Tag Archives: Victoria

Pirate Kite of Ormond Point

Posted on August 31, 2016 | Leave a comment

When looking for birds to photograph you sometimes find other odd things to watch. In the open area below the navigation tower at Point Ormond I enjoyed the skill of this kite flyer with his pirate ship kite. Considering its complex form and all the moving bits it flew remarkably well. The Point is a well known area for kite flying though lately the flyers have been squeezed out of the larger open ground due to it becoming the landing zone for a local parachuting business.  I like the idea that the pirate ship was probably breaking the local council rules…

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

 

Pirate Kite, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Victoria

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Posted in Elwood, Victoria

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Snacking on seeds

Posted on August 30, 2016 | 4 comments

Stalking Eastern Rosellas can be tough. They spook easily and fly just out of reach for a good photograph. Once in a leafy green tree they can be just about invisible even with the bright red head and chest. Locally their numbers have been building. I am hoping the increase is from the breeding locals rather than Rosellas migrating through. A local naturalist has been building nest boxes suitable for Rosellas but unattractive to possums. On this walk along the creek several Rosellas were feeding on the seeds of a Desert Ash.

Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria

Eastern Rosella, Elster Creek, Elsternwick, Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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The White-browed Scrubwrens of Point Ormond

Posted on August 29, 2016 | Leave a comment

At Elwood’s Point Ormond is a section of old seaside vegetation. Much of the area has been cleared with just a few scraps of native vegetation left. In this small pocket beneath the Point and its navigation tower, live a few species of birds – Superb Fairy-wrens, Brown Thornbills and White-browed Scrubwrens, with many other species stopping by for a feed and rest while migrating elsewhere – Rainbow Lorikeets, Black Faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Pink Robins, Grey Fantails, Singing Honeyeaters and Silvereyes to name a few. On the last few visits we have been watching a nest of Scrubwrens and the busy parents feeding their chicks. A visit on the weekend seemed to indicate that the chicks had fledged and had moved from the nest but were still being fed by the parents.

White-browed Scrubwren, Point Ormond scrub, Elwood, Victoria

White-browed Scrubwren – looking for juicy morsels for the chicks

White-browed Scrubwren, Point Ormond scrub, Elwood, Victoria

The Scrubwren returning a grub to its chicks..

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Victoria

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Finally a Nankeen Night-Heron

Posted on August 27, 2016 | 5 comments

The Nankeen Night-Heron has been a bit of a hoodoo bird for me. While I have seen the species at various places during the day and locally at night I have not seen it well enough to photograph and add to my local birds page. Finally today while walking down the creek with a local birder friend, Dave, we found an adult Night-Heron (with head plume) on its daytime roost high in one of the pines along the canal part of the Elster Creek. It seemed to be very curious about us and intently watched everyone who walked by. It is an nocturnal bird that hunts in the shallow waters and edges along the creek.

Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

Nankeen Night-Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood, Victoria

Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Nankeen Night Heron, Elster Creek, Elwood,Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Forget girls, just paint lad…

Posted on August 25, 2016 | 1 comment

Forget girls, just paint lad…

Forget Girls, just paint lad, Guerrilla Territory, McLean Alley, Melbourne CBD

“Forget girls, just paint lad”, Guerrilla Territory, McLean Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Street Art, Victoria

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Guitarist of Flanigan Lane

Posted on August 24, 2016 | Leave a comment

A walk through a narrow laneway: Flanigan Lane, in the Melbourne CBD,  and a nice surprise, a very large mural of a Blues guitarist…

Guitarist wall mural, Flanigan Lane, Melbourne CBD

Guitarist wall mural, Flanigan Lane, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Black & White, Laneways, Melbourne CBD

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Spring is fast approaching…

Posted on August 23, 2016 | 2 comments

Many birds are busy at the moment. Potential nest sites explored, claimed and defended, nest mounds are being constructed and the recent mild weather has convinced several species to start the nesting cycle now.

The two mounds below were found in the first T-section lagoon at the Western Treatment Plant. I was surprised to see that they were fairly close to the road and in a large and fairly exposed lagoon.  Very happy to see the Brolgas nesting again at the Lagoons, though a little concerned that if it rained further then the nest could be swamped by the rising water levels. The swan’s nest was much higher from the water.

Nesting Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Brolga, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Brolga’s mate nearby keeping a watch…

Nesting Swan, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

Nesting Swan, T-section, Western treatmwent Plant, Werribee

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Victoria

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Finlay Alley, a secret dark laneway

Posted on August 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

I found an old map of the various street art alleys and laneways. Over the last few weeks I have been checking several of these old sites for any new works. Many of the map’s sites are gone now, the laneways still exist but the sides are new tower blocks for student and cheaper apartment housing. One gem that I did find full of interesting large murals was Finlay Alley –  an alley, that doglegs into a dark covered lane. There is a new block going up soon on one of the perimeters and hopefully the site won’t be altered too much

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Street Art, Finlay Alley, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Melbourne CBD, Street Art

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Rainbows and Red-rumps

Posted on August 21, 2016 | Leave a comment

I walked around Braeside Park last week with a few friends. It has been a while since I have explored this part of the park having spent more time recently looking around the neighbouring Woodlands Industrial Estate wetlands. With all the rain over winter the lagoons have filled up nicely and there is a lot of fresh growth. There was quite the buzz around the park as many parrots, lorikeets and cockatoos searched for and explored every hollow they could looking for suitable nest sites. Once claimed the nest sites are vigorously and noisily defended. The highlight of the day was a large dead tree with a quite a number of hollows that seemed to be occupied by Red-rumped Parrots – a parrot apartment block. While it is still Winter here, one can definitely feel the change coming as the birds move into gear for the new breeding season.

 

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

Rainbow Lorikeets, Braeside Park, Victoria

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

Female Red-rumped Parrot exploring a hollow

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

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Male Red Rumped Parrot, Braeside Park, Victoria

Male Red Rumped Parro waiting for the female to pop back out with a decision…

Red-rumped Parrots, Braeside Park, Victoria

Red-rumped Parrots – male guarding above and the female enjoying a little sun in the nest hollow below. Her duller colouring is well suited for long stints at the nest

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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Last bird of the day…

Posted on August 15, 2016 | 2 comments

On the drive out of the Western Lagoons and T-section and back along the Point Wilson Road heading home after along day of birding, I spotted a dark silhouette in one of the bordering Pines. Very easy to identify with the swallow shaped forked tail, the raptor on the branch was a Black Kite. The kite is a medium sized raptor, blackish-brown in colour,  and often seen slowly cruising along the country highways. It is reported to be the most common raptor in the world. We regularly see several along this road and it is one of the first birds we encounter for the day and one of the last.

Black Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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A deadly hunt

Posted on August 14, 2016 | 4 comments

On a recent trip to the Western Treatment Plant, we saw and photographed a number of raptors including several Black-shouldered Kites. We drove along the lagoon tracks and found a kite feeding on a recently caught rat.  The kites favoured prey are the mice and rats that inhabit the long grass fringes of the lagoons at the treatment plant. The kite is one of the two Australian species of raptor that can hover above a hunting ground and drop with sudden speed onto its prey. (the blog’s image logo was a kite that was hunting and hovering). After it catches the rat, it then flies to a regular feeding post or branch and consumes the prey by tearing the rat apart and eating until the rat is small enough to swallow the rest whole. Rather gruesome but interesting to watch and photograph.

Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

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Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Black-shouldered Kite with a rat

Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

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Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

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Black-shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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Under the watchful gaze of a Brown Falcon

Posted on August 10, 2016 | 10 comments

A regular member of the raptors often sighted at the Treatment Plant lagoons is the  Brown Falcon, a striking bird that often perches on posts and signs waiting for opportunities to pounce on small mammals, rabbits, birds, snakes and lizards. Towards the end of our day at the Lagoons last week, we found our  Falcon perched and watching out for its next meal. While wary of us it remained quite calm and unlike many other raptors allowed us to approach close enough to gain a few photographs.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Victoria

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Immature but graceful…

Posted on August 9, 2016 | Leave a comment

I always get a buzz when I find a White-bellied Sea-eagle at the Western Treatment Plant and anywhere else for that matter. A beautiful large raptor with an upright proud stance. This one is a year or two old and still to come into its mature colours and full size.

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Not every shot can be flattering….

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Thats better…

Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Back to regal….beautiful long wings and still to gain maturity and size…

Flyby Pelican and Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

 Pelican flyby and Immature White Bellied Sea-Eagle on the navigation tower…

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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Zebra Finches of Kirk’s Point

Posted on August 8, 2016 | 2 comments

We often see Zebra Finches at the pooh farm, mostly in small groups perched on the wire fences. They quickly fly from the fence wires along the road another 10 metres and wait for the car to catch-up before flushing again. We rarely get decent photos. Last weekend we drove down to Kirk’s Point to look for Blue-winged Parrots and while watching the parrots and waiting for good opportunities for a photograph, my fellow birders discovered a good sized flock of Zebra Finches. We photographed the colony and watched them continue to build and reshape their nests. There are so few suitable trees in this flat sea side landscape that this colony chose a small bushy tree amongst a few stunted wind swept trees. They need dense prickly bushes to protect them from predators. We sat near the tree and photographed the birds go about setting up for the next generation.

Zebra Finch, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Male Zebra Finch, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finch, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Male Finch with a female below

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

A par of finches near their nest site…

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

A bit of a nuzzle…

Zebra Finches nest, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches nest, part of a small colony of nests in a stunted tree…

Zebra Finches nest tree, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches nest tree at Kirks Point (You Yangs in the background) 

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

Zebra Finches, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

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From the beach of the Stone-curlew

Posted on August 1, 2016 | 2 comments

While photographing the Beach Stone-curlew on Inverloch Beach at the weekend, a number of other birds flew by including flocks of Ibis, pelicans, cormorants, and gulls. Several Pacific Gulls flew near to have a look at what we were up to. Considering the sheer number of crabs available I am not sure why more birds weren’t feasting – I daresay that the soldier crab may have an acquired taste that the Stone-curlew has no problems with. Back at the carpark we also found a small flock of curious Brown Thornbills.

Australian White Ibis, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Australian White Ibis, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Pacific Gull, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Pacific Gull, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Pacific Gull, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

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Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

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Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

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Brown Thornbill, Inverloch Beach, Victoria

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Posted in Birds, Victoria

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