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!

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!

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!

Pardalotes and Peter Murrell Reserve, Hobart

My first serious birding endeavour during a recent family holiday in Tasmania was to spend an hour or so at Peter Murrell Reserve near Hobart. It has been lauded as a reliable place to see the endangered Forty-spotted pardalote but numbers are apparently dropping off. I was really just interested in getting into some Tasmanian habitat and seeing any of the locals.

I was quickly rewarded with good views of Tasmanian native hen and identified Yellow wattlebird, Black-headed honeyeater, Yellow-throated honeyeater and Green rosella. All of these were new for me.

Tasmanian Native Hen are everywhere (well, in Tasmania)

Yellow-throated honeyeater, Peter Murrell Reserve, Kingston

Green rosella

It is nice to meet some friends from home such as this Little wattlebird and then finding myself amongst (under) a good-sized group of pardalote. At the time I was only able to identify another mainland friend in Spotted pardalote.

Spotted pardalote, Peter Murrel Reserve, Tasmania

I considered that I had not come across any "Forty-spots" although I was hearing unfamiliar calls and having brief views of many unidentified pardalotes (ie not obviously Spotted pardalote). It was only when enhancing some heavily silhouetted canopy spots at home two weeks later that I came across this ....

Forty-spotted pardalote, Peter Murrell Reserve, Tasmania, 14 April 2014

Peter Murrell Reserve, Kingston (near Hobart)

View from Mt Wellington showing the Tinderbox Peninsula which contains the Peter Murrell Reserve and another "forty-spot" stronghold Bruny Island. A significant percentage (I'm guessing 90%) of this bird's remaining range is seen in this photo!

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).