Everyone that knows the Budgies, knows that we spend each summer holiday down at Augusta, in the South West of W.A.
Like many families, you have those places which evoke good vibes and feelings. The place doesn’t have to be the prettiest, or the most exciting, but it needs something to bring you back every year. And, Augusta is that place for us.
Each year our family and many of our friends migrate the 300kms south from Perth to pitch tents, or increasingly manoeuvre caravans at the Flinders Bay Caravan Park. This year Augusta turned the weather on spectacularly!
For my recent half-century birthday present, I treated myself to a new camera and 100-400mm telephoto lens, so there’s plenty of pics here where I’m playing with new camera features and/or the new lens.
If you’ve been a long-term reader of our blog then you’ll have read about what we do on our Augusta pilgrimage so rather than writing lots of words, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Harriet relaxing at camp
Harriet looking majesticHarrietHarriet
I tried heaps of shots of the Splendid Blue Wrens that inhabit the campgroundusing my new telephoto lens.
The resplendid male wrenWhat’s up there? Female wrens a watching something.Some of the female wrens that move around the campgroundA female wren that moves around the campground The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren The pretty but bloody annoying Bronzewing Pigeon. The male likes to do his mournful “woo woo” around our campsiteBronzewing Pigeon Playing around with my new telephoto lens The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren The resplendid male wren WrenMore wrens More wrens More wrens
Mads and George at camp
The many faces of Mads The many faces of Mads The many faces of Mads Nice GeorgeGeorgia posing pics Georgia posing pics Georgia posing pics Georgia posing pics Georgia posing pics
General shots from the holiday
Playing around with my new telephoto lens Playing around with my new telephoto lens Playing around with my new telephoto lens Playing around with my new telephoto lens – Redgate beach showing the burnt-out forest in the background from the pre-Christmas fires Playing around with my new telephoto lens Kangaroo Paws near the campsiteLooking back over Grannys PoolRocks near the WaterWheelShooting with my new 100-400mm telephoto lens. At 400mm with a 1.4 teleconverter so effective focal length 560mm, or 1120mm on a full-frame camera,Spot the skink poking his head outA beautiful little bay east of the WaterwheelA crabSome of the calcified limestone rocksA small freshwater spring dribbling over the cliff into the oceanMads trying to get a tern to move for me so I can take a pic
Pics from Firetail winery
Firetail wineryAn immature Robin at Firetail winery An immature Robin at Firetail winery An immature Robin at Firetail winery with a big caterpillar An immature Robin at Firetail winery smashing the crap out of the caterpillar. Note how he’s jumped and is using his body weight to smash the bug.
Handheld pics using the in-camera ND filter!
Playing around with the built-in neutral density filter in my new camera. This shot had an ND32 applied and was handheld! I’m impressed with the sharpness of the rocks Playing around with the built-in neutral density filter in my new camera. This shot had an ND32 applied and was handheld! I’m impressed with the sharpness of the rocks
Lunch at Mr Barval winery
Our wine tasting and cheese boards at one of our favourites, Mr Barval wineryWe got a private cellar tour at Mr Barvalls
Our annual degustation lunch with paired wines at Hayshed Hill winery
Lunch at Hayshed Hill winery Lunch at Hayshed Hill winery
Pics from Mad’s whilst they waited to pick us up from our boozy lunch
Bunker BayHarriet surveying Geographe Bay
Pics from our day trip out to Windy Harbour and through the tall timber behind Northcliffe
Salmon Beach, Windy Harbour Salmon Beach, Windy Harbour Salmon Beach, Windy Harbour Salmon Beach, Windy Harbour A goanna at Windy HarbourLog at NorthcliffeBuilding in Northcliffe
Ocean gulls on the Blackwood River
Ocean Gulls Ocean Gulls Ocean Gulls Ocean Gulls
Some action shots of Harriet on the beach
Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach Action shots of Harriet tearing up and down the beach And after all the running you need to pooWhich Jules enjoyed picking up
