ETHEREAL

EASTERN GREAT EGRET, ARDEA MODESTA

It was a misty morning with heavy cloud cover and still waters when I visited the estuary. The great egret was one of the few birds looking for an early catch, its white feathers and elegant shape merging beautifully into the serene backdrop.

Mandurah, Western Australia

Canon EOS-1D X, EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x Canon teleconverter, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 1250, handheld

THE NORTHERN LEAF-TAILED GECKO

NORTHERN LEAF-TAILED GECKO, SALTUARIUS CORNUTUS

This northern leaf-tailed gecko (Saltuarius cornutus) was found and photographed during a night Mandurah walk around Lake Eacham.

Lake Eacham, Crater Lakes National Park, Queensland

Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon 100/2.8L macro IS USM, 1/200, f/11, ISO 500, Youngnuo flash with diffuser

LYREBIRD STRUT

SUPERB LYREBIRD, MENURA NOVAEHOLLANDIAE

This particular male lyrebird had just performed his fancy show of courtship in the dim undergrowth beyond. Normally, a clear shot of a lyrebird is diffi cult, so I took my chance to capture this one while out in the open crossing the road, focusing on his sassy tail feathers as he strutted away.

Fitzroy Falls, New South Wales

Nikon D810, Nikon 200–400 f/4, 1/250, f/4, ISO 2500, handheld

LUMINOUS

BLUEBOTTLE, PHYSALIA UTRICULUS

A Physalia utriculus, also known as the Pacific man-of-war or bluebottle – its shade of blue is one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. Every summer bluebottles sting about 40,000 Australian beachgoers, but their design and colour is truly art in nature.

Bushrangers Bay, New South Wales

Nikon D810, Nikkor 8–15mm, f3.5–4.5 E ED, 1/250, f/29, ISO 160, two INON Z240 strobes, Aquatica digital water housing and 4-inch glass port

STARRY BLENNY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

STARRY BLENNY, SALARIAS RAMOSUS

The starry blenny is a type of combtooth blenny, which has comb-like teeth lining its jaws. Coombtooth blennies are the largest of blennies and are found in tropical and subtropical waters and freshwater habitats. The starry blenny spends most of its time flitting from rock to rock as it looks for algae to feed upon.

Lembeh Strait, North-eastern Sulawesi, Indonesia

Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro USM, 1/250, f/11, ISO 200, Inon Z240 strobe, handheld, subject was backlit with a narrow beam of light produced by a Retra Pro light-shaping device fitted to the strobe

THE SCREAMING

BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE, ELANUS AXILLARIS

I could hear this young black-shouldered kite calling all morning from its perch on our TV antenna. Eventually I went outside with my camera, and as I did so, its parent came up behind me. The young kite took off screaming for food, looking in my direction. Some days you get lucky.

Toodyay, Western Australia

Canon EOS-1D X, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM, 1/4000, f/8, ISO 1250, handheld

ETHEREAL GRACE

ANEMONEFISH, AMPHIPRION PERIDERAION

A pink anemonefish gracefully hovers above its host anemone’s purple-tipped tentacles. The shallow depth of fi eld and soft blending of the fi sh’s body with the background created an ethereal feel to the image.

Wakatobi Reefs, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Canon EOS 5Ds R, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro USM, 1/160, f/20, ISO 100, single strobe, freediving image

RIBBON DANCER

THREADFIN PENNANTFISH, ALECTIS CILIARIS

I found this beautiful juvenile threadfin pennantfish during a night dive at my local site. The unexpected tropical visitor appearing in my dive light was a total surprise. Its body was the size of a 50-cent piece and its long blue fi ns wove patterns nearly a metre behind it.

Bushrangers Bay, New South Wales

Nikon D810, Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 micro, 1/200, f/18, ISO 200, two INON Z240 strobes, Aquatica digital water housing and macro port

THE LAST STRAW

BLACK SWAN, CYGNUS ATRATUS

As this black swan brought his head out of the water with a single straw of weed in its beak, it gave me a priceless expression, as if stating this is The Last Straw – respect my personal space, or else.

Lakes Entrance, Victoria

Nikon D610, Nikkor 200–500, 1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 400, Promaster CPL fi lter, handheld

SHORT-TAILED GRASSWREN

SHORT-TAILED GRASSWREN, AMYTORNIS MERROTSYI

On a warm morning in the Flinders Ranges I set out at fi rst light hoping for a glimpse of the usually hard-to-see shorttailed grasswren. Not only did I see them, but I had the opportunity to photograph this unique and special little bird foraging in the spinifex.

Stokes Hill Lookout, Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Canon 1Dx II, Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM and Canon 1.4x III extender, 1/640, f/6.3, ISO 1000, handheld

CARING MOTHER

LICHEN HUNTSMAN SPIDER, PANDERCETES GRACILIS

Strolling through Daintree National Park near Noah Creek, I noticed an interesting shape on a tree trunk beside me and closer inspection revealed a lichen huntsman spider. I set my tripod to take the picture only to fi nd that I was about to photograph a mother guarding her most precious treasure.

near Noah Creek, Daintree National Park, Queensland

Canon 5D Mk III, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM, 4.0, f/11, ISO 100, tripod

DAY HOPPER

MUSKY RAT-KANGAROO, HYPSIPRYMNODON MOSCHATUS

Musky rat-kangaroos are one of Australia’s few diurnal mammals. Being so small they are extra vigilant, with their huge eyes ceaselessly searching for predators while they snuffl e around for fruit and grains in the leaf litter.

Topaz, Queensland

Nikon D800E, Nikon 500mm f/4, 1/200, f/6.3, ISO 1250, handheld lying on ground

The AG Nature Photographer of the Year Awards are sponsored by Coral Expeditions.