Jets, Eagles, Whistlers and Robins

Woodlands Historic Park is in Greenvale near the Melbourne Airport. I visited last week after my walk along Cororoit Creek. I was pretty hungry and the only places I could see to eat along the way were crappy fast food outlets. I would rather go hungry than eat cardboard covered in salt, grease, sugar and fat. At the turn-off to get to Woodlands I saw a food truck at the Aircraft viewing area. I never knew about this area until I saw it on google maps while looking for the Woodlands Park. I stopped for some really good quality Turkish style food (chicken fillet burger and some fresh Dim Sims – ok a little junky but it was fresh made and really good). While waiting for it to be made several planes landed at the airport. The planes fly low right overhead as they land. It is a sight to see. Several mums had kids there watching and the kids were loving it – like giant dinosaurs flying overhead and landing nearby with a roar. They were too close to get in a shot using my 400 mm. Next time I will take a wider angle and wait for an airbus A380 to come in. One of the regular spotters said that was the best plane to watch as you can feel the turbulence and feel its size and at night it feels like it is going to land on you.

There are several good birding spots at Woodlands and the site I have been to a few times is near the Aboriginal Cemetery and Back Paddock gate. There is a large mob of Grey Roos hanging around that don’t seem too bothered by birders popping in or visitors with kids and strollers.

Grey Kangaroos

I found a pair of Red Capped Robins and they ignored me while they had a squabble about something. The male would approach and be gently attacked by the female. If the male backed off the female would jump in and get him hot and bothered again. It was strange to watch and I had no idea what was going on. I assumed it was a bit late in the season to be a courtship ritual. After a while they broke off and started hunting – with a similar style to the Eastern Yellow Robin – from a higher perch and then pouncing onto the prey on the ground.

Red Capped Robins in a stand-off

Female Red Capped Robin

Male Red Capped Robin

Red Capped Robins – another stand-off

Male Red Capped Robin

Male Red Capped Robin – looking for moths and other insects

Female Red Capped Robin keeping an eye on me as I circled around trying to get better shots

Rufous Whistler – I looked up from my stalking and found this guy trying to figure out what I was up to. His partner was in the next tree hunting amongst the tree branches and leaves.

Rufous Whistler II

Rufous Whistler III

Wedge Tailed Eagle – several Eagles passed over head during my few hours at Woodlands. The Galahs gave a panicked call alerting me that something was above.