White-bellied sea-eagle, Callala Bay, NSW

An impressive eagle second in size only to the wedge-tailed eagle among Australian raptors, Haliaeetus leucogaster inhabits coastal areas and large inland wetlands where it predominantly hunts fish using its large talons to catch them and then its powerful wings to carry them to a nearby tree. The juvenile sea-eagle has completely different plumage to the adult, being mottled brown and easily confusable with a wedge-tailed eagle.

Red-capped plover,

Shoalhaven Heads, NSW The small endemic plover lays its eggs in a shallow scrape on open ground in habitats such as sand bars. The male and female Charadrius ruficapillus are both involved in the care and parenting of young. When born, the chick has down which blends in with its surroundings to hide it from predators. In the image the adult male holds out its wing to protect the newly hatched chick from the wind.

Pink robin, Otway Ranges, Victoria

A bird so beautiful people struggle to believe it is real, Petroica rodinogaster’s colour is so striking one wonders how and why it evolved to be this way. No doubt it has something to do with impressing females and standing out. The pink robin is not commonly seen as it prefers the dark, wet rainforests of Tasmania and southern Victoria.

Yellow-billed spoonbill, Goondiwindi, Queensland

Platalea flavipes is one of two spoonbill species in Australia, the other being the royal spoonbill, which has a black bill. This bird uses its remarkably shaped beak to filter through mud in shallow water. Once it detects prey, it closes its bill and captures a meal. This bird was very effective at catching small yabbies in an inland waterway.

Eastern barn owl, south coast, NSW

Barn owls are among the most widespread and best-known owl species throughout the world. Australia is fortunate to have five species in the barn owl family with the eastern barn owl being the most common. Tyto delicatula has a very distinctive facial disk and pale plumage

Pied cormorant, south coast, NSW

Phalacrocorax varius’s distinctive black-and-white plumage separates it from the slightly larger great cormorant. You don’t get to fully appreciate the wonderful colour around the eye until you see the bird up close.

Great egret, Lake Wollumboola, NSW

The largest egret species in Australia, Ardea alba has an extremely long neck which it uses extensively when feeding. It is a reasonably common sight on the coast and can often be seen standing in the shallows hunting for prey.

Buller’s albatross, Wollongong, NSW

A distinctive yellow and black bill combined with a dark face make the adult Thalassarche bulleri an unmistakably striking bird. The species breeds on several New Zealand offshore islands and is a frequent visitor to Australian waters. There are 22 albatross species worldwide and about 15 species frequent Australian waters on a regular basis. The best way to see an albatross is on a pelagic boat trip. These set out from coastal cities – they are usually day trips that take you out to the continental shelf where seabirds are at their most plentiful.

Southern boobook, south coast, NSW

A relatively common owl, Ninox boobook occurs throughout Australia wherever large trees exist for it to roost and breed. It has a distinctive onomatopoeic call and is often heard calling constantly. There are four recognised subspecies in Australia which exhibit variations in plumage.

White-headed stilts, Lake Wollumboola, NSW

The beauty of wetlands is often the serenity of watching nature unfold in front of you. Photographing birds feeding can often present amazing opportunities. These two Himantopus leucocephalus were feeding in unison one morning before sunrise. They came together and almost mirrored each other’s behaviour for this photograph.