Southern Emu-wren at Deen Maar

Another Port Fairy Folk Festival meant another trip to Deen Maar. This is a gorgeous coastal wetland area centred on the Eumeralla River and Yambuk Lakes. It is an Indigenous Protected Area which means that permission must be gained before entry. This is currently arranged through the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust.

It is cited as a spot to see bittern so I am always hopeful but have remained disappointed in this regard! However I have found it a reliable spot to see Southern Emu-wren (see, but not photograph)! These birds give just distant glimpses and seem to spend most of their time in the middle of, or on the other side of a bush!

Here are the few shots I managed that at least show some identifiable features!

GOTCHA! Heard something that sounded a little like Superb fairy-wren and after a minute saw lilac/brown instead of black/blue! 

Southern emu-wren, Deen Maar, Yambuk, Vic

Another distant view of a pair of birds just showing the tail's six long "emu feather" plumes

 As in previous visits to Deen Maar the cisticola provide some great poses ….

Golden-headed cicticola, Deen Maar, Yambuk

White-browed scrubwren

Willie wagtail

"Ummm… Whaddaya say we add bird watching to the list?"

Eumeralla River looking west

Eumeralla River looking East (downstream towards Yambuk Lake and the estuary)

I heard what might be an Emu-wren somewhere in there! 

The Codrington Wind Farm turbine provides a constant backdrop. A cisticola and silvereye are perching on the shrub. 

Bird on!

Doongalla beauty & a 100th birthday

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo, Doongalla Reserve, The Dandenongs

The last time I posted from Doongalla was in early September (a Spring morning). Last Sunday afternoon the feel was decidedly different as we had our first warmer day of the early Summer. Birds could be heard but seemed harder to spot. Golden whistler in particular seemed to have retreated to the canopy perhaps less interested in courting than they were in Spring.

It was during a birding walk away from the main group that my companions Richard and Moses pointed out my birding highlight of the afternoon (see Moses video of the YTB and a Crimson rosella at its nest here):

Richard then located this cheeky Golden whistler that had been teasing us for several minutes.

Golden whistler

I can claim that I located the White-browed scrubwren and Fan-tailed cuckoo unassisted!

Dreamy Doongalla

This botched out-of-focus iPhone shot does actually convey the dreamy feel of the afternoon!
(added a blurred vignette later on)

The birding ramble was an aside for an interested trio - the main event was a family 100th birthday after-party! In the photo below we see our 100 year old "Greatie" seated second from left. Her siblings, all seated, had travelled from Sydney for the party the day prior and witnessed the Queen's letter etc. Her two daughters, one who had travelled from Finland for the occasion, are standing.

If we forget about the two ankle-biters at the back, we have 370 years of sibling experience in this one picture!
A further 98 year old sister couldn't make the trip from Sydney.

The Doongalla homestead burnt down, the land reclaimed by government and the bush allowed to re-grow but at the time of Greatie's birth Doongalla apparently looked like this.

Bird on (for many a year)!

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

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!

Angry Birds - White-browed scrubwrens

With their furrowed brows these angry little guys must seem truly terrible to their prey! I enjoyed these views of a small group at Blackburn Lake this week.

White-browed scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)

"Go ahead! Make my day!"

Making like a robin

Hunting

Spotted something

In for the kill!

 Also at the lake this week....

Distant view of Common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)

Australasian grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)

Red wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) sporting a magnificent yellow blush

Crimson rosella (Platycerus elegans)