"Wire fences gridlock the Australian landscape and impact wildlife species on a scale I believe has not yet been properly documented or publicized. They constrain the natural movements of terrestrial species, or, when these animals try to hop or jump over them, often see creatures caught, hung up with their limbs broken and a slow, painful death. Barbed varieties of such fences present an extra hazard to those species that might have the ability to fly over them, but not to see the dangerous mesh in a rural jungle of trees and shrubs. I fought back tears as I wrapped this poor owl in my shirt and cut the mesh. It gazed at me with stricken eyes, unaware that the damage to its patagium was too severe for successful rehabilitation and that is the fate of humane euthanasia was sealed the moment it hit the wire. In the 21st century, there is no excuse for such senseless (and useless) structures in our landscape."

Southern Boobook, Perth Hills, Noongar Country, WA

"This "predator in training" landed on my balcony one summer evening in an attempt to make a meal of my pet Budgie (who was inside). Hearing the kerfuffle, I grabbed my nearby camera and was able to take a few photos before we were able to guide it to an easy escape and back to its scolding parent in a nearby tree. No birds were injured - only the dented pride of the young Juvenile Brown Goshawk."

Brown Goshawk (juv), Koolewong, Darkinjung Country, NSW

"One of the sites where I monitor water quality in southern Tasmania contains areas of remnant eucalypt vegetation which supports a rich birdlife community. To document this, and out of personal interest, several bird surveys were undertaken. The current photo was taken during one of these surveys. The robin attracted our attention initially from its calls and then the red coloration flitting through the scrub, albeit often in the shade. I was tracking it with the camera and was fortunate to get several shots as it finally landed on the end of a branch in bright sunlight, relatively close by. Luckily, this one caught the wings fully unfolded."

Flame Robin, Copping, Tas

"It was a cool April morning. The harbor was still with not a breath of breeze. A light mist added some atmosphere. As a majestic Great Egret flew in and gently touched down in the still shallows, it barely caused a ripple, the motion of its wings only faintly breaking the silence for a moment."

Great Egret, Albany, WA

"Flame Robin on a torch lily. The Robin would take off, pounce on insects and returns to this flower. I loved the colors of the bird and the flower. It looked like the Flame Robin was part of the flower."

Flame Robin, Beech Forest, Vic

"I was so surprised to see a Eurasian Coot asking for food from a Little Pied Cormorant. When I first saw them getting closer with mouths gaping, I couldn't help but think - are they going to fight? In fact, the Little Pied Cormorant ended up spitting out some food for its counterpart. I was so amazed and touched to see this act of charity among birds of different species and made me think about my expectations of how nature interacts. It turns out birds not of a feather also flock together!" Eurasian Coot and Little Pied Cormorant, Melbourne, Vic

"I wanted to try something different to the usual front-lit whole-bird flight shot. So I tried for backlighting and a portrait instead. The bird was very close to me at a focal length of 300mm!"

Buller's Albatross, Near Eaglehawk Neck, Tas

"We watched the sun rise over the vast Blue Mountains National park with some unexpected company. We were the only ones watching from the cliff lines. I’ve always loved Kookaburras, but having one pose so gracefully amongst the backdrop of the Three Sisters and Mount Solitary has been my favorite photographic experience. I spent 45 minutes trying to get the best angle, and once this image was captured the bird looked at me for a few seconds before flying into the valley below… as if it knew the job had been done."

Laughing Kookaburra, Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW

"Living on the edge of a rural Queensland town ensures I regularly see several bird species visit the back garden, including a flock of Double-barred Finches. They visit a bird feeder in one of the large backyard trees, every morning. It is wonderful to see so many wild finches all at once, sometimes up to 30 individuals every morning! I created this image of two of the finches sharing a moment together when they found themselves separated from the rest of the flock."

Double-barred Finch, Laidley, Qld

"On an early autumn morning, just before sunrise, I lay down on mud at a local park, trying to photograph coots and grebes that were feeding. After a while, a group of Australian Wood Ducks decided to join them. The fog caused the camera to miss focus a couple of times, and after many attempts, I finally captured this duck landing."

Australian Wood Duck, Glen Waverley, Vic

"When this fellow began to display on his mound, I slithered closer to a ‘window’ in the vegetation and was able to see his head under the veil of tail plumage. I opened up the aperture to f/2.8 to create an intimate, eye-level view much like a visiting female would experience."

Superb Lyrebird, Dandenong Ranges National Park, Vic

"After mowing I sat out on the patio with a coffee and to my surprise, an old mate dropped in to grab a snack. I jumped out of my chair to get my camera from inside the house, hoping he would stay on the fence. As I got through the door he was still there but only for a few moments. I managed to set up my camera and got some shots of this magnificent guy perched on the Fence. I love to watch bird life in my backyard."

Laughing Kookaburra, Cooloola Cove, Qld

"Here we see a Wedge-tailed Eagle cleaning up a kangaroo carcass which is one of around 10 million animals hit on our roads each year, according to the University of Melbourne researchers. A Wedge-tailed Eagle can eat up to 400g of meat per day and this one was determined that nothing was going to prevent it from the "last supper" that this unlucky kangaroo had provided. For me, this image not only displays the sheer power and determination of the Wedge-tailed Eagle but also their important role in assisting in the breakdown and removal of roadkill which can potentially lead to the spread of diseases."

Wedge-tailed Eagle, Between Birdsville & Mt Isa, Qld

"A Red-capped Robin showing off his red cap to best advantage. Taken in Walyunga National Park in the Perth Hills on a cloudy winter morning. He popped up on a branch in front of me and I had to be quick."

Red-capped Robin, Walyunga National Park, Perth Hills, WA

"The humble Crested Pigeon is actually quite a nice-looking bird! It was an overcast day when I took this shot of the pigeon sitting on an old Sunshine gate at Pental Island near Swan Hill in Northern Victoria... meaning a slow shutter speed. But luckily, the bird cooperated with me! I like the lighting in the shot, with the shadows in the background allowing me to use my brush tool in Lightroom Classic to darken those areas using the blacks, highlights & exposure sliders."

Crested Pigeon, Swan Hill, Vic

"Camouflaged and laying prone on the sand for the afternoon meant that the shorebirds were not threatened by my presence and they continued their activities around me. As the clock ticked on into Golden Hour, the birds came closer and closer. This Red-capped Plover eventually chose to rest right in front of me, taking advantage of the protection provided by a small mound of sand on this cold and windy winter afternoon. I liked this particular photo because it shows the harsh, desolate landscape blurring into the horizon, with the small sticks and dried seaweed giving scale to the size of this tiny bird."

Red-capped Plover, The Shoalhaven, NSW

"The wheels of a car speed past the lifeless body of a beautiful Western Rosella, a victim of a car strike. For all the impact we humans have on birds, road mortality is perhaps the most overlooked. In Australia, it is estimated around 10 million animals are killed on our roads every year and it is threatening whole species. A large number of those deaths are birds like parrots, which are often lured into danger by spilled grain along the roadsides."

Western Rosella, Albany, WA

"I was hiking through to the Grand Canyon in the Grampians when I came to a section that was closed for maintenance. Disappointed, I turned around about to head back the way I came when this little White-browed Scrubwren flew right below the closed section and placed itself perfectly on the rock popping out of the middle of the little pool. The glass-like water and rust colors of the pool already drew my eye and then I just got a perfect moment. With the balance of earthy colors, it really felt like it was a great representation of the region. The title of this shot came to me while I was zoomed in editing, as I thought the black and white bit on the wing looked like it has arms and hands resting on its "waist", looking all grumpy and it gave me a bit of a laugh."

White-browed Scrubwren, Grampians, Vic

"We were on a family holiday and I had hired a telephoto lens for the week so I was out using it as much as possible. There were many birds around the farm and plenty of interesting props and backgrounds to capture them. I love rusty farming implements as it reminds me of one of my favorite painter's works which also incorporate birds. This is one of my favorite photos from that trip and needless to say I didn't want to return the hired lens and was searching to buy my own."

Crested Pigeon, Boonah, Qld

"This Striated Heron had become entangled in a fisherman's braided line. Each time he lifted his legs to try and get away from the line, it tightened. Eventually, this would have caused either infection and/or severe tightening of the braid causing amputation of the feet. Luckily, in this case, the local wildlife rescue team - Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast - were contacted and were able to catch the little heron and remove the braid before any lasting damage was done."

Striated Heron, Gold Coast, Qld

"I spotted this Flame Robin near the cliffs of Cape Bruny. This is one of the most southerly places where this species can be found. I came across the bird whilst trying to photograph an echidna that had wandered across an open patch of grass into a thick patch of bush. I heard the robin's trill behind from behind me and couldn't resist photographing my favorite bird species. I knew that this bird would dive down amongst the bushes to catch insects and return to perch on high branches not far from where it started. In order not to scare the robin, I resolved to stay low and crouched behind some nearby vegetation, popping up from time to time to capture some photographs. It was overcast and late afternoon, providing pleasant, diffused light. Over the next half hour, I observed the robin and waited for it to come close with something interesting in its mouth. This mouth full of jewel beetles was its best catch!"

Flame Robin, Cape Bruny, Tas

"The Superb Fairy Wren... such a nice bird. The females of this species seem to get forgotten by most photographers when there’s a colorful male around, so this photo shows the beauty of the dull ones. I like how the warm tones in the shot make the bird pop. The side lighting really makes it look nice too to me."

Superb Fairy-wren, Shepparton, Vic

"This is Pretender, one of the most famous birds in all the Sherbrooke forest and one of the most friendly ones. I have spent over a hundred hours this winter with him observing and documenting his behavior while getting enamored with lyrebirds in general and with him in particular. In this scene, he is drying up his filamented feathers on a rainy day. As his lyrate feathers in this scene look very much like a bow, so the bird looks as if it is tucking an arrow and taking into account the importance of the visual display in the mating ritual I could not go past the reference to Cupid tucking one of his arrows."

Superb Lyrebird, Sherbrooke, Vic

"Always an honor to spend time with the critically endangered Far Eastern Curlew. They had gathered together to form a large flock just prior to the low-pressure system which they use to their advantage when ready to migrate north to their breeding grounds. Most of the time they wade through the water but occasionally I will see them hop along to conserve energy for their long trip, and this was one of those moments that I had the pleasure of capturing."

Far Eastern Curlew, Shoalhaven, NSW

"It was just before dawn, and the light was beautiful. There were Great Egrets fishing in the estuary, and I was annoyed that the smoke rising from the industrial area behind was spoiling an otherwise beautiful scene, but that represents what is happening to many habitats. Seeing these beautiful birds in tranquil surroundings with plumes of smoke from industry rising behind them seems such a conflict."

Great Egrets, Coodanup Foreshore, Mandurah, WA

"I was enjoying breakfast on the verandah in the sun when I noticed the little Superb Fairy-wrens jumping about the bushes near the edge of the verandah. They quite often build their nest in these bushes, and it is a joy to watch. I went inside to get my camera, with the hope that I will be able to photograph some of them posing on the tops of the bushes like they quite often do. When I came back outside with my gear, I noticed they were jumping on the table and around the remains of my breakfast. I was lucky enough to get a few images to choose from, but this was the only one where he decided to jump on the eggshell for a split second."

Superb Fairy-wren, Glendon Brook, NSW

"The Australian Pelican is such an elegant bird... maybe not so much when landing and taking off, but still it's a good-looking bird really. I took this shot at Lake Victoria in Shepparton, about 20 km from where I live in Tatura. The birdlife is quite plentiful there and makes for some great bird photography. I like the lighting in the shot, with the dark background making the bird stand out nicely, as well as some subtle highlights around the head."

Australian Pelican, Shepparton, Vic

"This image was captured during the height of the territorial fighting that occurs every spring at a lake close to where I reside. This bird adopted this aggressive pose and swum around purposefully challenging any would-be rivals. His posture must have been very scary to other Grebes because I didn't see any of his challengers accept his invitation for a fight."

Great Crested Grebe, Perth, WA

"I had been visiting the cormorants for several years in Centennial Park, even before I picked up a camera. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I learnt about the breeding colours, where they nest and what time of year. I knew there was a colony in the park, with a perfect opportunity to photograph at dusk when activity peaks with cormorants coming to and from nest sites with food and repair items. This cormorant was about to swoop into the water to collect reeds when I captured this shot, lined up against a darkened bank. I underexposed a couple of stops so the breeding colours really stood out. It was worth the wait."

Great Pied Cormorant, Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW

"Upon entering one of Western Australia's premier wildlife locations in the hope of photographing some of its rare and endangered species, I discovered my first bird species - a sub-adult Emu lay dead after becoming one of Australia's countless road kill victims. This unfortunate bird, lying headless on the road, was a stark reminder that even in our nature reserves, where they should be safe, human impact is still widely felt by our wildlife."

Emu, Perup Nature Reserve, WA

"With ever-increasing threats from humans via habitat destruction, birds have to be adaptable. Australasian Bitterns are a threatened species that have adapted to their new human landscape and now live and nest in rice crops. In the Riverina area of NSW, there are now agreements with farmers and local Landcare groups which allow these birds to successfully breed in this environment. A great success story for one of our most threatened waterbirds. Ironically these very elusive birds can now be seen and make a great contrast to the bright green of a rice crop."

Australasian Bittern, Griffith, NSW

"Australian Pied Oystercatcher settling down for the night on Corio Bay, backed by the oil refinery. Wildlife is already struggling to cope with the immediate effects of human activity such as noise, light pollution and habitat destruction, but the greater threat of fossil fuel-induced climate change looms ominously over this beautiful creature as it makes the best of its circumstances."

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Geelong, Vic

"Standing upon the high cliffs of Wybung Head, the sun slowly falling behind the surrounding headland, this Nankeen Kestrel came out of nowhere and began diving into the surrounding low-lying shrubs that cascaded over the coastline. A strong easterly breeze meant the Kestrel effortlessly soared above me, looking down at the shrubs for large insects to feed upon. Every few minutes it would dive at astonishing speeds, its fast and agile actions proved hard to photograph but I remained patient, sitting behind the shrubs and timing the shot as it flew toward me once more. Back button focus and a burst of shots for a sunset, back-lit shot of my first encounter with this magnificent bird."

Nankeen Kestrel, Wybung Head, Lake Munmorah Conservation Area, NSW

"While at the beach in the early morning, I noticed a Buff-banded Rail feeding near me. I lay down and photographed it feeding, as it was slowly moving closer and closer toward me. This bird was fearless, and it was definitely my best encounter with this species. In this photo, the rail had just caught a tiny crab, but moments later decided to spit it out."

Buff-banded Rail, Point Wilson, Vic