Tag Archives: Australian Birds

Spring is fast approaching…

Posted on August 23, 2016 | 2 comments

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’s mate nearby keeping a watch…

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

2 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Black Swan, Brolgas, Nature Photography, Nesting Black Swan, Nesting Brolgas, Photography, Pooh Farm, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant

Rainbows and Red-rumps

Posted on August 21, 2016 | Leave a comment

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

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

Female Red-rumped Parrot exploring a hollow

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 – 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…

Posted on August 16, 2016 | 5 comments

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

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

5 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Brown Falcon, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Raptors, Western Treatment Plant, Whistling Kite

Last bird of the day…

Posted on August 15, 2016 | 2 comments

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

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Black Kite, Nature Photography, Photography, Point Wilson Road, Pooh Farm, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant

A deadly hunt

Posted on August 14, 2016 | 4 comments

On a recent trip to the Western Treatment Plant, we saw and photographed a number of raptors including several Black-shouldered Kites. We drove along the lagoon tracks and found a kite feeding on a recently caught rat. The kites favoured prey are the mice and rats that inhabit the long grass fringes of the lagoons at the treatment plant. The kite is one of the two Australian species of raptor that can hover above a hunting ground and drop with sudden speed onto its prey. (the blog’s image logo was a kite that was hunting and hovering). After it catches the rat, it then flies to a regular feeding post or branch and consumes the prey by tearing the rat apart and eating until the rat is small enough to swallow the rest whole. Rather gruesome but interesting to watch and photograph.

Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black-shouldered Kite with a rat

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4 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Birds of Prey, Black Shouldered Kite, Hunting, Kites, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Raptors, Rats, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant

Under the watchful gaze of a Brown Falcon

Posted on August 10, 2016 | 10 comments

A regular member of the raptors often sighted at the Treatment Plant lagoons is the Brown Falcon, a striking bird that often perches on posts and signs waiting for opportunities to pounce on small mammals, rabbits, birds, snakes and lizards. Towards the end of our day at the Lagoons last week, we found our Falcon perched and watching out for its next meal. While wary of us it remained quite calm and unlike many other raptors allowed us to approach close enough to gain a few photographs.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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10 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Brown Falcon, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant

Immature but graceful…

Posted on August 9, 2016 | Leave a comment

I always get a buzz when I find a White-bellied Sea-eagle at the Western Treatment Plant and anywhere else for that matter. A beautiful large raptor with an upright proud stance. This one is a year or two old and still to come into its mature colours and full size.

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Not every shot can be flattering….

Thats better…

Back to regal….beautiful long wings and still to gain maturity and size…

Flyby Pelican and Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Pelican flyby and Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle on the navigation tower…

Zebra Finches of Kirk’s Point

Posted on August 8, 2016 | 2 comments

We often see Zebra Finches at the pooh farm, mostly in small groups perched on the wire fences. They quickly fly from the fence wires along the road another 10 metres and wait for the car to catch-up before flushing again. We rarely get decent photos. Last weekend we drove down to Kirk’s Point to look for Blue-winged Parrots and while watching the parrots and waiting for good opportunities for a photograph, my fellow birders discovered a good sized flock of Zebra Finches. We photographed the colony and watched them continue to build and reshape their nests. There are so few suitable trees in this flat sea side landscape that this colony chose a small bushy tree amongst a few stunted wind swept trees. They need dense prickly bushes to protect them from predators. We sat near the tree and photographed the birds go about setting up for the next generation.

Male Zebra Finch, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Male Finch with a female below

A par of finches near their nest site…

A bit of a nuzzle…

Zebra Finches nest, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches nest, part of a small colony of nests in a stunted tree…

Zebra Finches nest tree, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches nest tree at Kirks Point (You Yangs in the background)

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

2 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Kirks Point, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant, Zebra Finch

From the beach of the Stone-curlew

Posted on August 1, 2016 | 2 comments

While photographing the Beach Stone-curlew on Inverloch Beach at the weekend, a number of other birds flew by including flocks of Ibis, pelicans, cormorants, and gulls. Several Pacific Gulls flew near to have a look at what we were up to. Considering the sheer number of crabs available I am not sure why more birds weren’t feasting – I daresay that the soldier crab may have an acquired taste that the Stone-curlew has no problems with. Back at the carpark we also found a small flock of curious Brown Thornbills.

Australian White Ibis, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Pacific Gull, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

III

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Nature Photography, Pacific Gull, Photography, Victoria, White Ibis

Lifer 333 – Beach Stone-curlew

Posted on July 31, 2016 | 2 comments

With the recent reports of a Beach Stone-curlew at the mouth of Screw Screek, Inverloch Beach, I decided to make the 2 hour drive down the coast with my local birder team (Dave, Ron and Gio) to look for and photograph the rare bird. There have not been too many reports of Beach Stone-curlews in Victoria – some sightings at Inverloch, Apollo Bay and at Marlo. They are often found found much further north from Brisbane upwards. We were pleased to find the bird resting on the beach. It eventually moved onto the sandflats and started to feed on the blue Soldier Crabs. There were thousands of crabs on the sand that were very easy for the bird to catch. It would eat half a dozen and then move further out or back towards the White Mangroves that line the mouth of the Screw Creek inlet. It did not seem to mind us too much as long as we moved slowly and crouched down. Its flush zone was much less that the waders we have studied and photographed before.

Beach Stone-curlew, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Beach Stone-curlew – a stretch after a rest on the beach

Hunting crabs

VII

A crunch of the big jaws and the crab is an easy meal

The Stone-curlew used to be called the Beach Thick-knee for obvious reasons…

Screw Creek White mangroves, Inverloch Beach, Victoria,

The Beach Stone-curlew, rests in the mangroves at high tide

2 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australian Birds, Beach Stone-curlew, Bird Photography, Inverloch, Inverloch Beach, Lifer 333, Nature Photography, Photography, Port Phillip Birders, Screw Creek, Victoria, White Mangrove

Battle of the birdbath

Posted on July 25, 2016 | 4 comments

While visiting my folks on Willowind farm in Moorooduc, I noticed that the New Holland Honeyeaters were spending quite a bit of time in the bare bushes around the birdbath near the back door. When an Eastern Spinebill, a few Brown Thornbills and a White-eared Honeyeater stopped by for a drink or a quick bath, they were chased off by the New Hollands. They can be an aggressive species often fighting with similar sized honeyeaters over a territory or a temporary food source but I have not seen them defend a water source before. There is a bit of water around the local area and even a dam nearby but the birds would have to travel through open unprotected areas. It shows the importance of supplying a protected clean water source for small birds. It also provides a great location to photograph the birds when they come into drink and bathe.

New Holland Honeyeater, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

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White-eared Honeyeater, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

White-eared Honeyeater – by placing a rock into a deeper birdbath it allows the bird to bathe from the rock. They need a way to hop out onto the edge again after quick dunk.

A wary drink…

Chasing off the other species…

4 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Moorooduc, Nature Photography, New Holland Honeyeater, Victoria, White Eared Honeyeater

A very muddy quarry

Posted on July 24, 2016 | 3 comments

A drop in visit to the Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna reserve after all the rain lately meant a slog through the mud and water along the paths to the Quarry. It was fairly quiet as the birds seemed to be in a bit of shell-shock only making a bit more noise and becoming more mobile when the sun made an appearance every now and again. I walked along a path where I regularly see Eastern Yellow Robins and while trying to photograph a pair hunting I noticed a young Kookaburra watching me with interest. He did not seem bothered at all by how close I was…

Kookaburra, Moorooduc Quarry, Victoria

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Peregrine Falcon, Moorooduc Quarry, Victoria

One of the resident Peregrine Falcons at the Quarry, keeping warm by puffing up the feathers with trapped air.

3 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Kookaburra, Moorooduc Quarry, Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve, Nature Photography, Peregrine Falcon, Photography, Victoria

A sunny Winter’s Day at Willowind Farm

Posted on July 17, 2016 | 1 comment

I dropped by the folks’ farm in Moorooduc yesterday. They live on a 10 acre block with large pine trees down one side and a Eucalyptus woodlot along another edge. The long driveway is bordered by rows of Willow Trees. Next door is a free range egg farm guarded by several Mareema Sheepdogs that have been trained to guard the chickens from foxes. Given the number of chickens we find in the sheep yards they do miss a few visits by the local foxes. A few raptors also tend to regularly stop by and watch for chicken stragglers. I have counted 24 bird species so far at the farm. The property has a nice mix of native and introduced mature trees as well as some native bushes for the smaller birds. I photographed a few below, along with some nicely coloured fungi.

Brown Thornbill, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

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Spotted Pardalote, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Female Spotted Pardalote, Willowind Farm

Grey Shrikethrush, Willowind Farm

Dusky Woodswallow, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

One of four Dusky Woodswallows roosting in a local tree in the late afternoon sun.

Large Fungi, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Apricot tree Fungi, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

1 Comment

Posted in Birds

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Brown Thornbill, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Shrike Thrush, Moorooduc, Nature Photography, Photography, Spotted Pardalote, Victoria, Willowind Farm

A great visit to the Pooh Farm…

Posted on July 14, 2016 | 5 comments

Its always a good visit when you see a rare bird (and even if only a glimpse), and get lucky with a few good close ups of a few favourites…I have only seen the Lewin’s Rail once before at the Coolart Wetlands and then this time at the Western treatment Plant.

Lewin’s Rail, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Little Grassbird, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Golden-headed Cisticola, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

5 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Bird Photography, Golden Headed Cisticola, Lewin's Rail, Little Grassbird, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Western Treatment Plant

Nightingale of the Pooh Farm

Posted on July 5, 2016 | 3 comments

Another bird species that thrives in the reed beds of the Crake Pit at the Pooh Farm is the Australian Reed Warbler…it is more often heard than seen, generally only glimpsed as it flies between clumps of reeds in the lagoons, secretive but loud during Spring/Summer breeding seasons.

The reed warbler has a loud ringing song and has been described as being one of the most melodious singers hence one of its the informal names, Nightingale. Often heard in Spring and Summer in wetlands with good reed coverage. The warbler uses sustained singing to defend its territory amongst the reeds. It migrates north during autumn for the winter and back for the spring.

Acrocephalus australis – Acrocephalus, Greek for ‘peak head’ and australis Latin for ‘southern’ . Also called Clamorous Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Reed-lark, Swamp Tit, Water Sparrow, Nightingale (HANZAB Volume 7b)

Australian Reed Warbler, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

…got the Damsel fly…

…a quick leap to the next target…

VII

…typical pose when seen, hanging onto a reed ready to pounce on prey…

3 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged Australia, Australian Birds, Australian Reed Warbler, Bird Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, Pooh Farm, Victoria, Western Treatment Plant

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Tag Archives: Australian Birds

Spring is fast approaching…

Rainbows and Red-rumps

The hunter’s perch…

Last bird of the day…

A deadly hunt

Under the watchful gaze of a Brown Falcon

Immature but graceful…

Zebra Finches of Kirk’s Point

From the beach of the Stone-curlew

Lifer 333 – Beach Stone-curlew

Battle of the birdbath

A very muddy quarry

A sunny Winter’s Day at Willowind Farm

A great visit to the Pooh Farm…

Nightingale of the Pooh Farm

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