Tag Archives: Australia

Silicon mine Spotted Pardalote

Posted on December 15, 2016 | Leave a comment

Along one of the fence lines of the Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve are several silicon sand mines used to produce silicon for glass manufacturing. The reserve is surrounded by large pits that are in use or have been filled by rainwater and are reverting to a more natural state. While counting waterbirds I heard the call of a small Spotted Pardalote that was so loud that it felt like it was on my head (or next to my ear). It turned out to be a male pardalote on a low branch several feet away from the cliff edge that I was standing on. The light was bright but the photos had an odd feel about them. When I moved away, the pardalote flew down to its cliff face burrow and kept watch. When it sounded its territorial call it made a 3 note call, a soft note followed by a louder higher two note call. When calling they extend their neck upwards and the call seems to come from the throat, I hardly saw it open its beak…

Spotted Pardalote, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

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Spotted Pardalote on watch near its cliff face burrow

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, Spotted Pardalote, Victoria

A new site explored – Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve

Posted on December 15, 2016 | 2 comments

Along the South Gippsland highway past Cranbourne and heading to Wonthaggi is a Conservation Reserve called Adam’s Creek. A fellow birder had discovered it a while back and after an explorative visit together I went back the following week to spend more time. It is an impressive area and I am surprised that more people have not reported their bird sightings from there. It is a multi-use site shared by walkers and horse-riders. and while there are signs for motorbikes to keep out it seems to be heavily used by the local riders. One edge of the reserve is bordered by an old railway line that serviced the South Gippsland area. It stopped running 30 years ago.

While exploring the reserve I heard and found a pair of Brush Cuckoos – my first time seeing and photographing this species.

Brush Cuckoo, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora

Old South Gippsland Rail-line

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Under-story, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

Under-story, Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve

Common Brown Butterfly, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

Sword Grass Brown Butterfly

Eastern Whipbird

Brush Cuckoo

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Posted in Birds

Tagged Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Brush Cuckoo, Common Brown Butterfly, Eastern Whipbird, Nature Photography, Nyora, South Gippsland Railway

Tracking the Rosellas

Posted on December 6, 2016 | Leave a comment

A friend has been tracking the Eastern Rosellas that have been nesting in the golf course along Elster Creek. He is studying the plumage variations from newly fledged through to adult by photographing and observing three generations of local birds. The Rosellas managed to raise 4 chicks and all seemed to fledge but in recent sightings only two are being regularly seen. The area has roaming foxes, cats and dogs and the birds often feed on the ground. The juveniles are inexperienced and too trusting of approaching danger. Over the last few days I have been looking for and photographing the Rosellas to see how they progressing. They have favourite roosting and feeding spots and make feeding calls to each other – a lovely piping sound. They are one of my favourite local birds.

Platycercus eximius – meaning “excellent broad-tail”.

Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Vic, 5 Dec 2016

One of the juveniles, quite trusting on approach.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Elwood, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria

The Muskies are coming…

Posted on December 5, 2016 | 3 comments

When the Eucalypts start flowering in summer the Musk Lorikeets start arriving in good numbers along Elster Creek and in the trees at Elsternwick Lake. Lorikeets are highly mobile and will follow flowering eucalypts all over the state. The muskies have a distinctly different call to the locally common Rainbow Lorikeet. I walked over to the lake on the weekend with a birding friend and we followed our ears to the red flowering gums. A few of the Muskies were low enough to photograph, most shots were of their typical pose – upside down and head into a flower.

Scientifically known as Glossopsitta concinna meaning “elegant tongue parrot” – due to the way it feeds on pollen and nectar rich flowers.

Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Elster Creek, Elsternwick Lake, Elwood, Musk Lorikeet, Nature Photography, Photography, Rainbow Lorikeet, Victoria

Cockatoos and Corellas

Posted on November 20, 2016 | 2 comments

A sunny late afternoon walk along the creek produced the usual array of local birds, many with new families. We watched a pair of Long-billed Corellas feeding on grass seeds and later found a snoozing Cockatoo. It turned out to be One-eye, the partner to an escaped or released Cockatoo still wearing a cage leg ring. This couple has now bred in the same tree two years in a row and currently there are several chicks inside the big gum where we found One-eye.

Long billed Corella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria 19 Nov 2016

Sulphur crested Cockatoo, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria 19 Nov 2016

Sulphur crested Cockatoo, Elster Creek, Elsternwick – the cockatoo was fast asleep, enjoying the evening sun.

We have named this local Cockatoo, One Eye.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Long Billed Corella, Nature Photography, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Victoria

Sparrow colony of Ormond Road

Posted on November 9, 2016 | 2 comments

With the weather a bit too wild and wet for a walk along the beach, I went to find the local House Sparrow colony at the nearby shops. There are several palm trees that are flowering and the sparrows were enjoying a floral feast. A few fed while the rest waited for the rain to stop.

House Sparrow, Ormond Road, Elwood

Waiting out the rain

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Enjoying the flowers and seeds of the palm trees

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Elwood, Flowering Palm Tree, House Sparrows, Nature Photography, Ormond Road, Photography, Victoria

A Spring walk to the beach.

Posted on November 8, 2016 | Leave a comment

Nothing like a walk on a lovely spring’s day after so much bad weather. I am pretty lucky that I can walk out my back gate down the local creek and to the Elwood beach. Along the way I can find all sorts of interesting things to photograph. On this occasion I found a juvenile Little Raven waiting patiently to be fed, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike hunting for food in a large Plain Tree and a beautiful Silvereye at Point Ormond. I am so focussed on the birds that I often forget to take a few landscapes for the context…I promise I will next time…

Silvereye, Point Ormond, Elwood

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Elster Creek, Elwood

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Little Raven, Elster Creek, Elwood, Victoria, 1 Nov 2016

A young Little Raven waiting for a feed.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Black faced Cuckoo Shrike, Elster Creek, Elwood, Elwood Beach, Elwood Canal, Little Raven, Nature Photography, Photography, Silvereye, Victoria

Brown Thornbill’s mid morning sun-bake

Posted on November 7, 2016 | 2 comments

A return visit to Berwick to look for the Channel-billed Cuckoo, resulted in another failure. I did however enjoy another walk around the Wilson Botanic Park. On the boardwalk near the bird hide I found a young Brown Thornbill hunting for spiders and enjoying a little morning sun. He seemed quite young as I was only standing a few metres away and these little shy birds move quickly through the brush, never standing still or staying exposed in the open.

Brown Thornbill, Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Berwick, Bird Photography, Brown Thornbill, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria, Wilson Botanic Park

There can only be ONE!

Posted on November 6, 2016 | 2 comments

At the Wilson Botanic Park last week, we noticed that there were dozens of turtles in the water and on the rocks sunning themselves. I watched as a pair fought it out for king of the rock…in slow motion…

Long necked Turtles, Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, Victoria

Making his move…

Almost got it…

Lotus Flower Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, Victoria, 30 Oct 2016

ohh pretty, Lotus Flower

a big splash…and one remained, oblivious to all the action…

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Posted in Animal, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Berwick, Eastern Long Necked Turtle, Lotus blossum, Lotus Flower, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria, Wilson Botanic Park

Something wicked this way comes….

Posted on November 2, 2016 | 2 comments

I was delighted to find that Berwick is a stronghold of the New Holland Honeyeater. It is a small, aggressive and active bird, quick to defend its territory and raise the alarm when it sees something not quite right. We had spent a few hours at a large Fig tree along Princes Highway waiting for the Channel-billed Cuckoo to turn up in a regular feeding tree. The New Hollands were along the fence line behind us and as we made our way back to the car after our failed steak-out, they raised the alarm. Besides us walking by with our camera gear, the other threat I had seen was a Brown Goshawk cruising by and perched within a nearby tree watching all the action.

New Holland Honeyeater, Princes Highway, Berwick, 30 Oct 2016

New Holland Honeyeaters on the lookout for trouble

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Brown Goshawk, Princes Highway, Berwick, 30 Oct 2016

Brown Goshawk in a large nearby tree, watching all the local bird action.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Berwick, Bird Photography, Brown Goshawk, Nature Photography, New Holland Honeyeater, Photography, Victoria

Spotted Pardalote

Posted on November 1, 2016 | 2 comments

Joining in the bird chorus at the Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick, was a loud Spotted Pardalote. He was hard to find at first as we expected him to be high in a gum but the sound was coming from close by. We finally found the little bird on a branch in lower section of the tree. We were able to sit close and try and shoot the Pardalote through the foliage while he made his 3 tone territorial call.

Spotted Pardalote, Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, 30 Oct 2016

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Berwck, Berwick Botanic Gardens, Bird Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, Spotted Pardalote, Victoria, Wilson Botanic Park

Black Bird Singing…

Posted on October 31, 2016 | Leave a comment

I don’t often take much notice of the Common Black Bird as its well so common. They are also quite furtive and fly off in alarm whenever I walk by. I walked past the one below while exploring the Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick yesterday. It was singing in a low bush and allowed me to approach while I tried to get a few shots. Most times of the year the Black Bird will just fly off in alarm and are only seen flying across roads and in front yards but in Spring they often find a vantage point in their local area and sing their beautiful song claiming their territory.

Black Bird, Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick

Listening for the return call of a nearby Black Bird..

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Berwick, Berwick Botanic Gardens, Bird Photography, Black Bird, Common Black Bird, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria, Wilson Botanic Park

Little Wattlebird of Wilson Botanic Park

Posted on October 30, 2016 | 12 comments

Today, with a few of the Port Phillip Birders, I visited the Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick. We were searching for the reported Channel-billed Cuckoo but while we were unsuccessful we did find a number of other beautiful birds. Much of the bottlebrush was in full bloom and attracted many birds feeding on the nectar.

Little Wattlebird, Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, 30 Oct 2016

Little Wattlebird, enjoying the nectar of the native Bottlebrush

III – I did not notice the second bird in the right hand bottom corner until processing.

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Berwick, Berwick Botanic Gardens, Bird Photography, Bottlebrush, Little Wattlebird, Nature Photography, Photography, Victoria, Wilson Botanic Park

Drewery Lane Street Art Project

Posted on October 28, 2016 | Leave a comment

In Drewery Lane at the rear of Legacy House, a special project has been slowly developing over the last few years. A mosaic artist, Sankar Nadeson, has been creating long walls of ceramic tiles and mosiacs. Sankar is a skilled mosaic artist, tiler and teacher. He has been working with schools and various art programs to teach people how to make ceramic tiles and then putting them up onto the walls of Drewery Lane. The theme of the art work has been Legacy. Legacy is a charity organisation that supports families of defence force personnel who have been injured or killed. Many of the tiles below were made by kids with strong ties to the defence forces.

Drewery Lane, Legacy House, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

Drewery Lane, Legacy House, Melbourne CBD, Victoria,

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Ceramic tiles made by kids

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Posted in Street Art, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Drewery Lane, Legacy, Legacy House, Melbourne CBD, Melbourne Laneways, Photography, Sankar Nadeson, Street Art, Street Photography, The Mosaic Man, Urban Photography, Victoria

Point Ormond Coastal Reserve

Posted on October 23, 2016 | Leave a comment

The bush reserve below the Navigation Point at the beach along Elwood foreshore is full of small birds hunting the prolific insects currently available. The insect numbers have exploded due to the wet weather and perfect insect conditions. The local birds and a few migrating through are enjoying the bounty and are well under way with their breeding season. Both the species below seem to have an angry, annoyed expression when they look at you…

Grey Fantail, Point Ormond Coastal Reserve, Elwood

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White-browed Scrubwren, Point Ormond Coastal Reserve, Elwood

Taking a mouthful of insects back to the nest…

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Elwood, Grey Fantail, Nature Photography, Photography, Point Ormond, Point Ormond Coastal Reserve, Victoria, white browed scrubwren

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Tag Archives: Australia

Silicon mine Spotted Pardalote

A new site explored – Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve

Tracking the Rosellas

The Muskies are coming…

Cockatoos and Corellas

Sparrow colony of Ormond Road

A Spring walk to the beach.

Brown Thornbill’s mid morning sun-bake

There can only be ONE!

Something wicked this way comes….

Spotted Pardalote

Black Bird Singing…

Little Wattlebird of Wilson Botanic Park

Drewery Lane Street Art Project

Point Ormond Coastal Reserve

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