Tag Archives: Australia

The Rufous Bristlebird of Point Addis

There are two species of Bristlebirds found in Victoria – the Rufous and the Eastern. The Rufous can be seen along the Great Ocean Road from Anglesea to the border, while the Eastern Bristlebird is found in only a few areas of far eastern Victoria. I have attempted to photograph these species 6 times in the last few years and while I was successful the first time I tried for the Eastern I have not had much success with the Rufous. I have glimpsed it a few times at various locations but I have not got a good look at it or managed to even get close to taking a decent image. It is a shy, ground feeding bird that hides for much of the day. The photographs below were taken on my last trip to Point Addis. I finally worked out where they can be easily photographed and scored a few nice images.

Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

A furtive bird with some interesting colours and feather patterns

Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

The Bristlebird hunted along the ground and allowed us to get quite close – as long as we stayed low as well. 

Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

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Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

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Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

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Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

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Rufous Bristlebird, Point Addis, Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

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Elwood’s colourful streets

I noticed that lately there has been an increase in local street art in the walkways and lanes of my home patch in Elwood. I am quit enjoying the developing art scene. Plenty of brick walls available along our many alleys and laneways…

Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

Elwood street art, Elwood, Victoria

Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood street Art, Elwood, Victoria

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Swamp Harriers of Braeside Park

There are several Swamp Harriers at Braeside Park Wetlands. On a recent visit we watched a pair circle the main wetlands in search of dinner. The usual bird alarm went up and gave us a chance to get ready to photograph the Harriers as they flew nearby. Over the wetlands, a single Little Raven kept flying up to harass the Harriers.

Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

Circling the wetlands searching below for prey

Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

Identifying white rump markings for a Swamp Harrier 

Swamp Harrier, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Little Raven, Braeside Park, Victoria

Little Raven taking on the raptors

Spring is here…

I enjoyed a walk to the local lake and along the Elster Creek with some of the local birders late Saturday afternoon. Many of the resident birds are starting to nest and raise chicks. It is a noisy, busy time with much activity. Several neighbourhood locals are keeping an eye on the breeding swans and sadly the cygnet count has already gone from 6 to 3 in a few weeks. I daresay the foxes at the golf course are also raising young.

Elster Creek, Elwood, Victoria

Spring along Elster Creek, Elwood, Victoria

Elsternwick Lake Swamphens, Elsternwick, VictoriaElsternwick Lake Swamphens, Elsternwick, Victoria

Elsternwick Lake Swamphens, Elsternwick, Victoria

Elsternwick Lake Swan family, Elsternwick, Victoria

Elsternwick Lake Swan family

Elsternwick Lake cygnet, Elsternwick, Victoria,

one of the cygnets

Elsternwick Lake Swan, Elsternwick, Victoria

A watchful parent…

Elsternwick Lake Little Pied Cormorant, Elsternwick, Victoria

Elsternwick Lake Little Pied Cormorant

Pirate Kite of Ormond Point

When looking for birds to photograph you sometimes find other odd things to watch. In the open area below the navigation tower at Point Ormond I enjoyed the skill of this kite flyer with his pirate ship kite. Considering its complex form and all the moving bits it flew remarkably well. The Point is a well known area for kite flying though lately the flyers have been squeezed out of the larger open ground due to it becoming the landing zone for a local parachuting business.  I like the idea that the pirate ship was probably breaking the local council rules…

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

 

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

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Snacking on seeds

Stalking Eastern Rosellas can be tough. They spook easily and fly just out of reach for a good photograph. Once in a leafy green tree they can be just about invisible even with the bright red head and chest. Locally their numbers have been building. I am hoping the increase is from the breeding locals rather than Rosellas migrating through. A local naturalist has been building nest boxes suitable for Rosellas but unattractive to possums. On this walk along the creek several Rosellas were feeding on the seeds of a Desert Ash.

Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria

Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria

The White-browed Scrubwrens of Point Ormond

At Elwood’s Point Ormond is a section of old seaside vegetation. Much of the area has been cleared with just a few scraps of native vegetation left. In this small pocket beneath the Point and its navigation tower, live a few species of birds – Superb Fairy-wrens, Brown Thornbills and White-browed Scrubwrens, with many other species stopping by for a feed and rest while migrating elsewhere – Rainbow Lorikeets, Black Faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Pink Robins, Grey Fantails, Singing Honeyeaters and Silvereyes to name a few. On the last few visits we have been watching a nest of Scrubwrens and the busy parents feeding their chicks. A visit on the weekend seemed to indicate that the chicks had fledged and had moved from the nest but were still being fed by the parents.

White-browed Scrubwren, Point Ormond scrub, Elwood, Victoria

White-browed Scrubwren – looking for juicy morsels for the chicks

White-browed Scrubwren, Point Ormond scrub, Elwood, Victoria

The Scrubwren returning a grub to its chicks..

Finally a Nankeen Night-Heron

The Nankeen Night-Heron has been a bit of a hoodoo bird for me. While I have seen the species at various places during the day and locally at night I have not seen it well enough to photograph and add to my local birds page. Finally today while walking down the creek with a local birder friend, Dave, we found an adult Night-Heron (with head plume) on its daytime roost high in one of the pines along the canal part of the Elster Creek. It seemed to be very curious about us and intently watched everyone who walked by. It is an nocturnal bird that hunts in the shallow waters and edges along the creek.

Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

Nankeen Night-Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood, Victoria

Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Forget girls, just paint lad…

Forget girls, just paint lad…

Forget Girls, just paint lad, Guerrilla Territory, McLean Alley, Melbourne CBD

“Forget girls, just paint lad”, Guerrilla Territory, McLean Alley, Melbourne CBD

Guitarist of Flanigan Lane

A walk through a narrow laneway: Flanigan Lane, in the Melbourne CBD,  and a nice surprise, a very large mural of a Blues guitarist…

Guitarist wall mural, Flanigan Lane, Melbourne CBD

Guitarist wall mural, Flanigan Lane, Melbourne CBD

Spring is fast approaching…

Many birds are busy at the moment. Potential nest sites explored, claimed and defended, nest mounds are being constructed and the recent mild weather has convinced several species to start the nesting cycle now.

The two mounds below were found in the first T-section lagoon at the Western Treatment Plant. I was surprised to see that they were fairly close to the road and in a large and fairly exposed lagoon.  Very happy to see the Brolgas nesting again at the Lagoons, though a little concerned that if it rained further then the nest could be swamped by the rising water levels. The swan’s nest was much higher from the water.

Nesting Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Brolga’s mate nearby keeping a watch…

Nesting Swan, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Swan, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Finlay Alley, a secret dark laneway

I found an old map of the various street art alleys and laneways. Over the last few weeks I have been checking several of these old sites for any new works. Many of the map’s sites are gone now, the laneways still exist but the sides are new tower blocks for student and cheaper apartment housing. One gem that I did find full of interesting large murals was Finlay Alley –  an alley, that doglegs into a dark covered lane. There is a new block going up soon on one of the perimeters and hopefully the site won’t be altered too much

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Rainbows and Red-rumps

I walked around Braeside Park last week with a few friends. It has been a while since I have explored this part of the park having spent more time recently looking around the neighbouring Woodlands Industrial Estate wetlands. With all the rain over winter the lagoons have filled up nicely and there is a lot of fresh growth. There was quite the buzz around the park as many parrots, lorikeets and cockatoos searched for and explored every hollow they could looking for suitable nest sites. Once claimed the nest sites are vigorously and noisily defended. The highlight of the day was a large dead tree with a quite a number of hollows that seemed to be occupied by Red-rumped Parrots – a parrot apartment block. While it is still Winter here, one can definitely feel the change coming as the birds move into gear for the new breeding season.

 

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

Female Red-rumped Parrot exploring a hollow

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Male Red Rumped Parrot, Braeside Park, Victoria

Male Red Rumped Parro waiting for the female to pop back out with a decision…

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

Red-rumped Parrots – male guarding above and the female enjoying a little sun in the nest hollow below. Her duller colouring is well suited for long stints at the nest

The hunter’s perch…

One of the best reasons to visit the Western Treatment Plant over winter is the large number of Raptors that can be easily seen.  The species found all year round include the Swamp Harriers, Kites (Black-Shouldered, Black and Whistling) and the Brown Falcons. Several more stop by for a few months to breed locally or just to take advantage of an abundant food supply – these include the Black Falcon, Kestrel, Brown Goshawk, Spotted Harrier, Sea-Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle.

Below are two regulars that I often see and photograph. The Brown Falcon and the Whistling Kite – both perched in late afternoon light on dead tree branches with great open views of the surrounding area.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Last bird of the day…

On the drive out of the Western Lagoons and T-section and back along the Point Wilson Road heading home after along day of birding, I spotted a dark silhouette in one of the bordering Pines. Very easy to identify with the swallow shaped forked tail, the raptor on the branch was a Black Kite. The kite is a medium sized raptor, blackish-brown in colour,  and often seen slowly cruising along the country highways. It is reported to be the most common raptor in the world. We regularly see several along this road and it is one of the first birds we encounter for the day and one of the last.

Black Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria