Tag: Kangaroo Island

My First Photo Contest (and the Result)

Kangaroo Island kangaroo and joey

I’m thrilled to announce that my photo of this adorable Kangaroo Island kangaroo and her joey was a finalist in the 2023 Pangolin Wildlife Photography Challenge‘s “Animal Behaviour” category.

I captured this photo while on a trip to Kangaroo Island, a beautiful and unique place in South Australia. It is my absolute favorite photo of the year, and it’s an honor to have it recognized among so many beautiful entries.

Watching the mother take care of her little one was amazing; they had such a special bond! Witnessing moments like these is what makes wildlife photography so special to me.

The kangaroos in the photo are Kangaroo Island kangaroos, a subspecies of the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus). Because of their long period of isolation from mainland Australia, the KI kangaroos are pretty different from the Western Grey kangaroos. They’re shorter, darker, and much cuter if you ask me!

Kangaroo Island kangaroo and joey, photo entered in the Pangolin photo contest

This was my first time entering a photo contest, and I’m thrilled to have made it among the finalists. So many talented photographers and beautiful photos were submitted, and I’m honored to be included among them. Thanks to everyone who supported me!

I hope this photo helps remind people of how important it is to protect and preserve our wildlife and helps to raise awareness and appreciation for these amazing animals. Every animal has a unique story and deserves to be appreciated and respected.

Here are all the finalists; my photo is at 5:31 minutes in the video. And on the video cover 😉.


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Favorite Photos: February 2024

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
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  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
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  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
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  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
Two young Kangaroo Island kangaroos practicing their boxing skills

Two young Kangaroo Island kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) practicing their boxing skills.

Wait, what? Kangaroos? Does it mean that I’ve been to Australia again?

Indeed I was, and too short a time it was! Three weeks on Kangaroo Island flew by in the blink of an eye, and now I’m back home, sorting through thousands of photos. I’ve just started, so it’ll take some time until I’m done and can begin processing the best photos.

I love this photo because it was the first time I’d seen boxing kangaroos, and managed to take a few pictures in that golden light.

Sheep bathed in golden light at sunrise

We were on our way to Seal Bay for a 7am appointment with the research team when we came across these sheep grazing peacefully as the sun rose. Everything was bathed in gold; it was breathtaking.

Unfortunately, we were in a hurry and couldn’t afford to stop for too long. I literally jumped out of the car and quickly took a few photos, hoping some would be good enough 😅. 

Two Kangaroo Island kangaroos at sunset

This may not be a masterpiece, but I love it. It has so many things I love: the golden light, the kangaroos, the grass tree to the left, and the flowering eucalyptus to the right.

The composition could be better, and I did move around a lot, trying to get a better angle, but the roos were skittish, and this is the best I could do.


I hope you enjoyed these photos; there are more to come next month.


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Favorite Photos: December 2023

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
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  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
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  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
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  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
Scaly-breasted lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) sitting on a branch

Scaly-breasted lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus). I love parrots, and this one was so much fun to photograph! It didn’t sit still for a moment, jumping nosily around as these parrots do, but it did take a break for a few seconds, and I was ready with the camera!

Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) standing on top of a dead branch.

I photographed this Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) on my January 2023 trip to Kangaroo Island but haven’t edited it until now. Many believe they’re a feral species introduced to Australia, similar to foxes or hares. But these ibises are, in fact, native Australian birds.

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

A cute tiny blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) stopped by and posed so nicely for me. A blue tit weighs around 11-12 grams. A lot of attitude in such a tiny package, wouldn’t you say?

And a couple of squirrels, of course! A good ending to the year.


I hope you enjoyed these photos; there are more to come next month.


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Happy World Kangaroo Day!

A mother and a daughter kangaroos

Happy World Kangaroo Day! 🩘🩘These adorable creatures are truly one of a kind. I feel so lucky to have watched them in the wild on Kangaroo Island. It was amazing to see how the mother took care of her little one. Such a special bond between them! 😍


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KI Glossy Black-Cockatoo Photo Published!

Pair of Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus)

My Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoo photo has now been published in the Journey Beyond Magazine in Australia! Here’s the article if you’d like to read more about these magnificent birds and Kangaroo Island wildlife.


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Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoo

Pair of Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus

I’m so happy to share that my photo of this Glossy Black-Cockatoo couple will be published in the next issue of the Journey Beyond Magazine in Australia. 

This is a special moment for me, not only because it’s my first photo to be published in Australia (a dream come true!) but also because it was taken at Ecopia Retreat on Kangaroo Island (South Australia), a place very dear to me.

The Kangaroo Island subspecies of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus) is listed as endangered, with a population of about 450 birds before the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020. 75% of their habitat in the western part of Kangaroo Island was impacted by the bushfires. They feed exclusively on Drooping She-oak seeds and only on particular trees in the forest, making their survival even more challenging. 

Yael and Rob, the Ecopia Retreat owners, have created a haven for these rare birds around Ecopia, planting She-oak trees and putting up bird boxes to help them survive. I was thrilled and awed to be able to find them and see them going about their business in the wild.


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Favorite Photos: April 2023

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
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  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
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  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
Close up of a branch of cherry tree flowers

Spring of 2023 has been cold, extremely so. I would like to file a complaint, please! It didn’t prevent the cherry trees from exploding in pink fluffiness. Eventually.

I went to KungstrĂ€dgĂ„rden to photograph them, as I do every year, and they didn’t disappoint. It was cold and windy, and the sun made only a short appearance. I was in and out in under an hour, which must be a record for me.

A bumblebee on a purple flower
Bumblebee feeding on lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta) var. ’Blue Cloud’, Lidingö, Sweden, June 2022

A male bumblebee feeding on lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta) var. ’Blue Cloud.’ This is a photo from last year, obviously. I take a lot of photos during the summer when there’s light, and then I have a stock of images to process during the darker winter months. And I didn’t get to it until now, to tell you the truth. With all my travels, garden work, and the Book, I feel I’m behind with everything nowadays.

Bumblebees are so interesting. Did you know that they’re cosmopolitan? The 260 species in the Bombus genus can be found almost everywhere in the world, except Australia and most parts of Africa, and at higher latitudes and altitudes than other bees.
Some species even manage to live in cold climates, such as the high arctic Ellesmere Island, Canada’s northernmost island. They can do that because they can regulate their body temperature (heterothermy). Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?

An Australian pelican
Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island (South Australia), January 2023

An Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), ready to mate, as denoted by the yellow patches on his chest. Another older photo, this one is “only” from January. I still have so many beautiful photos from my trip to Australia! I’m reliving the whole trip as I keep processing photos, so I’ll probably still work on some images next year ha, ha!

A western willow spreadwing sunning itself on a pine twig.
Western willow spreading (Chalcolestes viridis), Lidingö, Sweden, September 2022

A western willow spreadwing resting on a pine twig. Another older photo I processed only now in April.

These damselflies fly pretty late, from August to October, and can be found in still or slow-flowing water with overhanging trees such as willows, alders, or birches. Unlike other damselflies, they would lay their eggs in the bark of these trees, not in submerged vegetation.

An emerald damselfly resting on a reed
Emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa), Lidingö, Sweden, September 2022

A male emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa). It’s easy to tell because females lack the bright blue color of males. 

Emerald damselfly, don’t you love that name? They’re most common in July and August, so this is another older image that I didn’t get to process until now.


I hope you enjoyed these photos, there are more to come next month. Hopefully, some new ones!


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Favorite Photos: March 2023

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
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  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
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  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
A female Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

Some of my favorite photos from March: a kangaroo, birds, and red squirrels. I’m still processing photos from my recent Australia trip, so more kangaroos and koalas to come! And squirrels, always squirrels ❀.

First out, the cutest Kangaroo Island kangaroo female (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

A pair of Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos sitting on a branch
Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

The very rare Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus).

The Kangaroo Island subspecies is listed as endangered, with a population of about 450 birds before the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020. 75% of their habitat in the western part of Kangaroo Island was impacted by the bushfires. They feed exclusively on Drooping She-oak seeds and only on particular trees in the forest, making their survival even more challenging. 

I was thrilled and awed to be able to find them and see them going about their business in the wild.

Crimson Rosella Juvenile (Platycercus elegans), Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

A Crimson rosella juvenile (Platycercus elegans), easily identified by the olive-green body plumage that will turn blue/red in adulthood. I photographed this young rosella at Stokes Bay, not in the bush as you may think but in the parking lot. I was headed to the beach to photograph hooded plovers when I noticed this handsome fellow and took a few quick photos. Good thing I did, as I couldn’t find any hoodies on the beach that day.

A red squirrel emerging from the snow with a hazelnut in its mouth
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Lidingö, Sweden, March 2023

I don’t remember having so much snow at the end of March, almost half a meter twice in the past two weeks! The squirrels have been busy, looking for hidden nuts and chasing each other. It’s amazing to see how they adapt to their environment and find ways to survive even in harsh conditions. Their ability to hide and remember the location of their food caches is truly remarkable. 

A red squirrel holding a walnut
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Lidingö, Sweden, March 2023

Red squirrels are adorable and so playful! I could watch them for hours, hiding hazelnuts and walnuts and then digging them up later, or chasing each other up and down the old oak in the backyard.


I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas, cute kangaroos, and adorable red squirrels featured here soon!


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Favorite Photos: February 2023

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
Close up of a Kangaroo island kangaroo female
Kangaroo Island kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

February’s photos are all from Australia this month, too. Let me start with the cutest one, a young Kangaroo Island kangaroo female (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) that used to come with her mother by our villa almost every day. She’s so cute 😍 I probably took hundreds of photos of her!

Close up of a short-beaked echidna
Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Seddon, Kangaroo island, South Australia

A short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), also known as the spiny anteater, very busy foraging for ants. Echidna uses its snout and powerful claws to dig up ants or termites and then scoops them out with its long sticky tongue. It moves incredibly fast, and most of my echidna photos are of its butt, ha, ha!

A hooded plover on the beach
A hooded plover (Thinornis cucullatus) foraging for food (Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park and Wilderness Protection Area, Kangaroo Island, South Australia).

Endemic to southern Australia, the hooded plover is deemed a vulnerable species due to predation by dogs, cats, silver gulls, and human disturbances. Introduced foxes are also dangerous in other parts of southern Australia, but luckily, there are no foxes on Kangaroo Island. The hooded plover population is estimated at 3.000 and declining.

Hooded plovers (Thinornis cucullatus) feed on insects and other invertebrates found in the wet sand. 

A close up of a koala in a tree
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

I found this cute little fellow during our usual late afternoon walks around our accommodations at Ecopia Retreat. The villa is tucked away in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, so it was a pretty safe bet we’d encounter some animals and birds in their natural habitat. He posed nicely for a few photos but went to sleep afterward (something koalas do for about 20 hours a day).

Portrait of an Australia magpie in the grass
White-backed Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Did you know that the white-backed Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), also called piping shrike, appears on the South Australia state flag and badge? They’re everywhere and, in contrast to their European counterparts, have a melodious song.


I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas and cute kangaroos featured here soon!


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Favorite Photos: January 2023

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
Close up of two Kangaroo Island kangaroos holding paws
Kangaroo Island kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) 

Since I was in Australia, my favorite photos are all from Australia this month. Starting with this mother-and-daughter pair of Kangaroo Island kangaroos.

The KI kangaroo is a sub-species of the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus). They’re pretty different from the Western Grey kangaroos because of the long period of isolation from mainland Australia. They’re shorter and darker and much cuter if you ask me!

Portrait of a Kangaroo Island kangaroo young demale
Kangaroo Island kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) 

A closer look at the daughter. Isn’t she cute?

A koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) sitting in a tree
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

We’re in Australia, so there should be a koala, too. They are cute and fluffy, but wait until they hear what they sound like. Go ahead, search for koala sounds on YouTube!

Standing Kangaroo Island kangaroo male (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus)

Kangaroo Island kangaroo male (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus). This one was quite tall and showed plenty of muscle, so I kept my distance 😉.

Standing Kangaroo Island kangaroo female

A portrait of the mother kangaroo from the first photo. They are way cuter than regular kangaroos, don’t they, these Kangaroo Island kangaroos?

So cute that I have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos featuring KI kangaroos: resting, watching, playing, nursing, jumping … I have to keep myself in check to only publish a few!


I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas and cute kangaroos featured here soon!


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