You sort-of "had to be there" but I felt immersed in bush and birdsong at the Doongalla section of the Dandenong Ranges earlier last week. The video doesn't really do it justice (you may turn your speakers up a little ....)
What can you hear?
I do remember the first time I heard a Crimson rosella making its "Honky tonk" call. "What was that?" This was the first time I had been able to watch a bird at close range make the call. I was intrigued that such little bill movement was required for such a resonant piping!
Crimson rosella
Laughing kookaburra perching and stretching a wing. Another flew to the ground having spotted something of interest.
Australian King-parrot
Eastern yellow robin not far from its nest
Not a great shot of a Red-browed treecreeper but I see these infrequently so this was a good day!
You can read more about the history of the Doongalla homestead here (go to page 3 of this pdf file which is a chapter from a local history written by a Richard Coxhill). The house was destroyed by bushfire in 1932 and the property eventually bought by the State Government. I cannot believe that it once looked like this:
Doongalla Homestead c1910 from Richard Coxhill's "History of the Basin" (photo credited to a Fergus Chandler)
Silverleaves is a locale at the eastern end of Cowes, Phillip Island. Principally it is an old property estate that has retained a bushy feel. That bush consists principally of coastal banksia, ti-tree and a few eucalypts. Along its northern edge the trees give way to the tussocks and sand of the Westernport beach and tidal flats. To the east the houses end as the island is stretched into a lengthy spit. It ha bay on one side, mangrove inlet on the other.
If this all sounds a little nostalgic, then that is because I haven't made it down there for a while!
Here is a little winter miscellany consisting of some Silverleaves characters that haven't made it into other posts!
New Holland honeyeter
On this day the Eastern spinebills were in the callistemon while the New-Holland honeyeaters were in the grevillea!
Eastern rosella up high in the banksia
At least someone seems happy when the weeds aren't controlled
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.
