LaTrobe Wildlife Reserve - Oct 2013

Took a walk up around the LaTrobe Wildlife Reserve on Monday and had an excellent day despite the weather. It was overcast and grey when I started and it wasn't long before the rain came and got me diving for cover to save my camera! The rain proved quite useful because as I stood, hunched under a tree, sheltering from the rain I managed to see a lot more birds that I probably would have walked straight by otherwise.

This was one of them - and by far my favourite of the day, hence so many photos.
This striking honeyeater is only 11cm long and very quick. I'm not even going to tell you how many photos I actually took - many of them a blur or completely bird-less. But lets just say, thank god for digital cameras!

Scarlet Honeyeater (male), Myzomela sanguinolenta

This is the much less striking female Scarlet Honeyeater.

Scarlet Honeyeater (female), Myzomela sanguinolenta

I've been to this wildlife reserve once before but the lakes were completely dry. Everything is green and lush now and there were plenty of happy birds about including this male Chestnut Teal.

Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea

 Pairs of Rainbow Lorikeet's were abundant and very photogenic.

Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus

And here's another bird that has changed my view of pigeons. I used to think of pigeons as 'rats with wings' ever since travelling around Europe. I think it might actually have been one of the city squares in Florence, Italy, that really got me hating them. They were in plague proportions and every monument had spikes added to them to stop the birds landing on them and pooping everywhere. Anyway since then I heard Dr Karl say that pigeons don't actually carry any diseases and I've discovered some really pretty species like the one below.

Common Bronzewing, Phaps chalcoptera

Red-rumped Parrot, Psephotus haematonotus

I managed to spot and photograph 4 new species for my list which was pretty exciting. This Olive-backed Oriole is one of them. Apparently they are excellent mimics of other birds, and can also 'throw' their voices to sound like they are calling from somewhere else.

Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus

This inquisitive Scrubwren wanted to know what I was doing hiding under his tree when it started raining again. He came about a foot away from my head at one stage to look at me.

White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis

When he'd tired of me I turned around to see my 3rd new spotting hanging off the reeds in the lake.

Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Acrocephalus stentoreus

An Sacred Kingfisher flew in for a spot of fishing in the rain, but failed to catch anything while I was there.

Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus

Found these cuties poking their heads out of one of the nesting boxes.

Common Ringtail Possum, Pseudocheirus peregrinus

Finally captured and identified the Bell Miner. I had repeatedly heard these birds when we walked the dog along the Darebin creek but had never taken the time to stop and figure out what they were. Their call is a high-pitched 'ting' which sounds like a bell and is beautiful to hear in the bush.

Bell Miner, Manorina melanophrys

Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus