Tag Archives: Australian Birds

The Little Duck-Hawk

Posted on July 9, 2018 | 2 comments

Another of the raptors we found along the roads in the Treatment Plant was an Australian Hobby. I don’t often see this species though have seen one twice now in the last few months. I actually see Peregrine Falcons more often. This one flew into the Paradise Lagoons section along one of the roads and watched the various birds in the area as well as watch us slowly drive forward.   The Hobby (from old French “hobe” meaning small falcon) was also called the “Little Falcon” , “Little Duck-Hawk”, “Black-faced Hawk”, “White-fronted Hawk” and its Latin name means “Long-winged Falcon”.

Australian Hobby, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Australian Hobby, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Bassian Thrush winter project?

Posted on July 5, 2018 | 1 comment

After the wild weather of last Saturday it was nice to get out into the Greens Bush forest again on Sunday and see what was happening. It was still early, a bit cold and many of the usual species I see there had decided to sleep in. One of the highlights beside some nice morning sun was finding several Bassian Thrush feeding on parts of the circuit track. Being quite dark under the trees I tried using the flash with some limited success but had better luck when I slowly followed the Thrush up the track a few steps at a time staying low until it finally moved into a mottled sun patch. This species is generally quite shy and due to its skulking nature has not been studied well. I see a few Thrushes most times I visit Greens Bush so I know it is a good spot for them. I can feel a project coming on.

Bassian Thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

Bassian Thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

Bassian Thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

II

Bassian Thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

III

1 Comment

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Testing the flush zone at the treatment plant.

Posted on July 3, 2018 | 1 comment

Towards the end of my last drive around the Western Treatment Plant we found several Brown Falcons using the fence posts as lookouts for their evening meals. Using the car as a mobile bird hide and watching for nervousness we managed to get quite close to a few. Depending on their age and temperament they had quite different flush distances (no-pun intended).

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

II

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

III

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

IV

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

V

1 Comment

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

The Brown Falcon of 29 Mile Road

Posted on June 27, 2018 | 4 comments

Two thirds of the Elwood Birding Crew aka Port Phillip Birders along with our regional member from up Knox way joined for a day at the pooh farm and surrounding roads. It was cold and grey with dim lighting but the number of raptors along the various roads was surprising and we kept our car windows down, and the heater, gloves and beanies on. We cruised the roads and lagoons, watched and photographed Brown Falcons, Wedge-tail Eagles, Kites and Kestrels. What better way to spend a cold winters day….dont tell Mary.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

II

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Red-kneed Dotterel with red knees

Posted on June 25, 2018 | 4 comments

I like it when a bird species has an identifying feature listed in its name, it makes birding just a fraction easier. Before the Spotted Crake did his dash across the small shallow lagoon a few Red-kneed Dotterels worked their way along the edge looking for small insects on the water.

Red -kneed Dotterel, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Red-kneed Dotterel, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Red -kneed Dotterel, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

II

Red -kneed Dotterel, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

III

Red -kneed Dotterel, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

IV

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

A bold Crake

Posted on June 19, 2018 | 2 comments

Spotted Crakes are often seen skulking around the muddy edges of wetlands usually very close to cover so a quick dash can get them back under cover and invisible again. I saw this particular Crake late one sunny afternoon at the small lagoon near the bird hide along the coast at the Treatment plant. He was walking quite boldly across the lagoon to the other side. Though as the sun dipped a bit he made the sudden dash back to the other side and straight back into cover.

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

II

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

A quick look round and straight at me…

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

…reached the other side for a peek around the salt-bush…

Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

…and a mad dash back again – the next few seconds later he actually took off in a low flight..

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

A Little Grassbird enters stage left.

Posted on June 18, 2018 | 4 comments

During my last visit to the Treatment Plant, I stopped the car while driving around the Western Lagoons and filmed  a Spotted Crake that crept out of the salt bush and heath to have a drink and check for easy prey. Just to the left of the Crake a Little Grassbird also popped out to check in the tidal mud for prey. These birds are often heard at wetlands and seen when they flit low across the water to the next clump of reeds but I dont often see them clearly for a shot. The Little Grassbird’s scientific name Megalurus gramineus means “grassy large-tail” due to its large broad tail and preferred habitat.

Little Grassbird, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Little Grassbird, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

Little Grassbird, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Vic

II

4 Comments

Posted in Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Starting Winter at Southern Greens Bush

Posted on June 4, 2018 | 2 comments

I re-visited the Southern section of Greens Bush yesterday.  Winter has just started here but the mornings are already quite cold. Luckily the beginning of the track is quite open and I could warm up a bit in the sun. The first few birds I saw threw me a bit as I tried to identify them. They turned out to be Brown Thornbills that were still puffed up from the extra air in their plumage to keep warm over night. They were little puff balls and looked a lot larger than normal. Walking through the mature Banksia forest I could see a bird on one of the dead trees in the distance. Trying to sneak a bit  closer I found an Australian Hobby (also called a Little Falcon) perched in the morning sun surveying the territory for breakfast.  I walked a bit too close and it took off along the ridge line and down into the forest. I bit further along I found a Grey Shrike-thrush keeping an eye out for the falcon. It was so focussed on the sky that I managed to walk right up to it and take a few images.

Australian Hobby, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

Australian Hobby, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

Australian Hobby, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

II

Grey Shrike-thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

Grey Shrike-thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

Grey Shrike-thrush, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park

II

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Old Faithful…

Posted on May 21, 2018 | 4 comments

Recently I stopped by Braeside Park to look for the reported Long Toed Stint, a tiny, rare, migratory shorebird.  It was fairly easy to find with the help of other birders all  lined up with their scopes looking for it as well. Eventually we found it working the mudflat on the main lagoon with a few Sharp-tailed sandpipers, a Pectoral sandpiper (another rare shorebird) and a bunch of Red-kneed dotterells. The Stint became my 350th Lifer and 348th Vic Tick.

On the way back to my car I checked the car park area looking for the pair of Tawny Frogmouths that can usually be found in the trees around the cars. I found them on a low branch taking a bit of late afternoon sunshine. Always a favourite find in any location and a nice way to finish the successful twitch.

Tawny Frogmouth, Braeside Park, Vic

Tawny Frogmouth, practicing its “just a branch, nothing to see here” pose,

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Greeted by a Golden-headed Cisticola

Posted on May 14, 2018 | 2 comments

Greeting me as I opened the access gate (4) at the Treatment Plant recently was a little Golden-headed Cisticola. It is a small bird of the marshy grasslands surrounding a wetlands area. It has several calls including a very distinctive call that can be mimicked with a bit of effort and strong lips. In my earlier files I found a small video of another Cisticola at another entry gate, perched on a barbed wire fence along the T-section of the Treatment Plant. Towards the end of the file the distinctive call can be heard.

Golden-headed Cisticola, Western Treatment plant, Werribee, Vic

Golden-headed Cisticola, Western Treatment plant, Werribee, Vic

 

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Spotted Crake with Didge music.

Posted on May 9, 2018 | 2 comments

While at the Treatment Plant (aka Pooh Farm) on the weekend I found quite a few elusive Spotted Crakes along protected, muddy patches of various tidal and fresh water lagoons. In Western Lagoons I had stopped the car when I thought I had found one and waited for it to come out into the light again. I fiddled with my camera settings and ended up in movie mode so I thought I would try it out. The result wasn’t bad for a fully extended 100-400 zoom and 1.4 extender. The day was very windy and the wind sound came out on the video so I have added some music I like from a band called Outback (album Baka, song Airplay).

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A hopeful encounter

Posted on May 8, 2018 | 4 comments

On Saturday I went to the Knife-makers Guild annual show in Attwood (as you do), and instead of fighting the freeway traffic back home, I decided to head south and drop by the Western Treatment Plant (the pooh farm). While driving out of the lagoons to leave I flushed what I thought were two Blue-winged Parrots off the track. I saw a flash of orange as they flew over the windscreen of the car and realised these must be a pair of the released Orange-bellied Parrots, a very rare and endangered species. They only flushed to the back of the car so I used the door for cover and took a few photos – bad light and shooting into the sun but got a few shots. They were smaller than I expected and made such a melodic buzzy call when flying. There has been a real push to try and breed up and release parrots to join the 50 wild birds that are estimated to be left (with only 340 in 10 captive/breeding recovery facilities). In the wild the tiny parrot migrates from its summer breeding grounds in Tasmania, flies over Bass Strait and into the coastal regions of Victoria –  a tough flight with very few intact feeding grounds at the end of the journey. I found out later that these two were males and part of the 2017 release program but had not joined the wild population yet. I am hopeful that this parrot does not die out in the wild during my lifetime.

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment plant, Werribee

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment plant, Werribee

A pair of male Orange-bellied parrots

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment plant, Werribee

note the pair of leg bands.

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment plant, Werribee

IV

Orange-bellied parrot, Western Treatment plant, Werribee

V

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Searching for the Hooded

Posted on May 1, 2018 | 4 comments

Recently I spent a few days down the coast working on the beehives and the garden. Each morning I visited a different spot on the Peninsula for a bit of bushwalking and checking on the local birds. On the third day I decided to revisit Flinders Back Beach – the scene of an old financial crime – I got my camera wet in strong winds and drizzly rain. $650 later my camera was repaired and a $40 camera rain cover purchased – lesson learnt. On this occasion it was again drizzly and the camera cover went straight into action. By the time I was on the beach it was sunny. Almost immediately I found a small mixed flock of Red-necked Stints and Double banded Plovers. After a while, watching, counting and photographing the flock, I walked  around the point looking for the resident Hooded Plovers – now becoming rare on many beaches in Victoria due to increased disturbance, natural predation and people walking their dogs off lead. I usually see a few Hoodeds but this time I only found one adult. I hoped that a few more were tucked down into the beached kelp out of the cool winds.

Hooded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

Hooded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic (the hooded plover is in the pic)

Double banded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

Double banded Plover – can be tricky to see until they move

Double banded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

II

Double banded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

III

Hooded Plover, Flinders Ocean Beach, Flinders, Vic

Hooded Plover stretching its wings

 

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

A forest walking companion…

Posted on April 5, 2018 | 6 comments

One of the first birds I see when I enter the forest at Green’s Bush is the Eastern yellow Robin. I watch it as it moves forward away from me down the track to the next tree trunk around head height. It keeps an eye on me and watches the ground for its next meal. It is an ambush hunter. From behind it is quite camouflaged and I often fail to see until it dashes forward but front on it is a beautiful vibrant yellow. I usually find them in pairs in territories around the track, my record for sightings is 14 along a 3.8 km circuit. At the moment there are quite a few juveniles coming into colour and moving around the forest.

Eastern yellow Robin, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

Eastern yellow Robin, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

Eastern yellow Robin, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

II

Eastern yellow Robin, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

III

Eastern yellow Robin, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic

Eastern yellow Robin in its usual hunting pose…

6 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Yellow-rumped Thornbills at Easter lunch.

Posted on April 4, 2018 | 6 comments

I spent Easter Sunday at my parents place in Moorooduc, an hour south of Melbourne. Between chainsawing fallen tree branches after the last wind storm and Easter lunch, I heard soft trill calls and noticed a feeding flock of small birds moving through a group of trees. I grabbed my camera gear from the car and stalked the little birds with the bright yellow rumps. I try and wander around the various sections of the farm looking for new species. The small farm is starting to build quite a bird list. I added two new species  – the Yellow-rumped Thornbills below and later a pair of Cape Barren Geese landed in a nearby paddock.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Willowind, Moorooduc, Vic

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Willowind, Moorooduc, Vic

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Willowind, Moorooduc, Vic

II

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Willowind, Moorooduc, Vic

III

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Willowind, Moorooduc, Vic

IV

6 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,