Tag Archives: Whistling Kite

Ignorance is bliss

Posted on February 21, 2020 | 5 comments

While staying in Mallacoota I visit Bastion Point several times a day at various tides looking for the birds that usually stop by this part of the coast. On most visits I came across a flock of Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos. I think it was an extended family as there were several adults and a bunch of juveniles still begging for food. The sound young cockatoos make when begging would make anyone give them food just to shut them up. On this occasion the adults  were quite agitated while the younger birds played around, looking about I found a young whistling kite on a tree branch nearby watching them all intently.

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

II

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Preening and teasing each other

Immature Whistling Kite, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

Immature Whistling Kite watching the Black-cockatoos

Superb Fairy-wren, Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Vic

A bright male Superb Fairy-wren on lookout. 

5 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The hunter’s perch…

Posted on August 16, 2016 | 5 comments

One of the best reasons to visit the Western Treatment Plant over winter is the large number of Raptors that can be easily seen.  The species found all year round include the Swamp Harriers, Kites (Black-Shouldered, Black and Whistling) and the Brown Falcons. Several more stop by for a few months to breed locally or just to take advantage of an abundant food supply – these include the Black Falcon, Kestrel, Brown Goshawk, Spotted Harrier, Sea-Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle.

Below are two regulars that I often see and photograph. The Brown Falcon and the Whistling Kite – both perched in late afternoon light on dead tree branches with great open views of the surrounding area.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

5 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Nervous Birds at the Pooh Farm

Posted on May 8, 2016 | 4 comments

Over the last 3 months I have been making regular visits to the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee, near the Avalon Airport. The local fields, irrigated by the recycled and treated water have recently been harvested and ploughed. This has brought many Raptors to the   WTP particularly Whistling and Black Kites. These two species are regular visitors and resident at the lagoons and nearby fields anyway but huge numbers have come in including many juveniles. We also found a nice pair of Musk Ducks  – the male has a large bill lobe that becomes inflated in the mating season. The two below were happily sunning themselves in one of the overflow canals.

Juvenile Black Kite, WTP, Victoria

Juvenile Black Kite, WTP, Victoria

Whistling Kite, WTP, Victoria

One of dozens of Whistling Kites on the prowl

White Fronted Chat, WTP, Victoria

Nervous and very wary White Fronted Chat

Musk Ducks, WTP, Victoria

A female (left) and Male Musk Ducks

Female Musk Duck, WTP, Victoria

Female Musk Duck

Female Musk Duck, WTP, Victoria

II

4 Comments

Posted in Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Nesting Season at Werribee

Posted on October 21, 2015 | 1 comment

As the migrating shore birds slowly build up in numbers at the Western Treatment Plant lagoons, I have been making a series of visits with a few friends to watch and photograph the spring nesting. There are many species building nests and raising young. The highlight was finding two separate Brolga nests.

Swan nesting, Western treatment plant

Swan nesting, Western treatment plant

Swan nesting, Western treatment plant

II

Nesting House Sparrows, Western treatment plant

Nesting House Sparrows

Masked Lapwing nesting, Western treatment plant

Masked Lapwing nesting – I was a bit worried about this nest, the water rose quite high after a good rain fall a day earlier.

WHistling Kite nesting, Western treatment plant

Whistling Kite nesting

Whistling Kite guard, Western treatment plant

Whistling Kite  – on guard duty a tree away

Whistling Kite guard, Western treatment plant

Whistling Kite guard

Nesting Brolga, Western treatment plant

Nesting Brolga – two large eggs on a small island in a lagoon.

1 Comment

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Flight

Posted on July 9, 2015 | 3 comments

A few images from one of the recent visits I have made to the Western Treatment Plant in the last month. It is a great place to photograph birds in flight – always a tough subject. There are many raptors always on the prowl that are constantly spooking the flocks on the water giving you opportunities to practice. The reaction of the flocks tell you that something good is above and you have to quickly spin around and look for the raptor that is causing the fuss. Some are ignored like the Black Shouldered Kite and others are taken very seriously – like the large mature Whistling Kites.

Click image to enlarge.

Pink Eared Ducks, Western Treatment Plant

Large flock of Pink Eared Ducks (aka Zebra Duck), Western Treatment Plant – one of my favourite ducks  – very photogenic and quite strange looking, and no other Aussie duck sounds like it.

Black Shouldered Kite, Western Treatment Plant

Black Shouldered Kite on the hunt – beautiful wing structure and displaying its black shoulder.

Whiskered Tern, Western Treatment Plant,

Whiskered Tern – two were flying and hunting along the lagoons and one would keep dive-bombing the other. This pic is of the lower tern avoiding its hunting partner that had just dived past it.

Black Kite, Western Treatment Plant

Black Kite – a different angle

Whistling Kite, Western Treatment Plant,

Whistling Kite prowling the lagoons.

3 Comments

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Victoria

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,