying off on a spider hunt!! Maratus banyowla a new species of Peacock Spider. Absolutely stunning little spider with a blue face that jumps about in the forest. Hopefully I find one and can capture some images with my little used macro lens!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #robin #redcappedrobin #meekatharra See more

06.01.2022 I have been out in the desert lands eating Coglas and photographing birds! No phone or internet so I am sorry I havent been able to answer comments and messages. I will be back in town early this week with lots of photos to process and some interesting stories!! #melissazappelli #wildwingimages #melissazappelliphotography #meekatharra #murchison

05.01.2022 Portrait of a Goshawk. I have been recovering from a nasty bout of gastro. I dont often get sick, which is fantastic, no complaints, except to note that I dont really know what it feels like, so when I am struck down with illness I tend to think I am dying!! It has passed and it seems like I am alive and well so have spent a busy week at work and setting up a new MacBook Pro to replace my old one which is struggling!! The new machine is up and working and is much faster. ... Processing images seems so much easier!! I dropped into a patch of bush on the way to work today hoping to capture images of Fairy Wrens, Red Capped Parrots, and perhaps the Horsfields Bronze Cuckoo which continues to elude me. On the way in I noticed a Goshawk fly out of some thick trees and away over the hill. I found a spot to hide overlooking a dead tree and some low scrub and waited to see what came along. Plenty of little birds about!! A shadow of a larger bird passed overhead and I looked up this beautiful Goshawk land on a branch right in front of me. So unexpected. I rarely see Goshawks in the open. He knew I was there, he kept glancing in my direction, but, his focus was down into the scrub beneath, on the hunt? I was able to capture some great images, nice light and clear blue sky background!! The Goshawk kept looking down and I really hoped he wouldnt catch one of the beautiful blue Fairy Wrens or Thornbills that I had been watching just moments before. After a few moments he took off into a thicket. The forest had fallen silent and still, all the little birds hiding quietly, waiting for him to leave? #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #goshawk See more

04.01.2022 Little house on the prairie, complete with a resident dog creature!! Visiting stations in the Murchison is always interesting. There is a lot of history in the bush. Remnants from the past left by Australias First People are everywhere if you know how to see. A layer of life that dates back at least 60,000 years. A lot of life and a lot of wisdom! People that understood their surroundings. A rich, intricate culture that grew within an understanding of connections betwee...n plants, animals, seasons, weather and the human spirit. Wisdom used to survive in the harsh desert environment. I am very grateful that my parents encouraged an interest in history and nature giving me a precious glimpse into this world now past. More recent history is strewn across the landscape. Mines from the early goldfish lay abandoned, deep shafts and cuts scar the earth and heavy steel equipment supported by huge oregan timber beams lay rusting in the red dirt. Later, in the 1940s and 1950s wool production was in its hey day. Fences, windmills, yards, woodsheds, homesteads and outbuildings remain from these days in various states of repair. I fell in love with this gorgeous little cottage which was part of the old Shearers Quarters at Cogla Downs. There are several little cottages on the station, and we are lucky enough to be involved in restoring one so we can use it as a camp when we head up that way. Water needs to be connected, and a toilet, shower and kitchen sink plumbed in. It will be an interesting project, in a great place with good people!! Once again, I am very grateful to have a connection to the desert and the people that live there!! #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages See more

04.01.2022 A Firetail Finch displaying with a long piece of grass. Captured a couple of weeks back in the Perth Hills. At first I thought the birds were building a nest as two landed on a branch in front of me, each with a long piece of grass! When I checked my bird books I found a very similar image in one of them with a caption saying the grass was part of a courting display? Perhaps he with the longest piece of grass gets the girl? Very interesting and something I will follow up when back in Perth!! #birdsonearth #birds_private #birds_captures #bb_of_ig #featherperfection #marvelouz_animals #wildgeography #gottalovethis #birdphoto #birdstagram #discoveryglobe #global4nature #women_wildlife_photography #birds_adored #best_birds_of_world #instawildlife #birdlovers #dailybirdpix #redearedfiretail #firetail #finch

03.01.2022 Tom made this video to showcase some of our beautiful birdlife at Alfred Cove. Thanks to those whose photos were included in this video and very specially to Melissa Zappelli who has been a supporter of a Melville Bird Sanctuary since Day 1 and has generously allowed us to use her beautiful pictures of the birdlife of our region.

03.01.2022 Portrait of a White Winged Fairy Wren. Seeing this tiny little bird was the highlight of my trip North. I had never seen one before. For several years I have been meaning to seek this little fellow out, but for various reasons it hasnt happened. We camped at a place called Quinns about halfway between Meekatharra and Sandstone. Very harsh, dry salt lake country. Quinns Lake is massive, miles of very low dense scrub with no trees. There seemed to be very little bird lif...e so I decided to go for a long walk to a patch of thick green vegetation way off in the distance. I eventually got there, winding through the prickly saltbush and samphire, crusty ground breaking with each step. I was rewarded with the sound of birds. Tiny ones, grey feathered bodies smaller than a very small mouse!! I didnt know what they were. Wren like, but the call was unfamiliar and they seemed smaller than usual Fairy Wrens. My questions were answered when this beautiful little male emerged from a thick prickly bush to survey his salty kingdom. Perched for a few seconds, tall and proud, surrounded by the call of several females in adjacent vegetation. I was so happy!! Seeing this little one in such arid , hungry country was totally unexpected!! I have since learnt that these little ones are quite widespread and live in arid habitats. As out trip continued we passed through a lot of saltlake country and these little guys seemed to be prolific, although very difficult to photograph!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography whitewingedfairywren #fairywren See more

02.01.2022 Portrait of a Micky Bull!! Birds were not the only creatures on Yagahong Hill!! The day before I had noticed a family of Nankeen Kestrels hunting along the face of the cliffs. There was a spot where they frequently came into land, so I thought I would climb the hill to capture some flight images just after dawn. Kalli dog was with me. She has become a good birding dog, creeping along quietly in stealth mode and lying to wait when asked!! It is a steep climb over slabs of l...oose rock which has fallen from above. I reached the bottom of the cliff face and found a trail about half a metre wide. A vertical cliff going up on my right and a crumbly rock drop off on my left. I headed toward the Kestrel spot. I could hear them calling and looked up to see five birds in the sky. I have a habit of looking up, eyes trained on birds above trying to predict movement and action. I often walk along looking up and not down, my focus on the sky with the rest of the world filtered out. It can lead to some interesting predicaments. At some point I sensed Kalli was no longer there. I lowered my eyes to turn and noticed movement directly in front of me. A huge red bull that looked annoyed, literally a metre in front!! It took a few seconds for my brain to compute. I had not expected a bull on a cliff. Nowhere to go except backward. I turned very slowly to see Kalli was about ten metres behind me looking very concerned. She uttered a low menacing growl, my heart was pounding!!! I opened my hand in the stop signal I give her when we are birding and luckily she stopped growling and stayed put!! Very very slowly I moved backward, my eyes locked with those of the bull,. It didnt move. When I reached Kalli I grabbed her collar and we carefully climbed down off the trail to a safe distance. The bull resumed feeding and slowly my heartbeat slowed and I stopped shaking enough to take a photo. #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #desert #murchison #pilbara #westernaustralia #outback #meekatharra #sandstone #cattlestation #mickybull #yagahonghill See more

02.01.2022 Three little Woodswallows cuddled together on a very cold morning, high up along the rugged red cliffs of Yagahong Hill. I spent a lot of time climbing around Yagahong Hill. I was captivated by the crumbling slate cliffs, the sheer height and the creatures that lived there. I love arriving at places before dawn and then watching as the scene changes, colours fade and others emerge. Light shifts from barely there, a whispered promise, a pale silvery glow woven like the fine...st silk, a diaphanous shimmer that blankets the landscape without touching. Stillness that pierces the heart then passes, giving way to a rich glow and colour, warmth, the palate varying, dependant on atmospheric conditions and weather!! The Wood Swallows didnt really become active until things had warmed and I dont blame them. It was bitterly cold on the cliffs, the wind cut through my down jacket and I found myself shivering. I spotted these little ones cuddled up, I am guessing to stay warm, a little family? They were in a very awkward spot, I just couldnt get a good composition and didnt want to scramble closer and risk disturbing them. The image is heavily cropped and not that sharp probably because I was shivering and not able to get in a position to still the lens. Regardless, it is a reminder of a beautiful morning, a scene and sense of stillness I will not forget!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #woodswallow See more

02.01.2022 The Crested Bellbird; Photographed at Kalli Station in October. I have always known this one as the Morse Code Bird, but had never actually seen one despite being very familiar with its beautiful call. It is a sound I grew up with, embedded in the background of my childhood, a reassuring do do do-do doot, do do do-do doot, over and over in clear bell notes that ring through the landscape. In the desert it is almost always the first sound of the day, reliably there at first ...light, day after day. This bird can throw its voice, the sound will seem very close, then moves, backward, forward, left and right making it very difficult to identify where the bird actually is!! It is one of the things I love about the sound, it moves, at times it would be all around and just when you thought you had it figured out, it shifted!! Interesting how much sound and smell embed in our mind and link to emotion. Whenever I hear the sound of the Morse Code Bird I feel safe, I know I am home in the desert, on the country I love. I get the same feeling when I smell dust and rain and particular flowers!! This is a difficult bird to photograph, mostly because it is so hard to find, so I was extremely happy to see movement in the Mulga Trees and a flash of white and black, this image was captured through a gap in the branches when he emerged and perched momentarily with a wild look in his eye and ruffled crest!! Captured with my Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-400mm lens. Settings were; ISO 320, 400mm, f8, 1/2000. #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #crestedbellbird #bellbird See more

01.01.2022 Portrait of a Red Capped Parrot. I often see these birds in the bush near my home and other places that I visit. They have a distinctive call that sounds a little bit like a machine gun to me and is often accompanied by interesting chortles. In the right light a male Red Capped Parrot is a stunning, the colours are almost unbelievable, bright red, blue and green. I have spent many hours in the mornings, hiding along fence lines, crawling through the grass, observing where... they perch and waiting and waiting but I have never captured an image I am really happy with! Bird Photographers talk about nemesis birds, a bird that despite appropriate effort they have not managed to photograph. I have a few and this is one, but maybe this spring it will happen. I have found a place where they are often seen and during a couple of little expeditions last week have identified a couple of trees and a fence line where they like to perch. Having said that I am pretty happy with this image. I think it must be a female or a young male as the colours are not fully developed? It is raining here today and it is also Fathers Day. I hope all the Dads out there have a wonderful day!! I am off to visit my Dad who recently had his 81st Birthday. Taking his some Beetroot from the Garden, a loaf of Sour Dough and a block of his favourite Capel Butter!! #planetbirds #wildlifeplanet #seeaustralia #earthcapture #wildlifeplanet #naturyst #birdsonearth #bestbirdshots #exclusive_bird #eye_spy_birds #kings_birds_ #nuts_about_birds #bird_freaks #best_birds_of_ig #your_best_birds #bb_of_ig #birds_of_instagram #bestnatureshots #best_birds_of_world #bird_brilliance #feather_perfection #birds_adored #birdlifeoz #melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #parrot #redcappedparrot See more

01.01.2022 Multitasking!! Cooking toast to have with loads of butter and fig jam and making friends with the dog after a big argument in the night over a pillow!#melissazappelli #melissazappelliphotography #wildwingimages #desert #meekatharra #oregan #murchison #gold