Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

The Royal Botanic Gardens in the heart of Sydney are a mere ten minute walk from the CBD (depending on where you start your walk of course). They are extremely accessible from the city. As a consequence many people come to the gardens to relax from the hustle of the city. The large artificial ponds in the middle of the park are ideal for a time of relaxation, whether that is for five minutes or an hour or more.

During our recent visit my wife spent a little extra time in the Gardens Shop. During this time I wandered down past the Restaurant and Cafe to the small lakes. I wanted to see if there were any birds worth photographing there. I was drawn instead to the relaxing scene shown in these photos.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

On watch in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Feral Pigeons, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Feral Pigeons, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

I just had to take this photo of two Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons) on watch in the middle of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. They seemed to be on watch. Quite a few children were playing on the water’s edge just a few metres from this sign post. Anyone could have easily slipped into the ornamental pond. These pigeons were ready to sound the alarm.

White Ibis in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

White Ibises are one of the most apparent species of wildlife living in the grounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. After the Grey-headed Flying Foxes that is. The Ibis seem to be everywhere when we visited in September 2007. And they were extremely noisy, squabbling in the trees overhead. It was nesting time with quite a few of them carrying sticks to add to their nests. The arguing seemed to be over who was going to occupy each nesting area.

People wanting a restful and relaxing day at the gardens would have been wise to choose another, quieter section of the park during Ibis nesting season.

White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

White Ibis nesting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

Some sections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney are just broad expanses of lawn. This is an important part of the gardens because so many thousands of people visit the gardens every week, many of them coming for picnics or just plain relaxation in the beautiful surroundings.

My wife and I have a different set of interests. I like to go birding (bird watching) while my wife is interested in Australian native plants. Bordering the wide spread of lawns there are many sections of the gardens where plants are in abundance, some of them quite brilliant in colour like those shown in todays photos. I mainly love taking photos of birds, but flowers also take my eye as wonderful photographic subjects.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Rails in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Buff-banded Rail, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Buff-banded Rail, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Most people would never have heard of a bird called a rail, let alone know what a Buff-banded Rail looked like. This species, however, is a resident species of bird present in the Royal Botanic Gardens in the heart of Sydney. Regular visitors to the gardens would certainly be aware of this bird, even if they don’t know its name.

Buff-banded Rails are widespread in Australia in suitable habitat. They generally are not present in the drier inland regions. The field guide I use most often says they are commonly found in “well-vegetated gardens.” Botanic gardens certainly fit that requirement.

I have not seen this species all that many times so it was a delight to see this one, and it was a bonus to get a good photo. Normally I have found them to be rather secretive. I tried to photograph this species last year during a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. On that occasion the batteries in my camera went flat just minutes before seeing the bird. Aaaaaaah! Lesson learned – I always carry spare batteries since that day!