Back in April our family enjoyed an hour or so exploring the rocky shores and beaches of Binalong Bay, Tasmania. We all had our cameras out trying to capture the late afternoon Autumn sun playing on the rocks. This township is at the southern end of the Bay of Fires, the whole area noted for the bright orange lichen covering the granite boulders (amongst other things)!
My lens was focussed on our feathered friends as usual ....
Little pied cormorant with some Bay of Fires colour
Australian pelican are just awesome!
Such a wing-span!
Crested tern landing
Crested tern on some of the yellower lichen-encrusted granite
Silvereye wins the berry through sheer perseverance
Superb-fairy wren also contemplates a meal (or a drink)
Black-headed honeyeater recently identified to me by a guide who pointed out a useful ID feature in the black "epaulettes"
It's not often you see the terms "family holiday" and "pellagic cruise" together unless you are saying something like:
"Pete and Kath's relationship never really recovered from the infamous pellagic-cruise family-holiday incident"
White-capped albatross (or Shy albatross depending on which guide you are using), 15 April 2014
There are cruises run from Adventure Bay on Tasmania's Bruny Island by Pennicott Wilderness Journeys marketing spectacular scenery and the exhilaration of moving in powerful boats close to blow holes and sea tunnels. The opportunity to see wildlife such as seals, dolphins, whales and, yes, birds is also advertised.
On our stay at Bruny with our double-family group of nine (a few proclaiming definite sea sickness tendencies) I knew that the possibility of orchestrating a boat trip in the open sea were not great. This was April this year.
Well the pictures tell the story of a calm, mostly sunny day and an exhilarating and memorable trip! Entertaining guides (perhaps a little crazy!), no sea-sickness and an exciting boat ride had everyone happy.
Buller's albatross
One of each of the albatross species with a Silver gull for good measure
Crested tern
One of the roosting Black-faced cormorants shown above
Sooty oystercatcher
Great cormorant
Seal colony at The Friars
What are the chances of another moment in my life that I may photograph a dolphin and albatross in the same shot?
If you're curious to know more here's a 2 minute home movie with our experience of the cruise (you'll find many more on youtube including some professionally shot films commissioned by the company -this and more at the Pennicott Wilderness Journeys website)
Double-banded plover Charadrius bicinctus, Phillip Island, 9 Aug 2014
I was interested to see photos of Double-banded plovers taken recently in Werribee, Victoria. The photos showed breeding plumage so I was inspired to pay a visit to Observation Point yesterday as I knew that these birds had frequented the sandy spit in our autumn earlier this year.
I have never seen them in colour before until yesterday. What handsome little birds!
They have intrigued me as they have a unique migration pattern - breeding in New Zealand and wintering in Australia. Pizzey states that part of the South Island (NZ) population migrates annually and spends February - September in Southern Australia.
I think we have a male (left) and female (right) in this shot. Rather than black, the female is said to have a brown upper band and less black and white markings on the forehead.
Female DBP feeding
While enjoying these birds' breeding colours for the first time there was an unexpected visitor ...
I have not seen a Ruddy turnstone at Observation Point before. It wandered around and fed in characteristic fashion.
Something about the angle of shot and posture of the turnstone implies that the two species are a similar size although the turnstone is generally slightly larger than the DBP
Ruddy turnstone vigorously flicking seaweed and other debris out of the way in characteristic fashion
RT: "Yeah, I couldn't be fagged flying all the way to Siberia this year. "
DBP: "Choice Bro"
Another migrant dropped in for a real meeting of ways. Now we have (L-R) DBP, Red-necked stint and Ruddy turnstone
Red-necked stint
Caspian tern
Caspian terns, Observation Point, Phillip Island, Vic
Crested terns
Jeff lacked subtlety at times
The "usual plovers" being Hooded plovers (a nice gathering of four birds) and Red-capped plovers (just a single bird identified) were far outnumbered by the Double-banded visitors.
Having already had an interesting and enjoyable outing I was treated on the walk back to a White-breasted sea eagle fly-by.
Something up ahead!!!
White-bellied sea eagle, Observation Point beach, Phillip Island
When kids get hold of your phone .... I hadn't noticed till too late that my iphone camera was applying filters to today's shots. Thanks Hannah!
