Category Archives: Victoria

Determined and Focussed

Posted on July 8, 2015 | Leave a comment

A few weeks ago a friend (Ron J)  and I stopped by Pencil Park in Keysborough to have a look around and see what was new. It was a nice sunny day and pretty mild for a winter’s day but it was quiet with not many birds around. We watched the wetlands for a while and took a few shots of the birds like Dusky Moorhens (Gallinula tenebrosa) and Egrets getting a late afternoon feed.

This particular Moorhen had a determined look about it as it hunted around the fringe and ate what it could find in the foliage along the water’s edge.

Dusky Moorhen, Pencil Park, Keysborough,

Dusky Moorhen , Pencil Park, Keysborough

 

 

 

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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A gutsy attitude

Posted on July 7, 2015 | 2 comments

Amongst the many bird species seen and photographed over the last few weeks at the Western Treatment Plant, this little guy is one of my favourites – he is inquisitive, territorial and not afraid to get up and have a look at what is happening in his neighbourhood. I first saw him and heard his melodic call at one of the permit gates entering the Treatment Plant. He dashed off after seeing me but I used my playback call on my phone and he responded and stuck around for a while looking for the intruder. When calling he wags his upright tail back and forth like a battle flag…

Striated Fieldwren

Striated Fieldwren  – Calamanthus Fuliginosus

Striated Fieldwren

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Striated Fieldwren

III

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Caution – Falco Berigora

Posted on July 6, 2015 | 3 comments

Over the last month I have been making weekly visits on my own and with friends to the Victorian Western Treatment Plant in Weribee. It is an amazing place for birds any time of the year. At the moment there are many species of Raptor stopping by and taking advantage of the conditions and hunting opportunities. At least one species has even started to nest and raise chicks.

On this occasion, I was on my own reviewing the usual areas and seeing what had changed since I had last been here in February. I found this Brown Falcon enjoying a bit of late afternoon sun on an old wooden sign. It spotted something nearby and took off.

Brown Falcon - Falco Berigora, Western Treatment Plant.

Brown Falcon – Falco Berigora, Western Treatment Plant.

Brown Falcon - Falco Berigora, Western Treatment Plant.

Brown Falcon – Falco Berigora, Western Treatment Plant.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Elwood Tawny Frogmouths

Posted on July 4, 2015 | 1 comment

I heard about this pair of Tawny Frogmouths last week and had a chance to look for them late last Sunday evening – I found them but it was too dark to take any pictures. After a week at work and a morning of rain I finally just got back from observing them again and taking a few pics. They are still one of my favourite birds to photograph. This pair is a bit unusual in that they are roosting in an exposed spot over the road near a suburban intersection in a large plane tree without any leaves. They still have decent camouflage with their colouring but just stick out a bit to a keen observer. I have added these guys to my local birds  page.

Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

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Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

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Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

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Tawny Frogmouths, Elwood

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Hosier Lane Selfies

Posted on July 2, 2015 | 2 comments

I walked through Hosier Lane yesterday to check the latest wall art and found quite a few people visiting – many internationals, including a Spanish family, who I kept seeing around where I was photographing. I ended up taking a few street shots of them as well as they were funny to watch, enjoying themselves. I was using my very wide angle lens so I could not stand right back and pretend that I was doing anything other than taking photos of them…other than a quick glance they did not seem to mind at all

Hosier Lane,Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane,Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Family Selfie

Hosier Lane Tourists, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Tourists – mum using the Selfie stick – it took her a few goes at trying to photograph them rather than herself (and I think me over her shoulder)

Hosier Lane Tourists, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Tourists – hamming it up,  and another couple taking a selfie

My own Hosier Lane Selfie

My own Hosier Lane Selfie – I thought I would give it a go as well…no smiling please this is serious…

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Posted in Black & White, Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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Protest and Statement Street Art

Posted on July 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

At various street art sites you can always find good examples of protest and statement art. They are usually much smaller and one needs to look in the out of the way places along the laneway walls. The pictures below were taken in the last week.

Protest and Statement Art, Duckboard Place

 Statement Art, Duckboard Place

Protest and Statement Art, Hosier Lane

Statement Art, Hosier Lane

Protest and Statement Art, Duckboard Place

Protest and Statement Art, Duckboard Place

Protest and Statement Art, Duckboard Place

Duckboard Place

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Posted in Laneways, Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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Graffiti Birds

Posted on June 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Birds and Street Art, a great combination…

Birds, ACDC Lane

Birds, ACDC Lane

Bird, Hosier Lane,

Bird, Hosier Lane,

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Bird, Union Lane

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Posted in Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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Union Lane Colour

Posted on June 27, 2015 | Leave a comment

I often walk down Union Lane to check out the large colourful works along the walls. In the last few weeks quite a few good quality pieces have suddenly gone up and I took advantage of some clear weather and good light to take a few shots.

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Union Lane Street Art, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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Juvenile Grey Butcherbird

Posted on June 27, 2015 | 2 comments

While looking for a couple of recently reported Boobooks along  Elster Creek today, I came across this young Grey Butcherbird. It was hunting in the school veggie patch. They eat a variety of food including other small birds. The brown and yellow feathering indicates a juvenile. I often hear and see these birds around the neighbourhood but this my first pic of a local bird.

Juvenile Grey Butcherbird

Juvenile Grey Butcherbird

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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A Rare Royal Visitor

Posted on June 25, 2015 | 3 comments
Only once before have I seen a Royal Spoonbill roosting at the Elster Creek lake in the golf course. On a recent sunny Winter’s day I walked along the creek doing my rounds and I noticed a large pure white bird taking a nap on a log. It was larger than the local Egret. I spent some time quietly watching the Spoonbill and taking a few shots. The bird stretched, yawned, swapped legs and generally napped. The Spoonbill gave me a good look at the bill and how well it is designed for working in the sand and mud. It uses the bill in the water and down to the sandy bottom (40cm or so)  and hunts for shrimp and in freshwater mud it looks for small fish. It uses a side to side motion until something hits the sensitive part and is quickly scooped up.  It was the first time I got a good close look at the Royal Spoonbill and they have a remarkable face and bill and the toes impressed me as well. I have not noticed how big and versatile they are. Another bird I can add to the local birds list. 
Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

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Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

A bit of a stretch

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Underside of the bill

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Seeing the sensor pads in the wide part of the  bill

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Well balanced with splayed toes

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Wing stretch

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

Royal Spoonbill, Elster Creek

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Galah vs Dandelion

Posted on June 24, 2015 | 2 comments

Recently on a beautiful sunny Winter’s day, moving around the golf course and trying to avoid the wayward shots of beginner golfers, I came across a pair of galahs feeding on grass seeds along one of the fairway edges. They let me get fairly close and did not move off until a Magpie barged into the pair to investigate their food source – a defenceless dandelion seed head.

Galahs, Elster Creek,

Galahs, Elster Creek,

Galah, Elster Creek

Yum Yum

Galah, Elster Creek

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Galah, Elster Creek

A miffed Galah after a Magpie crashed the dinner table…

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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Secret Places – disappearing Melbourne

Posted on June 24, 2015 | 2 comments

A little laneway off Exhibition Street, Melbourne CBD,  leads to a dead-end and an old building that won’t be long for this world…

Old Building

Not a lot of time left for this old Building

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Posted in Architecture, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Lethal Weapons?

Posted on June 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

I noticed 5 Masked Lapwings along Elster Creek recently that seemed to be in a constant state of agitation with each other. Several would stood tall and thrust out the wing spurs when another pair flew over or around them. Spur-winged Plover is an alternate name for Masked Lapwings. I knew about the spurs but had not  seem them closely until I had developed these shots. The male tends to have larger spurs.

Lapwings use these spurs against potential predators or anyone coming too close to nest sites and chicks. While the attacks can seem quite aggressive,  the birds rarely strike their ‘victims’, preferring a close approach to scare them away. The species is fearless and I have seen them go after much bigger birds like Kites and Eagles.

The birds I saw below did not attack each other but did make quite a bit of noise and displayed much posturing.

Masked Lapwing

Masked Lapwing (aka Spur Winged Plover)

Masked Lapwing

Masked Lapwing strutting his stuff

Masked Lapwing

Spurs on display

 

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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Off the Hip: Eyes of Youth?

Posted on June 21, 2015 | Leave a comment

Part of the “Shooting from the hip” series.

Drops of Youth?

Drops of Youth?

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Posted in Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Things you find in the Street

Posted on June 20, 2015 | Leave a comment

Walking along Bourke Street looking for interesting angles I came across this guy and his two friends standing at the Corner of Bourke and Swanston Streets.

Swanton St Statue

Smoko break on Swanston Street.

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Posted in Black & White, Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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