Daniel O'Meley, Harbinger of Rain (ENTRIES CLOSED - December theme: Your favourite shot of '25)

Captured on a cold, overcast afternoon in mid-July, this image caught a Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Zanda funerea) during the peak of a Goulburn winter. The day was typical of the Southern Tablelands—heavy clouds and a biting chill that kept the wetlands quiet. The mood changed the moment the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos arrived. There is a deep-seated local belief that their presence is a certain sign of rain on the way, and against that heavy winter sky, they looked exactly like the heralds they are rumored to be. I chose to focus on the bird’s silhouette to capture the raw, moody atmosphere of that afternoon. This is a favorite from 2025 because it reminds me that the best moments often happen just when you’re ready to give up on the weather.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.