Purple swamphen

With their comical young & readily accessible habitat these birds are good photographic value. I enjoyed views of a relaxed parent keeping an eye on a skittish youngster at Lilydale Lake recently. February seems to be the month in southern Victoria to see young birds.

Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus
Lilydale Lake, 3 Feb 2012

Immature bird happily grazing in presence of Mum / Dad (above)
but then felt suddenly spooked.

This goose-stepper was snapped at
Werribee Zoo April 2008

The fellow above and following shots of
swamphen with young are taken at
Karkarook Park, February 2009

Above & below - Jells Park, February 2011

Darter Processing

Having not seen Australasian Darter my whole life (according to my eremaea lists) there are now three sightings in nearly as many days:

Australasian darter (Adult male), Candlebark Reserve, Croydon Hills

The bird below was demonstrating great effectiveness at fishing, disappearing for 15-30 seconds and reappearing (doing the snake thing) with a fish on each dive (I saw 4 or 5). I just missed a photo of it tossing it's catch in the air to effect a neat swallow. I think it is the fish going down that makes the neck look deformed in this photo. I can't explain the white muck on the bill, it is in all of the photos - must be a Lilydale thing.

Australasian darter (female) or Snake-bird

Bird on!