KI has many moods and can surprise you with unexpected opportunities for a perfect shot. You might wake up one morning to mirror seas with breathtaking reflections, or in the evening, surprise a Tammar wallaby in a field of blue wildflowers. Here are some suggestions for exploring with your camera. In summer, coppery to purple fruits on hop bushes, pea pods on wattles, and woody nuts on gums, hakeas and banksias make a uniquely Australian display. Brightly colored parrots and honeyeaters devour flowering mallees in the bush at Flinders Chase. Try the public bird hides at American River, Reeves Point and Duck Lagoon for capturing waders and shore birds at low tide. If you are seeking colour, on a clear day, the deep blues and blue-green of the water in Pennington and Vivonne Bays can be breathtaking. To capture Tammar wallabies, walk at dusk behind the Flinders Chase Visitor Center, while to capture kangaroos, there are usually plenty feeding in the limestone hills behind Pelican Lagoon.
Top tips • Use a telephoto lens to keep your distance from birds and wildlife. • Take Chris Baxter’s Birds of Kangaroo Island: A photographic field guide with you. • Talk to national parks rangers about local wildlife and landscapes. • Join the Kangaroo Island – Nature’s Paradise photography group on Facebook. • Stay on trails to lessen your impact on Kangaroo Island ecosystems. • Clean your boots so you don’t spread the fungus Phytophthora, a killer of many native plants.