It has been a pretty good few months tracking down and photographing new birds. I picked up 2 new lifers – an Osprey at the Treatment Plant, well out of its usual territory and a Painted Honeyeater in the Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park – I finally saw the Honeyeater after several long trips to the Chiltern district in Northern Victoria over the last few years.
The Osprey was seen along the coast over winter between Geelong and Melbourne and seemed to settle down for a few weeks at the Treatment Plant. But it has not been sighted since the much larger Sea Eagles returned. On a recent trip we saw three White Bellied Sea eagles but no sign of the Osprey.
Osprey roosting in the late afternoon on an abandoned Cormorant nest, Western Treatment Plant
Painted Honeyeater, Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park
A beautiful little honeyeater with a lovely distinctive call.
The Gap Year and Beyond 