White-bellied sea eagles, Goodradigbee River

In the recent heat wave conditions the increasingly shallow waters of the Goodradigbee River lost their usual mountain stream chill. With water temperatures as high as 28 degrees celsius we started to notice that every 100 metres or so one or two dead fish could be seen and this appears to have attracted scavengers. White-bellied sea eagle are a familiar sighting around the Burrinjuck Dam 8km downstream and are known to nest in the area. While doing a spot of trout fishing along the Goodradigbee River near Micalong Creek we were surprised to see a pair of sea eagles on the river and this in one of it's steeper gullies.

White-bellied sea eagle gaining height after being surprised by fisherman on the Goodradigbee River, NSW

We caught nothing by the way and blamed the warm water! Most of the dead fish were small (15-20cm) but this magnificent Brown Trout was found floating in the Micalong Creek! Tragic!

River scene where the sea eagles were seen. The river bank also shows the damage from last year's floods 

More images of the Goodradigbee River near Swinging Bridge Reserve (Jan 2012)

Platypus photographed from across the river at Swinging Bridge Reserve (Jan 2012, before the flood, not seen this year) 

Two images from the flood plain (and sometimes bed of the Burrinjuck Dam). Currently much water has been let out of the dam which was full in recent months

Bird on!

Bird construction Inc. (nests, tunnels, bowers)

It appears that summer in Wee Jasper is still family time with many juvenile birds around and still much evidence of nesting activity.

I am always a little excited to come up from Melbourne and see the Rainbow Bee-eaters. These are distant views taken across the Goodradigbee River but they show the bird leaving and approaching the nesting tunnel.

Rainbow bee-eater, January 2013

Fairy martin bottle nests

This Willie wagtail nest was built over the water. 

It was pointed out by the kids who had noticed it while floating down the river on tyre tubes. 

What works best - the feather or the cap? Not a nest of course but the bower of the Satin bowerbird.

And finally Marj K has some nice shots of Leaden flycatchers nesting at nearby Micalong Reserve.

Bird on!

Wee Jasper birdsong

The air is full of birdsong at Swinging Bridge Reserve, Wee Jasper. "Song" is not always apt when much of the "noise" is coming from the large parrot population. Sulphur-crested cockatoo, King parrots, Crimson rosella and Galah were the most obvious during our visit last week. Yellow-tailed black cockatoo and Gang-gang (although not seen on this occasion) are also regular visitors.

Australian King parrot (male above, immature below)

Immature Crimson rosella

Rufous whistler were actively singing .... err ... whistling! A constant joy!

The penetrating piping of White-throated treecreeper added some further charm.

Yellow-faced honeyeater was the predominant honeyeater species and leant its frequent brisk call to the chorus. 

My first thought was that this was an immature Black-chinned honeyeater but it has been pointed out that Brown-headed honeyeater is a much better fit - Excellent - a lifer! A review of Pizzey suggests that there are five honeyeater species with that familiar white nape and paler front. Of these I am yet to see the Strong-billed honeyeater endemic to Tasmania.

The Leaden flycatcher buzzing calls added a different dimension as did the Satin bowerbirds at their bower. Noisy friarbird were ..... well, noisy! Kookaburras provided a daily (or twice daily) chorus. When I first heard roosting Australian wood ducks calling ("gnaaaaw") I wondered if I was listening to a broken kookaburra that couldn't get going!

Australian wood duck - We don't really "quack"

Large numbers of Superb fairywren led the small bird voice accompanied by White-browed scrubwren. Diamond firetail provided an occaisonal finchy flavour.

All in all a most pleasant and amazing soundscape!

Bird on!