I've had a few wildlife firsts out at Dandenong now. This adorable echidna was very casually digging and sniffing around for afternoon tea at the end of the hiking track just a few hundred meters from the car park. They were reasonably unbothered by my presence, though after a while I was no longer welcome when they decided to ball up.

#photography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #australia #australian #australianwildlife #echidna #melbourne #dandenong #digging #spines #spiney #quills #animal #animalsofpixelfed

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia.

One fern of a hillside covered in saplings.

#photography #nature #naturephotography #flora #fern #ferns #plant #sapling #saplings #field #dandenong #melbourne #victoria #plantsofthefediverse #plantsofpixelfed #spring

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

#photography #nature #naturephotography #bird #birding #birdwatching #dandenong #melbourne #victoria #spotted #pardalote #spottedpardalote #diamondbird #black #yellow #white


Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

#photography #nature #naturephotography #bush #bushwalk #dandenong #melbourne #trees #leaves #forest #tall #spring #sunny #sunnyday #walking #hiking

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

A Rosella preening in the sunlight filtered by the canopy of the bushland. Perhaps an Eastern Rosella?

#photography #nature #naturephotography #bird #birding #birdwatching #rosella #easternrosella #dandenong #melbourne #australia #australian #australianwildlife #forest #australianbush #bushwalk #bushwalking #sun #sunny #shadow #shade

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

#photography #nature #naturephotography #bird #birding #birdwatching #kookaburra #australia #australian #australianwildlife #birdsofpixelfed #dandenong #melbourne #kingfisher

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

I went for a short bushwalk with some friends a few weeks ago in Dandenong, and we were incredibly fortunate to receive a visit from a small group of Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos. They spent a few minutes high up in the trees foraging and perhaps also watching us back. I never thought I'd get to see one in the wild, so I was thrilled to meet them!

#photography #nature #naturephotography #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #cockatoo #yellowtailedblackcockatoo #yellow #black #dandenong #dandenongs #dandenongranges #birdsofpixelfed #bush #bushwalk #victoria #melbourne

Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

On a separate note, this marks my 500th post-a-versary, which I think is pretty neat. I was originally hesitant to start publishing photos, but it seems to have set up a nice little feedback loop that encourages me to keep active with the photography that I love to do.

Thanks to #pixelfed for existing as a platform and enabling people to share their fantastic work - I love seeing all of the amazing photography and art that everybody gets up to!

#photography #nature #naturephotography #flower #flowers #daisy #daisies #bloomscrolling #spring #dandenong #melbourne #botanic #botanical #garden

Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, Dandenong, Victoria, Australia