Lake Mournpall, Hattah Lakes NP

Mulga parrot (male) near Lake Mournpall

This post from a trip in October 2014 could have been my Unfinished Symphony! I have just come across the "draft" commenced before a blogging break. It features shots from a memorable overnight camp at Lake Mournpall camping area in NW Victoria.

Australian ringneck (the Mallee version)

& another

Lifer and target species (for obvious reasons)! Major Mitchell's Cockatoo was a highlight.

Major Mitchell's cockatoo. The Birds in Backyards page has an impressive list of regional alternative names ...

This cockatoo is also known as Leadbeater's, Desert, Major Mitchell or Pink Cockatoo; Cocklerina, Chockalott or Wee Juggler

Another MMC - wouldn't quite oblige with a full crest display to show the yellow band.

Galah

Blinkin' stick keeping it real! Splendid fairy-wren

Chestnut-rumped thornbill

and again

Spotted pardalote giving me some tongue

The well-appointed Lake Mournpall campground

Dawn at Lake Mournpall from the campground - this is October 2014 the lake was pretty full due to environmental flows

Great crested grebe

Typical spinifex - no definite sightings for me of those rarities Striated grass-wren and Mallee emu-wren

"All for the driver" I've not really been proud of a car before but I was so proud of my little AWD Impreza getting me to these places!

Bird on!

Nesting time, Blackie Lake

In addition to my friends the Spotted pardalote pair who are nesting in the bank of a creek at Blackburn Lake several other species were seen to be making plans the other day. Today's pictures feature a few birds that nest in tree hollows such as Australian Wood Duck and Rainbow lorikeets.

Pair of Australian Wood duck Chenonetta jubata checking out this hollow trunk. I have not seen this but I gather that the ducklings first "flight" is to jump from the nest often several metres up a tree! 

Male Australian Wood duck

Female Australian Wood duck

Having seen off several competitors for this potential nesting site these Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus  ....

... proceeded to explore its potential. 

Eastern rosella Platycercus eximius were also seen at Blackburn Lake this day. They also nest in tree hollows. This one of a pair was too busy looking gorgeous among the flowers to be looking for tree hollows! 

Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on! 

Pardalote time, Blackie Lake

Well it's been so long I have to familiarise myself with the post editor! It was the return of the Spotted pardalotes to ground level that did it.

In November 2011 I had my first close encounters with Pardalotus punctatus. Some pictures I managed (with an old lens) were fashioned into the banner for this blog and the avatar for a few networking accounts (Instagram and the like).

Earlier this week I was at exactly the same spot - crossing the Billabong Bridge at Blackburn Lake - and came across a pair tending to this year's nest. It was great to see them again and I just happened to have my camera!

Spotted pardalote (male) Pardalotus punctatus Blackburn Lake

I observed:

• that seeing the the male bird from above demonstrates how it gets its name - so many spots!
• that both male and female birds work at the nest - generally taking it in turns
• that the entry to the nest in this instance was perilously close to the water level of this urban creek. I'm sure it would be prone to flooding

I would like to find out:

• whether these two birds are the same as the 2011 pair
• how long that tunnel is and whether it is designed to withstand rises in water level 
• whether Spotted paradalote return to the same nesting site (regardless of success)

I really relished the moment and am looking forward to keeping an eye on them. This newspaper article also celebrates the pardalotes at this time of year.

So many spots! Pardalotus - spotted like a leopard, punctatus - spotted bird 

Spotted pardalote (female) carrying a little something for the nest

I tried to capture the precariousness of the situation with this iPhone shot. The entrance to the tunnel (oval) was hidden amongst the weed we call Wandering Jew Tradescantia fluminensis. This waterway is upstream from Blackburn Lake proper. Suburban stormwater flows in here and the creek is subject to massive fluctuations in flow.

We'll see how they get on!

Bird On!

Grey fantail nest building, Phillip Island birds

Grey fantail, Phillip Island

Such a song - often heard but I'd not watched one singing close up before. The bill really opened wide for the highest silvery notes at the end of each song phrase

"I think I might build something of greatness ..."

Foundations, 50cm from a previous nest (last year's?) about a metre off the ground

Poor view of the arrival of another load of some fibrous plant matter.

What's good on TV? Spider webs of course

Sticky stuff though!

This nest building requires some agility! There was much rapid fussing around the edges.

The next shots were taken one day later and the nest has taken greater shape. It gets tested for size ...

The all important interior design cannot be ignored

One week later ... Voila! What a fine creation. Pizzey describes the fantail nest as a "beautiful small grey cup, tailed like wineglass without a base".

This one's wineglass stem is a little off!

A peak inside reveals a single egg which is not shown well in this iphone shot

I wonder if I'll find a second egg soon.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

The intriguing Musk Duck - Swan Lake, Phillip Island

Musk duck sit low in the water "platypus like". The presence of the leathery flap under the bill indicates that this is a male

As Pizzey says "A very strange duck". This one was swimming and diving quite close to our vantage point at Swan Lake's northern bird hide. The flow of "water off the duck's back" was quite impressive.

That tail flick again in case you missed it....!

This female bird was giving itself a belly rub (the back half of the bird is twisted belly-up)

Little black cormorant - love that eye colour!

Black swan

As usual there was good numbers of Eurasian coot

We surprised a Royal spoonbill who left the water to perch somewhat precariously on the ti-tree.

A very curious Brown thornbill was actually too close to the camera!

In the bird hide Welcome swallow chicks were excited by a camera flash until a "grown-up" came to settle things down 

Bird on!