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Monday, March 24, 2014

Sooties & Hoodies, Kitty Miller Bay, birds of Phillip Island

I've just returned home from a most pleasant Phillip Island weekend culminating in a Kitty Miller Bay sunset. At high tide there were only a few birds on view and in fading light even fewer photographic opportunities.

I have found Kitty Miller reliable for Hooded plover, Pied and Sooty oystercatcher, White-faced heron, cormorants and there is generally a resident Black-shoulder kite hovering somewhere nearby. I can also remember seeing Red-capped and Double banded plover, White-fronted chat, European Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Sooty oystercatcher
Hooded plover. As I was taking the shot I had the feeling that it was sort of standing in the back yard or even living room of "it's place"
One of three Hoodies present this afternoon at Kitty Miller. I am in inclined to find a little of this banded bird's history 
 

My focus shifted from the (absence of) bird photography opportunities to the light from the setting sun. Apologies for not being able to exclude a few pictures!

From the car park. Late afternoon light, Kitty Miller Bay, Phillip Island

Looking east from the Kitty Miller Bay headland, the wreck of the Speke can be seen at left
Wreck of the Speke


Pyramid Rock on the horizon, Phillip Island





Looking towards Seal Rocks (just visible on the horizon at left). People would be settling in for a Penguin Parade along the beach on the other side of this headland.
Links:
  • Eremaea bird list for Kitty Miller Bay
  • Another enthusiast's field trip to Kitty Miller Bay (not a birder - a rock fossicker! Funny how people find interest and delight in different things at the same place. Fancy obsessing about some particular niche of nature (wink, wink) - how weird are those fault-finding, mud-worrying volcano-pokers? (Just stole all those names from this piece on Geology at Uncyclopedia).


Bird on!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Peter. What a wonderful set of shot you showed today. really loved the shot of the 3 hoodies on the sand and the sunset scenes are marvellous.

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  2. Absolutely gorgeous area, Pete! I haven't been to Phillip Island since 1988!!

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