Bird Week Day 5 - A Peregrine & Pardalote Day, Phillip Island birds

"Peregrine" and "Pardalote"- two gorgeous sounding words that also just happen to be associated with the most wonderful of creatures!

Falco peregrinus arises from the Latin per and agri - literally "from abroad" or subsequently "wandering". I gather the northern hemisphere peregrines are inclined to migrate. I had jumped out of the car recently at Oswin Roberts Sanctuary (Phillip Island) and had one of those great car park moments when you know the birds are "on"! Looking up I saw the silhouette of a falcon purposefully gliding across the small arc of sky I had vision of. 'Grabbed the camera and managed one shot:

Peregrine falcon flying over Oswin Roberts Sanctuary

My impression is that the name "Pardalote" is a name known only to birders or those that have had a close experience with these beautifully marked birds. I  gather that Pardalotus refers to being "spotted" and arises from Greek origins. Although I could hear many Spotted pardalote on this day at Oswin Roberts (I am inclined to think of it as Ozzie Bob's) it was the Striated pardalote that was providing most photo opportunities:

Striated pardalote checking out tree-hollow nesting options, September 2013

The next three photos were taken within a minute or two of each other when passing through a small-bird hot spot!

Brown thornbill, Oswin Roberts Sanctuary

White-browed scrub wren, Oswin Roberts Sanctuary

Superb fairy-wren, Oswin Roberts Sanctuary

Oswin Roberts Sanctuary is also good for honeyeaters (in addition to those shown Wattlebirds, White-eared honeyeaters are also common) ...

Still struggling for a decent photo of White-naped honeyeater I'm afraid

New Holland honeyeater

Yellow-faced honeyeater

I generally don't leave Ozzie Bobs without seeing an Eastern Yellow Robin at some stage

Dusky woodswallow numbers are seasonal - they are starting to increase again now that Spring is here

Fan-tailed cuckoo 

Grey currawong

iPhone shot of the park's eastern boundary and adjacent farmland where Swamp harriers and Whistling kite are often seen.

Whistling kite

Even by Ozzie Bob standards this was a pretty productive morning!

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Nitmiluk's small packages

Next a series featuring the smaller birds seen around Nitmiluk during our stay in late July 2012. Firstly a mistletoebird feeding and squashing the juice from small fruits.

Also busy feeding, my initial impression was that this bird must be a lifer! It looks so different from anything back home.  It gradually dawned on me though that this was the northern colouring of Striated pardalote.

Rufous whistler 

Back-off please! Brown honeyeater (and again below). 

Finally, I think my first ever photo of Leaden flycatcher. Maybe the next one will be in focus - nice shot of the bark though don't you think!?!

Bird on!

Pretty little things

At Oswin Roberts Sanctuary, Phillip Island on Sunday morning and it was pardalote city! Maybe I should bird before 11 more often because by 9am the place was alive with Striated & Spotted pardalote, Grey fantail, Brown thornbill, honeyeaters, Superb-fairy wren, Red-browed finch & the list goes on!

Spotted pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)

Adult male



Striated pardalote (Pardalotus striatus). I eventually twigged (!) that this dead branch emanated from a hollow that I suspect would make an ideal nesting site (see below right).



Although not as becoming with the close-up views provided by its spotted counterpart, Striated pardolote amazed me with their prolific numbers and activity. On several occasions I saw groups of striated pardalote numbering 10 or more.

Grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
I must have been stirring up some insects as this fellow looked to land on my lens ....twice!
(It didn't seem aggressive!)

Brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

Black-faced cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)

Finally there was also distant views and calls of Satin flycatcher (Myiagra cyanoleuca) and Fan-tailed cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis).

Striated pardalote at nesting hollow

Enjoyed these views of Striated pardalote tending to their nest at Oswin Roberts Sanctuary on New Years Day.

Striated pardalote (Pardalotus striatus)

At least three birds were hanging around

In ....

.... & out. It appears a little something is being removed.