Another Phillip Island cormorant, Swan Lake

There are five species of Cormorant in Australia and all can be readily seen at Phillip Island. Yesterday's post focussed on the Black-faced cormorant and featured a photo of an old jetty which was being used by three cormorant species. The detour to the jetty was actually a drop-in visit on our way to Swan Lake. No sooner had we reached the first of Swan Lake's two bird hides when a fourth cormorant species was noted.

Little black cormorant, Swan Lake, Phillip Island

Other highlights included seeing a good number of duck species. After many years of not seeing Freckled duck there continues to be a group readily seen from the northern bird hide.

Freckled duck, Chestnut teal with Black swan, Swan Lake, Phillip Island

Australian wood-duck, Chestnut teal & what I suspect are a two female Hardheads

What a hotchpotch of species on what must be prime real estate!

Two Yellow-billed spoonbills and a Royal spoonbill (at left)

Yellow-billed spoonbill demonstrating some breeding plumage

A distant but unmistakable silhouette of a Musk duck in profile

For mid summer it's a pleasure to see a good amount of water in the lake and so many different species (34) readily viewed from the well-placed hides.

Bird on!

Kangaroo Island

As a birder KI was certainly a great place to be. The other travelling families, bless 'em, insisted they didn't mind the convoy being halted while Pete checked out something that "might be new"! As usual the jewels in the crown were not easy to find (dips on glossy black cockatoo & diamond firetail for example) but a lot of birds I don't see much were really "in your face".

One place I returned to was Duck Lagoon - only about 11km from Kingscote. The 1st solo outing was nearly short-lived due to the size & voraciousness of the mozzies. It was saved by the discovery of the Aerogard Kath had planted in the "in-car picnic box" - what a woman!

I was hoping to tick Yellow-billed spoonbill at Duck Lagoon but dipped on this first visit (an evening). I had childhood memories of seeing yellow-billeds at farm-dams etc.  The return trip was at dawn revealing the spoonbills roosting in trees which was a little surprise for this nuff-nuff!

Duck Lagoon - the white specks are roosting spoonbills

Restless Flycatcher

Even with a borrowed scope, Murray Lagoon was altogether uninspiring, visually & birdially.

But it was good to get up close & personal to lots of old favourites:

Scarlet robin

That $#@! trophy belongs IN VICTORIA!!!

"Hmmm, wonder what's on?"

Lifers included the following:

Purple-crowned lorikeet

Crescent Honeyeater - this one trying to feed on honeycomb at Crawford's Honey Farm

And we are also very relieved to be able to post pictures of our namesake ....

Go TURNSTONES!