Gigerline Nature Reserve sits astride the Murrumbidgee River just south of Tharwa. I had visited part of the reserve before when I went to Tharwa Sandwash but I had not really visited the rest of the reserve. After heading there once, I ended up visiting it twice because I wanted to see more. My first visit was with the plan to walk along the Gudgenby River as far as I could, thinking that the water level would not be too high. I was wrong, the water level was right up and I could barely get to the remaining banks of the river from the surrounding countryside. As part of that trip I walked up to the top of the ridge of the peninsula that separates the Gudgenby and Murrumbidgee Rivers before they join. I am glad that I did because I came across the path that followed the ridgeline down to the tip of the peninsula. I did not have time to explore that path on my first visit so I knew that I would be back. I ended up having two great visits and saw my first wild Rainbow Bee-eaters, truly a beautiful bird. The second visit was a bit of a macro paradise, with so many subjects to photograph. I hope you like the photographs below.
A sign to show which reserve you are in
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Several Long-nosed Lycid Beetles were flying around
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
Not sure what species this millipede was but it was the first creature I photographed on my first morning
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1600, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Rainbow Bee-eater in a tree on an overcast morning at Gigerline Nature Reserve
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Noisy Friarbird
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Nankeen Kestrel on a power line
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/10 and 1/400 SEC])
A nearby woodshed, with sheep approaching, that overlooks the reserve
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 135mm, f/10 and 1/400 SEC])
Looking almost to Tharwa Sandwash
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 100mm, f/10 and 1/100 SEC])
Meadow Argus sunning itself on the ground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 300mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Cabbage White drinking from a flower
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Australian Painted Lady
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Australian Painted Lady
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/11 and 1/250 SEC])
Heliotrope moth on a flower bud
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Long-jawed Spider on my camera bag, with a zipper showing scale
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 800, 100mm, f/6.3 and 1/160 SEC])
The trail I was following along the ridge, although this is looking south, back to where my car was
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM [ISO 200, 40mm, f/16 and 1/80 SEC])
Grasshopper nymph
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
Redeye Cicada on a tree that seemed to be filled with cicadas
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
This small tree also has a number of cicadas on it, two just below the crow on the right-hand side
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM [ISO 100, 40mm, f/6.3 and 1/160 SEC])
The same two cicadas on the tree just above
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Heroic Orb weaver, moving at speed through small plants and my camera bag
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
Lauxaniid fly on an acacia
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
Flesh Fly on the ground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Conflux of the Murrumbidgee River on the right with the Gudgenby River
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/160 SEC]
Looking back south at the conflux, with the Murrumbidgee on the left
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/160 SEC]
I just liked this shot of the Murrumbidgee just downstream of the conflux, it was an interesting pattern and composition
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/160 SEC]
White-plumed Honeyeater adult in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/14 and 1/100 SEC])
White-plumed Honeyeater juvenile in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 400mm, f/14 and 1/100 SEC])
House Sparrow female enjoying some grass seeds
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
