Australian Wildlife Tapestries

One of my favourite places to visit - the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo. Once in a while you can be lucky and get a photo like this - a Cairns Birdwing Butterfly with eggs! Melbourne Zoo, Victoria, Australia.

A Budgerigar nesting in a hollow tree. Yes, they are native to Australia and not just pets. Healesville Sanctuary, World of Parrots in Victoria, Australia

These colourful birds really are the same species - believe it or not! The red and blue one on the left is the female and the green one is the male Eclectus Parrot. They have a nest in this hollow tree in the Great Aviary at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. Think she's scolding him - maybe he didn't do his share of the housework!

The male Cairns Birdwing butterflies are more colourful, but I think this female is still beautiful. Taken at the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia.

After an hour of entertaining the crowds at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, this Koala decided she'd worked hard enough - and needed a nap!

Not your usual puppy - this is a pure-bred Australian Dingo! One of two new arrivals at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, she loved to race around and have fun - like any ordinary pup - so getting her to sit still for a portrait was quite a challenge!

The Spoonbills at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia, were feeling frisky. This male was trying hard to catch the attention of a female.

This scene is in the forest near Noojee in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The ground was steep and the forest was dense - untouched by loggers. Tough going!

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo hanging on to a dead tree branch in a gale. Shepherds Bush Reserve, Victoria, Australia

An Australian Wanderer butterfly resting on a leaf in the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia.

I was using my new 600mm lens to get a close up of a Giraffe - when this Ostrich walked into my view. It was too good an opportunity! The Ostriches roam free at Werribee Open Range Zoo in Victoria, Australia.

This species of Jewel Beetle (Stigmodera spp.) only feeds on Burgan blossom - so the bushes are covered in them at present! Hochkins Ridge Flora Reserve, Victoria, Australia.

When you've got an itch - you have to scratch it! This young Kangaroo was REALLY enjoying his scratch at Healesville Sanctuary, in Victoria, Australia.

The Blue Faced Honeyeaters at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, are always busy. This Spring they are working really hard on a new nest in this tree hollow.

These noisy parrots used to be common in the forests of Southern Australia, but the best place to see them now is Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia.

Just beautiful colours - Lorikeets light up the forest! Great Aviary, Melbourne Zoo, Victoria, Australia.

Dora is a REALLY cute Koala, who lives at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia. I think she knows how cute she is - I never have to wait long for her to pose!

Taken in the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia, a Common Eggfly clings to the edge of a leaf.

Dindi, the Koala, lives at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia. I've been taking photos of him since he came out of his Mum's pouch about 6 years ago - so he knows my voice. He very obligingly turned to say hello, when I asked him to!

These male Scimitar Horned Ibex were facing off - but decided against a fight in the end. Just as well - those horns could do some real damage! These beautiful animals are extinct in the wild - hunted for those horns. Werribee Open Range Zoo has a small - protected - herd.

We knew Emily, the Koala, had a joey in her pouch for about 6 months - then on the coldest day of the Winter - she popped her head out! Emily - and her new daughter - live at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia.

Wombat's spookiest costume

It's okay to be different - Australian Emu - from my original watercolour painting - Garry Greenwood - artist

The red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) also known as Banksian- or Banks' black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo native to Australia. Adult males have a characteristic pair of bright red panels on the tail that gives the species its name. It is more common in the drier parts of the continent. Five subspecies are recognised, differing chiefly in beak size. Although the more northerly subspecies are widespread, the two southern subspecies, the forest red-tailed black cockatoo and the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo are under threat.

The little corella (Cacatua sanguinea), also known as the bare-eyed cockatoo, blood-stained cockatoo, short-billed corella, little cockatoo, and blue-eyed cockatoo, is a white cockatoo native to Australia and southern New Guinea.[2] It was known as Birdirra among the Yindjibarndi people of the central and western Pilbara. They would keep them as pets.The downy feathers are used in traditional ceremonies and dances where they adorn head and armbands.

This Koala Mum was rocking her joey to sleep in the branches of a tree, at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia.

Getting wild birds to pose for the camera can be quite a challenge. This Gang Gang Cockatoo fell for a small bribe - an almond!

So nice when an animal smiles for the camera! This female Koala very obligingly turned and smiled for me at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia.

One of the largest butterflies in Australia, these Cairns Birdwings are also amongst the most colourful. This beautiful specimen lives in the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria.

This beautiful Eclectus Parrot at Healesville Sanctuary, in Victoria, Australia, is very used to people. He's always ready to pose for the camera!

The Tree Kangaroos at Healesville Sanctuary, in Victoria, Australia, have a nice new enclosure - they celebrated by producing their first joey. Mum was so proud she brought it down to show me!

The Flight Arena at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, puts on a wonderful show called "Spirits Of The Skies". This Black Kite is one of its stars.

Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, has a breeding program for these beautiful Helmeted Honeyeaters, which are nearly extinct in the wild. Before release the birds are taught to flee predators - I think this one wasn't paying attention!

Pinjari, the male Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, lives at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia. When he comes in to land you can see why he's called Red Tailed!

A Great Egret in a small dam at 100 Acres reserve in Park Orchards, Victoria, Australia. The bird was very nervous and watched me carefully. Loved the reflection in the water.

The sun was shining - and the Turtles were basking in it. This flat rock at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia, served their purpose.