Tag Archives: Dusky Woodswallow

A sunny Winter’s Day at Willowind Farm

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

Brown Thornbill, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Brown Thornbill, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

II

Brown Thornbill, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

III

Brown Thornbill, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

IV

Spotted Pardalote, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Female Spotted Pardalote, Willowind Farm

Grey Shrikethrush, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

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

Large Fungi, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Apricot tree Fungi, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Apricot tree Fungi, Willowind Farm, Moorooduc, Victoria

Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve, Mt Eliza

Along the Moorooduc Highway that heads down to the Mornington Peninsula is the Mt Eliza Regional Park. A section of this park is called the Moorooduc Flora and Fauna Reserve. It  is the site of an old (1887) stone and ballast quarry used for the railway sleeper beds for the Baxter to Mornington railway connection. The quarry is now flooded and has been converted to a Flora and Fauna Reserve and is particularly good for birds. The quarry is actually fenced off due to dangerous cliffs and rockfalls but holes in the fence have been created by locals wishing to access the water and quarry site. When I was there last week locals were walking dogs and fishing in the quarry. The high cliffs provide good nest sites for Peregrine Falcons to nest. Over the last few years I have seen several fledgelings learning to fly and hunt.

Old Moorooduc Quarry

Old Moorooduc Quarry

Old Moorooduc Quarry II

Old Moorooduc Quarry II

Walking from the carpark to the quarry I noticed a number of new fledglings being attended to by their parents.

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow II

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow II – demanding food from a parent nearby

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow III

Juvenile Dusky Woodswallow III

Dusky Woodswallow

Dusky Woodswallow

Young Grey Fantail

Young Grey Fantail – how could you not respond to those eyes?

Striated Thornbill

Striated Thornbill

Striated Thornbill II

Striated Thornbill II

Striated Thornbill III

Striated Thornbill III

Striated Thornbill IV

Striated Thornbill IV

Striated Thornbill V

Striated Thornbill V

Striated Thornbill VI

Striated Thornbill VI

Common Bronzewing

Common Bronzewing

Common Bronzewing II

Common Bronzewing II

Eastern Yellow Robin - what you looking at?

Eastern Yellow Robin – what you looking at?

Eastern Yellow Robin II

Eastern Yellow Robin II

Flowering Water Lillies

Flowering Water Lillies in Moorooduc Quarry