![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/06\/averycamera_00080.jpg\")
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\u201cI had anticipated she may do this, so I had my zoom lens extended, high shutter speed and took as many photos as I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
Avery said the image may have resonated because it captured a behaviour people do not often see.<\/p>\n
“I think it resonated with people because it shows a large raptor in the creek mouth, which is unusual to see, often people see them flying around maybe with a fish, but they are not often seen on the ground in water just washing,” she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a privilege to watch and photograph a native Australian bird of prey in its natural environment, feeding and washing as nature intended.\u201d<\/p>\n
She described Hastings Point as a place where people can witness nature unfold.<\/p>\n
\u201cHastings Point is a beautiful diverse natural area that changes through the months and tides,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has many birds that feed, breed and migrate to this area and have been for thousands of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Avery said photography had also deepened her understanding of wildlife and the pressures many species face in busy coastal areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when you photograph any wildlife, the animal or bird should come first,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would rather not get a photo than disturb a bird.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said human activity could unintentionally impact sensitive habitats.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly don\u2019t think people are cruel, I just think they don\u2019t understand that if a child chases a bird, it could leave its chick, or it may make them use vital energy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see people leaving fishing line on the beach or in the water, kayaking around the mangroves where the birds nest etc.\u201d<\/p>\n
Avery said balancing tourism with environmental protection remained important.<\/p>\n
\u201cTourism is an important aspect for the Tweed, but so is the wildlife that lives there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Pottsville photographer has captured a rare moment of an Eastern Osprey bathing at Hastings Point, earning recognition in a Northern Rivers photography competition. Rachel Avery placed third in the adult category of Regional Development Australia Northern Rivers\u2019 (RDA Northern Rivers) Our Northern Rivers Photography Competition, which attracted 152 entries and 333 photographs. Her image, […]<\/p>\n