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

Only dropped in for a Chat, but I'll be back!

With a couple of young teens in tow I managed a truncated reconnaissance visit to the Wonthaggi Heathlands last weekend. The car is left at a small car park at the southern end of Chisolm Rd and we blundered on down the track that heads for Cutler's Beach. There has been much rain in the area and our chosen track was one of the many that had become waterlogged.

White-fronted chat, Wonthaggi Heathlands

We were forced to turn around when the track turned into a quicksand-like slurry. This was not before a nice feeling about the place had fallen upon me. The habitat and scenery are pleasing. The place has an unspoilt feel about it and with such species as Southern emu-wren on the target list I'll be back!

As we left I noticed a sign announcing two Heathland Circuit Walks (short and long, 1.6k and 4.2k) which may have been a better choice! Next time I'll go better armed perhaps with the Eremaea bird list for Wonthaggi Heathlands (91 birds over 16 lists). It also contains this useful advice:

Fire dam is a great place to sit down and let the birds come to you.

Of course this may not apply at the moment as there is no shortage of watering spots!

A stone's throw from such interesting human interventions as the Wonthaggi Wind Farm and Victorian Desalination Plant

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Shearwater wreck

On my first visit to a surf beach since this year's arrival of migratory Short-tailed shearwaters there is still evidence of the massive wreck. There were shearwater carcasses every 5-10 metres at Phillip Island's Woolamai surf beach. Their migration from eastern Russia and western Alaska is generally complete in late September but the birds need the next month or so to replenish and energise for the breeding season. It is not until late November that Phillip Island's one million birds settle in to their breeding territory.

Over the last few years a cultural festival has developed around the arrival of the birds at Phillip Island for breeding. Shearwater Soundfest's Facebook page tells more (and the chronology of this year's Wreck is detailed with links to newspaper articles etc).

The November 3rd post on the Facebook page carries a nice video (albeit a little lengthy at 7 minutes) featuring last year's festival. The first 15 seconds has some nice dusk footage of the amazing swarm of shearwaters - a great thing to experience!

We hope this year's breeding season fares better than the migration.

Bird on!