Bellbird Dell is a linear bushland reserve in Melbourne's outer east. It is conveniently located within 100m of the home ground my son's soccer club (Whitehorse United). As the pre-match warm-ups are becoming longer I took the opportunity to spend half an hour checking out the locals!
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) I do like it when they show their "green bits"!
Rock wall reflections on still water make for an icy appearance
No need for chiropractic work here
Duck's reflecting everywhere
The above photo as seen on Instagram (upside down to explore the reflection & cropped for the 1:1 format!)
Budding birders! This is the same pond in August 2003. My kids have grown. I wonder how long a duck lives?
I must say Anas superciliosa sounds a little Harry Potter to me! I did enjoy finding a little magic and charm in this common and readily observed species!
Australian wood-duck (Chenonetta jubata) often graze on land. Hence their other common name Maned Goose. This pair were having a swim in one of the Dell's man made wetlands. Here the male has tired of pond weed and seeks something a little more terrestrial.
"And what kind of beast are you!?" Male Eastern Spinebill.
Eastern spinebill, Red wattlebird and Noisy miner were the predominant honeyeaters. The spinebills were interested in the flowering correa. Correa reflexa is a shrub indigenous to the area. The distribution of these particular plants suggested to me that they were part of a revegetation exercise.
Correa reflexa - sometimes referred to locally as Native fuscia
Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera Bellbird Dell, 16 June 2013
Not an uncommon pose for Common bronzewing (as they walk away, contemplating flight)
Female Common bronzewing ruffling feathers up in the canopy.
Laughing kookaburra are often seen or heard
The name Bellbird Dell refers to the Bell Miner bird Manorina melanophrys. Once common in eastern Melbourne the sound of bellbirds in the canopy is now not often heard. I have only visited the Dell on 4-5 occasions and have not heard them. They do not appear on the Eremaea bird list for Bellbird Dell. They can still be heard not far away at Koomba Park.
Morning drizzle clearing, Bellbird Dell, Vermont South
A glowing review of Bellbird Dell can be found in this Youtube video by Steven1256 ...
Cutting across the middle of Bellbird Dell is another government-owned linear reserve which had been earmarked for freeway construction (now aborted). It is feared that this land will be opened for residential development without giving due concern to environmental factors.
Looking at this aerial shot, it does not take much imagination to recognise the potential benefit for suburban fauna if those light green areas could be made dark green!
Google Maps screen grab showing the revegetated Bellbird Dell running North-South and the abandoned freeway reserved land running east west. Bell miners still reside in pockets of Koomba Park which can be seen at the right.
For those interested, follow the links above to find out what action can be taken including lending support to a petition.
Here is a final "wrap" following a recent afternoon visit to Candlebark Reserve on the Yarra River in Templestowe, one of Melbourne's bushier suburbs.
The trail passes between the Yarra River and Petty's Orchards. I was surprised to find a large mob of wild Eastern Grey Kangaroo lounging among the rows of apple trees.
With the impressive scientific name Macropus giganteus Eastern Grey Kangaroo may feel they have every right to recline wherever and whenever they like!
iPhone shot of a wintry day in the orchard
"But where are the birds?"
"Yeah, where are the birds?"
"There are usually birds here somewhere."
"There's one over here mate!" pointed out a massive male roo gesturing towards a Magpie-lark
And there was certainly plenty to interest a birder on this slightly grey day (see also two other posts from this same afternoon featuring Rainbow lorikeets and Australasian darter). Rosellas in particular were providing some colour...
Eastern rosella (I suspect the male at right), also in Paddy's Orchards but taken from the Yarra Trail
Eastern rosella enjoying seeds from winter grasses
Crimson rosella. Unclear from this photo but "left-handed" is usually the case!
Crimson rosella developing adult plumage (will lose the green and become a magnificent crimson and blue parrot)
Australian king-parrot
Next are some images of the many Common bronzewings that I came across. I was getting frustrated as I kept inadvertently flushing these guys without seeing them first. Finally I started getting a few shots shown here. The last two are more in keeping with the adult male plumage (small thumbnails, but some nice colours here if you care to click for the larger versions).
Noisy miner on the orchard fence
A young-looking Grey butcherbird
I don't think I've held my camera to the introduced European starling before - but my, what colour!
Back to the river for some water birds. We have here Little black and Little pied cormorants, Wood duck and Dusky moorhen (swimming with the milk bottle).
A large feral domestic duck-thing and a Chestnut teal
This bend appears to be a favoured roost for cormorants and darter.
I have also seen Azure kingfisher here. I will be back!!
The remaining shots show a little of the locale. The trail is part of the Main Yarra Trail which caters for pedestrians, dog walkers and cyclists. Yes, there is company!
The views depict the good and not-so-good of suburban bushland. One continually comes across rubbish (particularly in the river), weeds, and erosion. On the other hand there is evidence of improvements to accessibility with good trails (including boardwalks) and areas with fresh plantings of native vegetation.
Wombat hole at left (there were many!). Yarra River at right
