Nature walks with my camera: Mount Arapiles, how I've missed you!

So I hadn't realised how much I'd missed going to Mt Arapiles until I was there again on the weekend. A few years ago it would have been common practice to drive up after work on Friday, pitch the tent by midnight and return late Sunday night with aching arms. This trip, however, was a bit different.

For the first time ever, we WALKED to the top of Mt Arapiles rather than climbed! It was an odd feeling. I was a bit saddened that we weren't out on the rock like everyone else, but at the same time I was happy to be able to finally haul my good camera to the top. As we were both carrying injuries we were bound to a walking/camping weekend instead.

I'm going to split our Melbourne Cup long weekend into two posts because there are just way too many photos for one!

It was a warm sunny day and the Stumpies were out in force. We saw 4 on our first walk!

Stumpy-tailed Lizard, Tiliqua rugosa

The spring weather also had the wildflowers out in bloom.

Golden Everlasting, Xerochrysum bracteatum

Chocolate Lily, Arthropodium strictum

And many of the birds were nesting or looking after their young.

TheWhite-winged Chough was my first new spotting of the weekend. After doing a bit of research I have discovered the following facts:

They take 4 years to reach maturity.
They stay in flocks during the breeding season - only one pair breed, the rest are usually offspring from previous years.
All the birds pitch in to help build the mud nest, incubate the eggs and even feed the chicks.
They KIDNAP the youngsters of neighboring families so they have more helpers!

White-winged Chough, Corcorax melanorhamphos

A White-plumed Honeyeater tends to her young.

White-plumed Honeyeater, Lichenostomus penicillatus

As we were heading back to the campsite we got such a fright when we accidentally woke this guy up from a nap in the sun. He would have been close to 2 metres long.

Lace Monitor, Varanas varius

Crimson Rosella, Platycercus elegans

Pallid Cuckoo, Cuculus pallidus

Buff -rumped Thornbill, Acanthiza reguloides

Another new spotting was this Babbler. It took me a while to find it in my book!

White-browed Babbler, Pomatostomus superciliosus

So it turns out that this isn't an immature bird but in fact another new spotting. It's a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater.

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Acanthagenys rufogularis

This is a young Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. It had me stumped for a while because although it has the same beak as the adult it has a yellow cheek patch. The adult bird has a white cheek patch.