Tag Archives: Australian Birds

Its all in the name

Posted on February 14, 2017 | 4 comments

Rename a native rodent from water-rat to its aboriginal name “Rakali”, and you can change the public view on an ignored animal. A family of Rakalis on the St Kilda break water has been semi-tamed via a local fisherman feeding them bait, fish and little cheese snacks. The Rakali has a varied diet and can be quite aggressive in its hunting. I have seen one kill an injured Pink-eared duck at the Werribee Treatment Plant.

St Kilda pier and break water is a good place to get up close and personal with the Rakali family as well as the nesting and roosting Little Penguins. On this visit most were still out hunting and I only found one Penguin down a rock crevice burrow.

Little Penguin, St Kilda break water, Victoria 27 Dec 2016

Little Penguin, St Kilda break water, Victoria

Rakali, St Kilda break water, Victoria 27 Dec 2016

Rakali, St Kilda break water, being fed a snack (notice the rear web feet)

Rakali, St Kilda break water, Victoria 27 Dec 2016

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Rakali, St Kilda break water, Victoria 27 Dec 2016

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Karbeethong Regulars

Posted on February 13, 2017 | Leave a comment

One of the areas to explore when staying in Mallacoota is around Karbeethong Ave and Road. It is a small enclave of lovely houses and BnBs. One of the bnbs is Adobe Mudbrick houses. While I have not stayed overnight I often pass through the grounds looking for one of the regulars to be found there – the White-headed Pigeon. I showed a fellow birder who was new to the area where Adobe was and what to expect and while talking to one of the staff about the birdlife, we watched the antics of the local Rainbow Lorikeets. We also found one of the target birds for the day – The White-headed Pigeon.

Rainbow Lorikeet, Karbeethong, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

Rainbow Lorikeets, Karbeethong

Rainbow Lorikeet, Karbeethong, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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Rainbow Lorikeet, Karbeethong, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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White-headed Pigeon, Karbeethong, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

White-headed Pigeon, Adobe Mudbrick Flats

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Azure Kingfisher – great name, beautiful bird

Posted on February 9, 2017 | 7 comments

One of the main reasons to visit Gypsy Point, north of Mallacoota, is to go on the small boat cruise up the river to see the White Bellied Sea Eagles diving for fish. It is a great experience and something I do at least once on each trip to the far eastern districts. Along with the usual wetland and river birds that you can expect to see is the amazing Azure Kingfisher. It is a tiny bird, much smaller than expected and I am always surprised at its size, speed and hunting prowess. While the light was very dim I did manage to take a few high ISO shots of this colourful bird.

Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy Point – still damp from its last dive into the shallows for prey

Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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Azure Kingfisher, Gypsy point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

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White-bellied Sea-eagle, Gypsy Point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

White-bellied Sea-eagle, photographed from Captain John’s boat cruise along the river.

Grey Kangaroos, Gypsy Point, Victoria, 20 Dec 2016

Many Grey Kangaroos can be seen as well.

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Sooty Oystercatchers

Posted on February 8, 2017 | 2 comments

I visit Bastion Point each year to try and find the elusive Reef Egret. It has eluded me on 5 visits to Mallacoota. Many other birders seem to find and photograph the egret but I just keep missing it. I loop around the usual coastal spots where it likes to hunt in the rocks pools at the change of tides. While I miss the Egret I do quite often come across the Sooty Oystercatcher, a nice sized wader with all black plumage, bright orange/red eyes and bill and thick pink legs. The Pied Oystercatcher seems much more common than the Sooty and Bastion Point is a good location to find and photograph it (while waiting for my hoodoo bird to turn up)

While the Pied hunts across inlets, bays and waterways and is often seen in large numbers, the Sooty Oystercatcher prefers ocean facing rocky outcrops where it pries off molluscs from the rocks and catches small crustaceans wading in shallow rock pools. I often find them in pairs even in non-breeding season. I am always keen to try and find and photograph the Sooty.

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 20 Dec 2016

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastion Point, Mallacoota

Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 17 Dec 2016

The ocean beach side of Bastion Point, Mallacoota

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 20 Dec 2016

Sooty Oystercatcher feeling for prey in a rock pool

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 20 Dec 2016

A pair of Sooty Oystercatchers

Sooty Oystercatcher, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, 20 Dec 2016

Sooty Oystercatcher

Pied Oystercatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Pied Oystercatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota

 

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Small birds of the far eastern forests.

Posted on February 7, 2017 | Leave a comment

Mallacoota is surrounded by the Croajingolong National Park wilderness. The dry forests and pockets of rainforest have many species of small birds. It is often a challenge to find them in the heat and humidity of summer but walking quietly in the morning can be rewarding. I am often surprised by their vibrant colours but when facing in a certain direction they can be invisible and difficult to see.

Eastern yellow Robin, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Eastern yellow Robin, Shipwreck Creek

Female Leaden Flycatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Female Leaden Flycatcher, Double Creek

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shipwreck Creek trail

Golden Whistler, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Golden Whistler, Mallacoota

Scarlet Honeyeater, Bastian Point, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota

Lewins Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Vic, 21 Dec 2016

Lewins Honeyeater, Mallacoota

Silvereyes, Mallacoota, Vic, 19 Dec 2016

Silvereyes, Mallacoota

Basian Thrush, Mallacoota, Vic, 19 Dec 2016

Basian Thrush, Mallacoota

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Shipwreck Creek Beach and Heathland

Posted on February 6, 2017 | 2 comments

One of my favourite spots in the Mallacoota area is Shipwreck Creek. There is a 6km trail from Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek that moves through banksia scrub, through heathland, dry forest, a small patch of rain forest and back through heath and beach scrub. Each area of vegetation holds it own species of animals and birds.

Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

The tanin stained waters of Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota

Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Shipwreck Creek meets the ocean

Hooded Plover, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Hooded Plovers, tiny endangered beach birds, keeping under the wind.

Pied Oystercatcher, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Pied Oystercatcher on the beach

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Vic, 18 Dec 2016

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater prefers the low scrub around heathlands

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Rowdy Rainbow Lorikeets

Posted on January 31, 2017 | Leave a comment

After leaving the car in the Boundary Road carpark at Braeside Park, I could hear quite a few parrots in one of the nearby trees. A great cacophony of squabbling and screeching. The group of four below seemed to be  investigating the tree hollow. I couldn’t tell why – maybe disputing over a potential nest site or food source. They were interesting to watch and photograph as they chewed and tested the dead wood of the hollow. They all seemed to be adults and none were demanding food.  Many more were in the branches above watching and preening.

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria, 3 Jan 2017

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria, 3 Jan 2017

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Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria, 3 Jan 2017

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Southern Emu-wren

Posted on January 23, 2017 | 3 comments

One of the key bird species that can be often found along the track between Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek in Mallacoota, is the Southern Emu-wren. I always get a kick out of finding this tiny, long tailed Heathland bird. They can be difficult to find and photograph during the day but good hearing, a keen eye and an early morning walk through the heath can produce the occasional image of this secretive bird. Being small winged it can’t escape danger through flight and the long tail inhibits anything other than small jump flights. It must hide in the scrub throughout the day and work its area for food. In the morning and late evening it will often climb a dead branch and make its territorial calls to the neighbouring tribes.

Southern Emu-wrens, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria 21 Dec 2016

Southern Emu-wrens, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria 21 Dec 2016

Southern Emu-wren, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria 21 Dec 2016

Southern Emu-wren

Southern Emu-wren, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria 21 Dec 2016

Displaying the delicate 5 tail feathers of a male Southern Emu-wren

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Eastern Ground Parrot, the movie

Posted on January 20, 2017 | Leave a comment

Once I had taken a few shots of the Eastern Ground Parrot, I thought I would try and use a different camera (my Canon powershot 60) and see if I could get a bit of video. I took several short videos and this one shows just how difficult it can be to find and see these small, well camouflaged parrots in the low heathland scrub.

The video is at full zoom and handheld so becomes a little unstable in the windy conditions.

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Tough nut to crack…

Posted on January 16, 2017 | 6 comments

I have been to Mallacoota each December for the last 4 years looking for birds that don’t often make it into Victoria or live anywhere near Melbourne. Some of the birds are resident in the Mallacoota area like the Southern Emu-wren, the Eastern Bristlebird and the Eastern Ground Parrot. I have seen the rare Ground Parrot several times early in the morning at Shipwreck Creek – about 15kms outside of Mallacoota. On previous occasions the bird/s flushed and were gone, and going off track into the snake infested heathland did not help me re-find them. On this trip I thought I would just go early every morning until I had a chance to photograph this rare and shy parrot. On the first attempt I stalked so slowly and carefully along the path that I startled a large deer that was only a few metres off the track behind a thick bush. I am not sure who was more frightened. I thought I had no chance of finding the parrot with all the noise the deer made taking off through the undergrowth but about 50m further on a parrot flushed from the opposite side of the track where I was expecting to see it and instead of trying to photograph it in a mad panic, I carefully watched where it flew and stalked it further into the scrub. Taking a lot of time and winding my way through all the heath I found a small over-grown track and whilst surveying the path for likely spots I found the small parrot just sitting on branch watching me. I took a series of shots and moved closer and around the parrot trying to get better angles. Eventually it ducked down onto the path and disappeared into the thick heath.

Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria

Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

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Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

with a beautiful long tail almost hidden by the grass

Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

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Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

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Eastern Ground Parrot, Shipwreck Creek, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016.JPG

Eastern Ground Parrot camouflaged in the heath foliage…

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Scarlet Honeyeaters of Mallacoota

Posted on January 9, 2017 | 2 comments

I have only seen a Scarlet Honeyeater once before and that was on a previous visit to Mallacoota a few years ago. On the latest trip to Mallacoota I saw many of them in a number of locations. After so much spring rain the local plants and trees are flowering and with the abundance of nectar and insects this has brought down many birds from the north. The Scarlet Honeyeater is a stunning tiny bird that rarely stays still and is often fighting with other local honeyeaters particularly the New Holland Honeyeaters.

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

Male Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

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Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

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Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

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Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

Female Scarlet Honeyeater 

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria, 18 Dec 2016

Scarlet Honeyeater, Mallacoota, Victoria

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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

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

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

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

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

Spotted Pardalote on watch near its cliff face burrow

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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, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

Brush Cuckoo, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora

Old South Gippsland Rail-line, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria

Old South Gippsland Rail-line

Old South Gippsland Rail-line, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria

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Old South Gippsland Rail-line, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria

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

Eastern Whipbird

Brush Cuckoo, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

Brush Cuckoo

Brush Cuckoo, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

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Brush Cuckoo, Adams Creek Reserve, Nyora, Victoria, 4 Dec 2016

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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

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

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

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

One of the juveniles, quite trusting on approach. 

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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, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick

Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Musk Lorikeet, Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick, Vict, 3 Dec 2016

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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