John Wickens

Climate change – it affects us all

Candida Baker — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 22:18:21 +0000

Hundreds of thousands of people joined worldwide Climate Change marches over the weekend, demanding that our leaders make pact to avert climate change disaster, as they meet in Paris this week. In Lismore, John Wickens was there to document the peaceful protest.

From Australia to New Zealand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Japan, people rallied, pleading for world powers to overcome the logjams when the UN climate summit officially opens in the French capital Monday. Some 150 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the start of the Paris conference, which is tasked with reaching the first truly universal climate pact.

The goal is to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), perhaps less, over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change. If they fail, scientists warn of a world that will be increasingly inhospitable to human life, with superstorms, drought and rising sea levels that swamp vast areas of land.

On the eve of Saturday’s protests, French President Francois Hollande warned of the obstacles ahead for the 195 nations following more than two decades of bickering. “Man is the worst enemy of man. We can see it with terrorism,” said Hollande, who spoke after leading ceremonies in Paris to mourn the victims of the deadly November 13 bombing and shooting attacks that sowed terror in the French capital. But we can say the same when it comes to climate. Human beings are destroying nature, damaging the environment. It is therefore for human beings to face up to their responsibilities for the good of future generations.”

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Raw fish, and hold the chips…

Candida Baker — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 00:01:27 +0000

Ballina photographer John Wickens caught this osprey – the Pandion haliaetus, fish eagle or river hawk – eating his lunch at Angels Beach in Ballina yesterday. “It was the most beautiful weather, and we drove down to Angels Beach at lunchtime for a walk,” Wickens told Verandah Magazine. “We were in the car when we spotted him, so we stayed in the car so as not to scare him, and I took the photo from the car. Mind, you I don’t think anything was going to move him away from his fish – there were about six seagulls hassling him but he was single-minded in his determination to finish his fish!”

John Wickens used a Nikon D7200 camera with a Nikkor 18-300mm lens. His photos are available for viewing on his facebook page, and he can be contactated by email on [email protected]

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Pelican Landing

Candida Baker — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 05:59:10 +0000

John Wickens was braving the elements attempting to catch the sunrise over Shelly Beach at East Ballina when this pelican glided in for a landing. “The path from the Ballina lighthouse is raised above the beach,” says Wickens, “and the rock shore gave a commanding view as the pelican flew in – no doubt looking for his breakfast.”

John Wickens used a Nikon D7200 camera with a Nikkor 18-300mm lens.

His photos are available for viewing on his facebook page, and he can be contactated by email on [email protected]

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