Parrots Among the Pines
December 2006
Bunya Mountains National Park, a few hours northwest of Brisbane, is well known as the last remaining significant stand of majestic Bunya Pines. With their distinctive dark, spiny foliage, these huge trees stand out above the forest canopy, visible from miles away. Wandering the numerous tracks through the forest, one is awed by the size of these giants.
For a bird photographer, though, the park is famous for the flocks of wild Australian King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas that arrive several times a day to be fed at the café-store in Dandabah, at the southern end of the park. So that’s the first place I headed when we arrived one afternoon. Visitors can buy a tray of food and have a close-up and personal parrot experience, the birds landing all over their heads and shoulders in their excitement over the food. I wanted a more natural look, so I photographed the parrots while they perched in the nearby trees waiting to fly in to feed.
