Things have been very gloomy in Melbourne in recent weeks with heavy cloud and daily showers. Today however there was some colour to be enjoyed at the in-laws' bird-feeder.
What was that? Did you see something Reg? I was watching some grazing Wood ducks one day & noticed one was looking at the sky in this manner - it had spotted a distant raptor!
Naah, it was nothin'
Rainbows on Rainbows - I'd not noticed the upper leg colouring before.
Often known as a Mudlark in Victoria, the Magpie-lark makes it's nest on a horizontal limb with plant matter held together by mud
Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) Male
Also well known by the name Peewee (or Murray Magpie apparently if you're a Crow eater)
This Noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala) wondered if it was missing out
So I'm a bit slow but I have enjoyed joining the millions who fiddle with their photos and share using Instagram. Here's a sample and there will be a smaller badge continuing the feed in the side tool bar. Expect birds and more!
I am finding precious few moments for birding at present but a year ago today Tom and I visited a peculiar bit of South Gippsland bush called Bald Hills Wetland Reserve.
It was an overcast and squally day which added to the lonely and slightly spooky feel to the bush. A short walk from the car park brings one to a small lake with a bird hide. Part of the walk is along a slightly elevated boardwalk through bushy swamp. The Parks Victoria parknotes leaflet proclaims
The Bald Hills Wetland Reserve is a special place, alive with an array of birds and other wildlife. A meandering walking track leads you through a series of sand ridges and thickets of Paperbark, that flood during wet periods, to the sheltered bird hide where you can sit quietly and observe birds feeding within the wetland.
Australasian darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
Mirkwood or The Old Forest from Tolkien's Middle-earth?
The elevated boardwalk could have been a bit more elevated in places!
White-eared and Yellow-faced honeyeaters were readily spotted.
Grey shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica)
Grey fantail nest (I think) and an uncooperative and poorly lit Eastern yellow robin.
Cattle egrets (Ardea ibis)
Brown falcon by Tom (from moving car!) at .... well, Tarwin Lower!
I also fondly remember a Bald Hills moment when I checked my mobile phone to see if my beloved Aussie rules team Essendon (the Bombers) had started their scheduled match. I was momentarily befuddled by a set of numbers I couldn't comprehend as a 1st quarter scoreline of 94 to 1 point was displayed:
