The church of many cockatoos

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Church architecture is the same, the world over. Australia was colonized by people from every part of the British Isles. They brought so many things with them -- plants, animals, fashions in clothing and architecture -- that sometimes, in South Australia, you could almost think you were in an English village. Almost. This church is in the country town of Strathalbyn, and is so familiar, with its square tower ... but you know you're not in England. See the big white birds sitting on the gate and in the tree at lower left of the shot? Cockatoos. Thousands of these parrots nest in Strathalbyn, along the river which runs through the park in the middle of the town. Conditions on this day in 2007 were very dim; temperature was ambient to cool, with an thick overcast. This made it difficult to get good, sharp pictures, since apertures were large and shutter speeds correspondingly long. (A little photographic theory goes a long way, and most of what you learned in optical photography is applicable to digital cameras!) Photo by Jade, 2007.