Tag Archives: Bellarine

Birds of the Bellarine

The second day of my Easter trip exploring the Bellarine Peninsula took me to several coastal parks and bushland reserves and while the number of birds were not large the photo opportunities to get closer to the regulars was quite good.

Black Wallaby, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Victoria 4 April 2015

Black Wallaby, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Victoria 4 April 2015 – feeding on new grass growth after a bush fire in the area.

Red Browed Finch, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Victoria 4 April 2015

The Lookout – Red Browed Finch, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Victoria 4 April 2015

Silvereye, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

Silvereye, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

Silvereye, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

A careful selection

Silvereye, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

III

Silvereye, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

IV

Superb Fairy Wren, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

I just want to sing ! – Superb Fairy Wren, Lake Connewarre, Victoria 4 April 2015

Welcome Swallow, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

Welcome Swallow, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

A squadron of Pelicans flew over me as I walked along the Point – there were 6 large birds flying in perfect formation gliding along the coast.

Australian Pelican, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

Australian Pelican, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

Australian Pelican, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

II

Red Browed Finch, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

Red Browed Finch, Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards Victoria 4 April 2015

Opposite my accommodation in Queescliff was a park overlooking the beach and the heads at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. In the park are some large mature trees planted by the early settlers of the area. The trees are stunning and beautifully shaped by pruning and the wind. The one below reminded me of a giant bonsai. I spent some time one evening in nice late afternoon light walking around it and using my wide angle lens trying to capture the feeling. I failed miserably – I never thought that taking a photos of trees would be so much harder than birds.

Conifer, Queenscliff,  Victoria 4 April 2015

Conifer, Queenscliff, Victoria 4 April 2015

Pine, Queenscliff,  Victoria 4 April 2015

Pine, Queenscliff, Victoria 4 April 2015

While I was staying at Queenscliff there was a full eclipse of the moon that lasted for several hours and finished with a rare blood moon. While I did not stay up for the full blood moon (too cold and I had an early start the next day), I did get a few early eclipse shots trying out various settings. I got very few clear shots due to clouds  but was happy enough with the one below.

Lunar Eclipse, Queenscliff,  Victoria 4 April 2015

Lunar Eclipse, Queenscliff, Victoria 4 April 2015

The Lonsdale Lakes of Bellarine

Over Easter I explored the Bellarine Peninsula, south of Melbourne and the  other side of the opening of Port Phillip Bay. I have not been down this way before for photography and birding so it was all new. I researched some tips from John (my birding mate) and hit a few sites over several days.

The first area was the Lonsdale Lakes starting at Lake Victoria. It is a flat area with wide mud banks and a fairly shallow lagoon. It is quickly drying out but obviously still has a good food supply for the various species I came across: Swans, Stilts, Red Necked Stints, Red Capped Plovers, White Faced Herons and Gulls.

The vegetation long the lake side and paths is low scrub, shrubs, grasses and salt -bush and various succulent type plants -all very tough and hardy for dry, salty and windy conditions. It is quite attractive in the right light too with many shades of green…

Lake side vegetation

The path along the lake’s edge

Lake side vegetation

Lake side vegetation

 Red Capped Plover

Red Capped Plover – a tiny young bird in a wide expanse, well camouflaged when hiding beside a small rock

 Red Capped Plover

Red Capped Plover

 Red Capped Plover

Red Capped Plover II

 Red Capped Plover

Red Capped Plovers

 Red Capped Plover

Red Capped Plover III

Red Necked Stints

Red Necked Stints flying in

Swan

Many Black Swans were feeding in the shallow water and flying over to fresh feeding grounds

I watched this White Faced Heron for a while and took a few shots as it fed in the mud along a nearby creek. At one point it stood quite still, did a full body shake and then went back to feeding. It might be part of a grooming action or just bringing in more air under its feathers as the day got later and cooler.

White faced Heron

White faced Heron

White faced Heron

White faced Heron II

White faced Heron

White faced Heron III

White faced Heron

White faced Heron IV