Lake Hattah - Apostlebirds, Regent Parrot

Apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea)

There are not many places in Victoria where you can see Apostlebirds. The day picnic area and campground at Lake Hattah is apparently a pretty reliable spot.

I think the genus name comes from "Struth it just took my sandwich!" as they are quite keen around a picnic table.

I visited a few weeks ago and was hoping to camp at the Lake Hattah campground. Late Hattah is a flood plain lake. It is often dry but when flooded supports Red gum bushland. Currently there is a program of deliberate environmental flooding to keep this habitat healthy. Several roads and camping areas are closed as a result.

My first visit became a brief reconnaissance mission due to some pretty blustery rain storms that were coming through. It was good to catch up with these guys though at the picnic area.

iPhone shot - another bird has just left the table. Note the flooded trees in the background

The road to Lake Hattah Campground

Spirits improved when I spotted a Regent Parrot (female or immature) up high among the red gums in the lake. Gotta love a "Lifer" from a picnic table!

I only lasted about 10 minutes at the picnic area before retreating to the shelter of the car. In addition to observing the Apostlebird and Regent parrot I also saw Little corella, Hoary-headed and Great-crested grebe, Grey teal, Pink-eared duck, Crimson rosella (the yellow form). This was all from the (partial) shelter of the picnic tables or the car!

As my kids pointed out the pictures above are of the exact same location grebes heading one way, Pink-eared duck the other within seconds of each other!

Little corella

Crimson rosella (Yellow form) Platycercus elegans flaveolus

Back in the car .... good conditions for birding don't you think ....?

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird On!

The intriguing Musk Duck - Swan Lake, Phillip Island

Musk duck sit low in the water "platypus like". The presence of the leathery flap under the bill indicates that this is a male

As Pizzey says "A very strange duck". This one was swimming and diving quite close to our vantage point at Swan Lake's northern bird hide. The flow of "water off the duck's back" was quite impressive.

That tail flick again in case you missed it....!

This female bird was giving itself a belly rub (the back half of the bird is twisted belly-up)

Little black cormorant - love that eye colour!

Black swan

As usual there was good numbers of Eurasian coot

We surprised a Royal spoonbill who left the water to perch somewhat precariously on the ti-tree.

A very curious Brown thornbill was actually too close to the camera!

In the bird hide Welcome swallow chicks were excited by a camera flash until a "grown-up" came to settle things down 

Bird on!

Avian Liquorice All-sorts, Port Fairy

Within 5 minutes and 20 metres of each other were a collection of peculiarly coloured birds at Port Fairy the other weekend. All three were birds I don't often see. Three times I found myself thinking how strangely these birds were "put together".

The always nervous Black-tailed Native hen is mostly drab but has an alarming yellow eye, green and red bill and striking red legs (and it gets it's name from a black tail!?).

Black-tailed native hen - no large groups here but 5-6 birds momentarily in bright sunlight.

A single Pink-eared Duck refused to cooperate but its impressive shovelling bill can be made out on this photo as can it's zebra markings and pink "ear".

Australian Spotted crake was equally noncommittal but also has some garish colourings on bill and leg.

Australian Spotted Crake

All birds were seen at Port Fairy's Russell Clark Reserve which was conveniently located between our digs and the Port Fairy Folk Festival. We walked past daily. The reserve is actually used as a temporary  car park for the festival.

I sat for a while to view and photograph the crake which was on yonder island ….

… the usual local gang of thugs was also present ….

… and came to check me out (iPhone shots now) …..

 ….. which of course attracted the attention of the constabulary. So much for going under cover!

To my left our rented house, my right the music festival, behind me the Southern Ocean, in front of me a wetland!
Alas only one long weekend!

"Reverse charge call". The first time I've seen a Hoodie's nesting area roped off on the "dune" side preventing access to the shore line. The scrape was apparently on a short peninsula. The dune is behind me! We watched the hoodie for a while (sans camera, we were actually at the beach swimming!) and were thrilled to count five Ruddy Turnstones as well.

Returned the next day but found none of the above but a White-faced heron ...

 …. and some other locals. Always impressed at that bill! Long-billed corella.

Between Acts, Stage 1, Sunday Evening, Port Fairy Folk Festival

Decidedly birding theme to this year's festival featuring local gull, "mutton birds" (Short-tailed shearwaters), Hooded Plover and Pied Oystercatcher. Wins my vote! I wonder home many of the 12,000 patrons were as impressed as me!

Experience more at the website Port Fairy Folk Festival Worth a look! Hear some tunes!

Bird (& folk) on!

Pelican pouch yoga, Phillip Island

A few interesting observations were made on a gloomy morning at Fishers Wetland, Phillip Island recently. First was the overall impression of a whole heap of pretty happy birds all feeding. We (Richard and I) did enjoy spotting a single Pink-eared duck amongst a mass of Eurasian coot.

Methinks not unlike a Freo supporter amongst the Collingwood coots!

Eurasian coot, Fishers Wetland, 29 December 2012

You know how the bird standing on one leg always brings out the other one just when you conclude it is lame? This one never seemed to and the leg on view seemed huge! 

Cape Barren Goose drinking the brackish Fishers Wetland water

Now on to some pelican behaviour ...

I've not seen this before!

 A little "quality" Internet research brought me to this National Geographic article by David A O'Connor which states:

Pelicans perform strange-looking exercises to stretch and maintain their pouch in a brand of pelican yoga. They will gape, holding their mouths wide open. In another pose, they point the bill straight up to the sky, stretching the pouch. Or most evocatively, a bird will turn its pouch completely inside out by forcing it over its breast.

Teal, dotterels and stilts all happily feeding at Fishers

I've not seen this many Red-kneed dotterel at Phillip Island before

An Australasian shoveler amongst the teal

I leave you with some of the comings and goings. In flight we see Australian pelican, Swamp harrier, Australian shelduck and Cape Barren geese.

Fishers Wetland, Phillip Island, 29 December 2012

Bird on!