Black-shouldered kite

We are at Kitty Miller Bay, Phillip Island and thoroughly enjoyed extended views of this Black-shouldered kite on Easter Sunday.

Black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) perched conspicuously in typical fashion. 

Don't blink!

If not seen perched conspicuously on a dead tree or fence post then the BSK is most likely seen hovering brilliantly while hunting...

One of the World's Rarest Geese (the Sheep Bird)

'Enjoyed views of a cooperative pair of Cape Barren Geese at Swan Lake, Phillip Island, recently. These birds are now referred to as sheep birds in our family (long story, but suffice to say there is a similarity when a mob is grazing in the paddocks).

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)
Swan Lake, Phillip Island, 25 March 2012

Grazing. (the foot caught my eye - ouch! see below)

Of interest:

These birds were felt to be at risk of extinction in the 1950s - apparently down to around 1000 birds at one stage. Various sources indicate they are still one of the world's rarest geese.

Locally their numbers have increased dramatically after:

1. shooting was banned on their Bass Strait breeding islands
2. birds were successfully released on the mainland (and Phillip Island)
3. the birds became accustomed to grazing on pastoral land

For those who receive the quarterly publication Australian Birdlife there is an excellent article on Page 34 of the March 2012 edition titled The Wild Goose Chasers (there is a memorable photo of the late Graham Pizzey atop a granite outcrop of a Bass Strait Island).

We call them sheep birds but they are also known more commonly as the Pig bird!

Now commonplace on Phillip Island I was still surprised when three turned up on Silverleaves beach. I have since read that the Cape Barren Goose is able to drink salty water (hence its ability to survive on small Bass Strait islands).

"Why would you bring us here, Reg?"
Silverleaves Beach, Phillip Island, 13 April 2009

Fishers Wetland, Phillip Island

The series below shows two birds dealing aggressively with a third at (Churchill Island, January 2011).

LINKS:

• See a nice bit of video featuring a nature park ranger handling a captive female Cape Barren Goose called Barry (from the ABC webpages). As well as the birds honks (and oinks!) there is some impressive Bell miner calling in the background (I'm pretty certain).
• Birds in Backyards Cape Barren goose page.

The Nobbies

These few pictures from last weekend capture the breadth of bird-watching experiences available at the Nobbies, Phillip Island.

Firstly the headland's viewing platforms provide some good vantage points for observing birds in flight up at their level and at close range .... perhaps a little too close!

Immature Pacific gull (Larus pacificus)

Then if you have some decent optics you might be able to hazard an educated guess as to what some distant seabirds might be. People see albatross and the like I believe (obviously not in this photo).

Small dark seabirds 500m from shore (as always - click to enlarge). I really have no idea. The island is however Short-tailed shearwater territory at the right time of year. This photo at 3pm, 25 March 2012 (don't they only come close to shore at dusk?)

But while I had my eyes & camera focussed on passing gulls and distant specks normal people engage in the most popular form of bird-watcing at the Nobbies:

Fairy penguin spotting at The Nobbies, 25th March 2012
Little penguin (Eudyptula minor)

The remaining images are from previous years

The Nobbies looking east (C 2004)

There have been several massive breeding seasons of Silver gull in recent years and there has been Crested tern colonies as well.

Silver gull & chicks (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)

"Son, I'm watching you. Put that cigarette down!" (below) ...

Crested tern (Thalasseus bergii), The Nobbies, 3/1/2011

Crested tern colony, The Nobbies, 3/1/2011