Phillip Island Birds - Oswin Roberts Sanctuary

A few shots from Ozzie Bobs taken in recent times.

This bit of bush has always been good for honeyeaters (especially if they have bits of white on them)...

White-naped honeyeater

White-eared honeyeater

White-plumed honeyeater

It seems that there is always a Superb fairy-wren family around every corner.

Male Superb fairy-wren, Oswin Roberts Sanctuary, Phillip Island

Spotted pardalote

Distant view of a Golden whistler enjoying morning sunshine

Grey currawong looking menacing as always

Satin flycatcher - female (April 2014)

Silvereye 

Galah inspecting tree-hollows

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Bunyip State Park - forest birds

I really enjoyed a visit to Bunyip State Park last Friday. In the picnic ground itself were good views of Dusky woodswallow and a nesting Olive-backed oriole near the amenities block. Exploring the marked trails heading north from Dyers Picnic Ground I found that:

• the mapped but not signposted Russells Track would have been a useful walking pad running parallel to a creek but was impassable due to growth (lyrebird heard in this area)
• Dyer Creek trail provided excellent birding with views of Scarlet honeyeater, Rufous fantail, Red-browed treecreeper, Eastern whipbird and a brief encounter with a male Lyrebird
• there was very little evidence in this area of severe damage from the 2009 bushfires (Parks Victoria states 40% of the park was burnt).
• the downloadable pdf file reads quite well on the iphone using the suggested Avenza pdf map reader app which positions you on the Parks Victoria map (useful on the unmarked trails)

Taken on 28 December this photo of a Rufous fantail would have to be one of my favourite pics for the year!

When I started seeing the tinciest of honeyeaters I wondered what I might see when a mature male showed up ...

Surprise! Scarlet honeyeater - a Victorian first for me!

Immature birds were a feature and I seemed to be seeing a lot of Red-browed finch without red brows.

I was thrilled when a subsequent sighting turned about to be Beautiful firetail:

Satin flycatcher (female)

Silvereye

An Olive-backed oriole was nesting in the dark green tree seen to the left of the amenities block.

Leaf litter, trail bike tracks and a Red-browed treecreeper

Dyer Creek Track is apparently used for trail bike riding (as is much of the Bunyip State Park). I heard distant motorbikes on 2-3 occasions but met no-one on my journey this day.

At right can be seen the large lizard that crossed Black Snake Creek Rd in front of the car.

I'll be back!

Bird on!

Pretty little things

At Oswin Roberts Sanctuary, Phillip Island on Sunday morning and it was pardalote city! Maybe I should bird before 11 more often because by 9am the place was alive with Striated & Spotted pardalote, Grey fantail, Brown thornbill, honeyeaters, Superb-fairy wren, Red-browed finch & the list goes on!

Spotted pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)

Adult male



Striated pardalote (Pardalotus striatus). I eventually twigged (!) that this dead branch emanated from a hollow that I suspect would make an ideal nesting site (see below right).



Although not as becoming with the close-up views provided by its spotted counterpart, Striated pardolote amazed me with their prolific numbers and activity. On several occasions I saw groups of striated pardalote numbering 10 or more.

Grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
I must have been stirring up some insects as this fellow looked to land on my lens ....twice!
(It didn't seem aggressive!)

Brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

Black-faced cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)

Finally there was also distant views and calls of Satin flycatcher (Myiagra cyanoleuca) and Fan-tailed cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis).