ANZAC Day birds, Phillip Island

"Lest We Forget" ANZAC Day commemorations, Cowes, Victoria

Here is a small sample of birds seen around Phillip Island on April 25. I particularly enjoyed this BSK which was surveying land that was being prepared for a housing estate development.

Black-shouldered kite, Cowes, Phillip Island

Someone is clearly feeding a family of Australian Magpies in the Silverleaves area. The birds are at various stages of plumage.

Australian Magpie. I love how this immature bird really does appear to be in short pants (below)

A Grey Butcherbird appeared at the same time curious to make sure it wasn't missing out on any action!

Grey Butcherbird checking on the neighbours

Grey butcherbird

Bird on!

Birds of Port Fairy 2013

Don't get excited  - no pellagics here!

Birding endeavours during my recent trip to Port Fairy were seriously truncated by illness (temporary!) but here's a selection of shots from the weekend trip away for the folk festival.

Golden-headed cisticola

From the boardwalk at Pea Soup beach a wealth of gulls and terns beckoned further investigation but I really wasn't up to it!

This unbanded Hooded plover was protecting a fenced and signed nesting site at Pea Soup Beach, Port Fairy. 

Black-shouldered kite with freshly caught mouse .... Yum!

Down the hatch - whole!

Does my stomach look full?

We walked past a wetland at Russell Clark Reserve daily which afforded good views of Great egret, Chestnut teal and other ducks, Buff-banded rail, Hoary-headed grebe, Purple swamphen and Dusky moorhen. There was a small group of around a dozen Black-tailed native hen.

Bird on!

Today I learnt about dimorphism!

We Aussie blokes have noticed that sheilas look different....

I read today that this is called sexual dimorphism. Birds demonstrate this as well of course but some species demonstrate non-sexual dimorphism.

I had always been aware that the Eastern Reef Egret had dark and light forms known as morphs. Up 'till now I had only ever seen the dark morph (living down south) but this month on the Sunshine Coast I believe I have seen both.

This prompted a little exploration about how this dimorphism works with particular reference to this species. I read:

1. Wikipedia's pages Eastern Reef Egret and sexual dimorphism
2. Eremaea's listing for Eastern Reef Egret
3. Birdlife Australia re Eastern Reef Egret
4. Same for Birds in Backyards

Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) Dark morph, Noosa Heads headland

Eastern Reef Egret, light morph, Caloundra

This photo from Thailand hosted by Wikipedia at their Eastern Reef egret page claims to have both forms in the one frame:

Birders look away (instagram warning):

Black-shouldered kite, Wedge-tailed eagle, Eastern spinebill

Black-shouldered kite

We are at Kitty Miller Bay, Phillip Island and thoroughly enjoyed extended views of this Black-shouldered kite on Easter Sunday.

Black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) perched conspicuously in typical fashion. 

Don't blink!

If not seen perched conspicuously on a dead tree or fence post then the BSK is most likely seen hovering brilliantly while hunting...

Emu-wren, Cisticola and Fieldwrens

We are at Deen Maar Indigenous Protected Area where I enjoyed another memorable morning last Saturday. Within minutes I had seen one of my "target" species - Southern emu-wren. Spent some time in the marshes with many Golden-headed cisticola and Striated fieldwren.

Although it never actually happened I had a feeling the whole morning that I was about to see something unique (I was thinking bittern etc). A great way to spend a morning!

Southern emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus)

Striated fieldwren (Calamanthus fuliginosus) 

Golden-headed cisticola (Cisticola exilis)

I was enjoying a nice view of this cisticola when a
fieldwren came and joined in (below)

(You know you must be small when
you can make a fieldwren look big!)

Black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris)

Swamp harrier (Circus approximans)

Mob of emu in the distance (about 15 of them)

Black swan 

Great egret

Here is 30 seconds of low-res compact still-camera video showing Deen Maar. Beyond the rise is the surf beach of Bass Strait. During the video some black swan take off (barely visible). In the last 4-5 seconds the "white noise" you can hear is the constant noise of the turbines (if you have good ears & listen carefully!).