Category Archives: Lifer

An Australian Painted Snipe or two, Lifer 354

Posted on October 24, 2024 | 2 comments

Due to some decent rainfall during mid to late 2023 reports started coming in of Painted Snipes from around Australia and in Victoria. While it was 2.5 hours away it was well worth the drive to Bells Swamp to try and find the lifer, a very rare and cryptic bird. It had been seen mostly in the afternoons so we timed our trip to increase our chances. We gave it until 3pm before we would head home to try and beat the heavy traffic around the outskirts of western Melbourne. At 2:50pm and about to give up, a pair of the rare birds popped out of the long grass in front of us and we were able to get a few decent shots and watch them for a while. Another successful twitch.

australian-painted-snipe-i-bells-swamp-mt-alexander-vic
Australian Painted Snipe emerging from the grass at the edge of
Bells Swamp
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (ii)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (iii)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (iv)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (v)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (vi)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (vii)
Australian Painted Snipe, Bells Swamp, Mt Alexander, Vic
Australian Painted Snipe (viii)

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Posted in Australian Painted Snipe, Birds, Lifer, Victoria

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Painted Buttonquail, Lifer 353

Posted on October 23, 2024 | 1 comment

I received a message on the local group alert that a rare (for me) bird had landed in a local backyard, a Painted Buttonquail. It had been seen feeding in the mulch under the trees. The bird seemed to be safe and settled for a while. I took off as fast as I could and managed to clock up another lifer with minimal fuss and expenditure (or damage to my car).

Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail (ii)
Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail (iii)
Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail (iv)
Painted Buttonquail, Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria
Painted Buttonquail (v)

A way of knowing that Buttonquails are around is via the scraping they make while searching for food. The scrapes are called platelets and the video below shows how they are made and where the buttonquail finds its snacks.

Painted Buttonquail digging for food, making a platelet.

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Lifer, Twitching, Victoria

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Superb Parrot, Lifer 352

Posted on October 22, 2024 | Leave a comment

On a trip with a birding buddy to the Chiltern area we explored the surrounding areas. While driving down one of the country laneways we came across a flock of parrots in a roadside forest. On inspection it turned out to be Superb Parrots and a lifer for the trip.

Superb Parrot, Fishers Road, Cornishtown, Vic
Superb Parrot, Fishers Road, Cornishtown, Vic

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Posted in Birds, Chiltern, Lifer, parrots, Victoria

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Eastern Reef Egret, Lifer 351

Posted on June 9, 2020 | 5 comments

It took 5 trips to Mallacoota but I finally found an Eastern Reef Egret, also called the Pacific Reef Heron. It is found along the east coast of Australia with its southern range ending around Mallacoota. While not rare along the east coast it has been my hoodoo bird. On my last trip in December I found one fishing on the rocks at Bastion Point and spent some time watching and photographing it. I took probably 400 photos and followed it along the exposed reef. It seemed comfortable with me sitting nearby and kept an exact flush distance. It briefly  moved to the outer rocks when a few off leash dogs ran along the beach but came back closer once the dogs moved on. I was happy that I had finally found my Reef Heron. Two days later I found it again with its partner – or possibly two different birds, at Secret Beach along the coast.

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Hopping from rock to rock looking for prey

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Occasionally getting swamped by waves

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

IV

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

V

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

VI

Eastern Reef Egret, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

With the prize

At Secret Beach, I found two Reef Egrets resting and preening at high tide.

Eastern Reef Egrets, Secret Beach, Mallacoota, Vic

Eastern Reef Egrets, Secret Beach, Mallacoota, Vic

While photographing the two Egrets I moved as close as I could without making them nervous. Moving a little closer I straddled two rock outcrops above a small inlet and tried to balance. I got quite wet when a wave came in and broke over the front rock.

Splash

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Posted in Bastian Point, Bird Behaviour, Birds, Lifer, Mallacoota, Nature, Victoria

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