Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, take #2 - June 2015

Last week I was pretty excited to have seen a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet in Macleod but I was disappointed with my photos and keen to go back. Then my friend Sarah casually mentioned that she sees lots of them - clear views and close up, in the park near her house in Bundoora. So I skipped Macleod and headed straight for her house. A short walk to the Bundoora parklands and I had already spotted 2 pairs of Scaly's and many more Rainbow's in the first tree.

Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus

Housing dispute, ouch.

I was excitedly taking photos when Sarah mentioned that there were even better views of a nesting pair in another nearby tree. And here are the photos I managed to get. Very happy indeed.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet & Gang-gang Cockatoos - June 2015

Back at Macleod I was on the hunt for the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. A few people had posted some photos of these birds whilst looking for the Swift Parrots and I had managed to get some info on where I might just find them. Unfortunately they weren't in the trees I had been directed to, but I did meet up with another birder who helped me find them.

They were in a tree full of noisy Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets - something I would have easily overlooked had it not been for this other birder. She checked out every single bird in that tree through her binoculars until she saw something a little bit different right up at the very top of the canopy.

They were hard to see so high up and obscured by branches and leaves but the few photos we got gave us a positive ID.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

I'll be keeping an eye out for them in the area in the hopes of getting a better photo.

We also ran into another birder who had just photographed some Gang-gang Cockatoos a little way up the road. I headed off in that direction but by the time I found them they were hanging out up the top of some very large gums. I got a few distant shots but will try again next time I'm there to get something better.

Gang-gang Cockatoo, Callocephalon fimbriatum

Gang-gang Cockatoo, Callocephalon fimbriatum

Both species are new to my list, bringing my total tally to 223.

Woodlands historic park - June 2015

A few weeks ago, Sarah and I tagged along on a Birdlife Melbourne outing to Woodlands historic park. It's a place that has been on my list to visit for a while and to have experts show us around was the perfect opportunity.

There were about 20 of us and I was doubtful that we would see much with such a big noisy group - how wrong I was! We saw so many more species than if we had been there by ourselves thanks to some amazing birders that could identify any bird from just their call or body shape in flight.

First up was a tree filled with quick, tiny birds. I immediately assumed Thornbill but no, it was in fact a Weebill which is even smaller! It's actually Australia's smallest bird - and quick. No wonder I couldn't get a decent shot.

Weebill, Smicrornis brevirostris

White-naped and Brown-headed Honeyeaters flew high up in the canopy - once again making it difficult to photograph. This is when we started to realise that there is usually more than one species hanging out together and we should take more time to look and identify before moving on.

White-naped Honeyeater, Melithreptus lunatus

Brown-headed Honeyeater, Melithreptus brevirostris

Brown-headed Honeyeater, Melithreptus brevirostris

In an open area we saw Flame and Red-capped Robins together. Unfortunately we didn't see any Pink or Rose Robins which have also been reported in the area.

Red-capped Robin, Petroica goodenovii

Flame Robin, Petroica phoenicea

Brown-headed Honeyeater (juvenile), Melithreptus brevirostris

Brown-headed Honeyeater (juvenile), Melithreptus brevirostris

Red-capped Robin (female), Petroica goodenovii

Another highlight was seeing a Speckled Warbler happily sit on an exposed branch long enough for everyone to get some nice photos.

I was pretty excited to see a Crested Shrike-tit. It's only the second time I've seen one but this time I was able to get some clear shots of it as it devoured a spider.

Crested Shrike-tit, Falcunculus frontatus

Crested Shrike-tit, Falcunculus frontatus

White-plumed Honeyeater, Lichenostomus penicillatus

We saw two Little Eagles soaring high in the sky - one was a light morph and the other was dark. Apparently they are a breeding couple so it will be interesting to see what color their offspring take.

Little Eagle, Hieraaetus morphnoides

The Striated Pardalote was my 3rd new species for the day. They were also high up in the canopy so not my best shots of the day.

Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus

Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus

Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

69 species were recorded that day. I was only able to photograph a handful of those but I did manage to pick up 3 new birds for my list - Weebill, Striated Pardalote and Little Eagle - bringing my total up to 221. 

It was a beautiful place to walk around and definitely somewhere I would like to go back to.

Swift Parrots at Macleod - June 2015

The endangered Swift Parrots are currently hanging out in the flowering gums a short walk from home. I've popped down a few times now to photograph them. A flock of between 20-40 move around from tree to tree eating the lerps that are in abundance right now.
The parrots breed in Tasmania and only come to the mainland (VIC & NSW) over Winter. De-forestation and Sugar gliders have been blamed for their endangered status.

Swift Parrot, Lathamus discolor

Werribee Treatment Plant - March 2015

The Werribee Treatment Plant is a place that I had been wanting to get to for ages but I had just never gotten around to organising a key for access. Thankfully Sarah managed to sort out a key last week for us and on Wednesday we finally took a drive out to Werribee.

I had heard that the WTP is one of the best birding places in Victoria but I was not prepared for what I saw. WOW! The place is AMAZING. Everywhere you looked there were birds.

We headed in along Paradise Rd. A tractor was working in the neighboring paddock and a group of 6 Black Kites circled above the freshly ploughed dirt. We pulled the car over and got out in the hopes that they might come a little closer. Boy did they come closer! They started circling just above our heads and landing in the paddock beside us. It was an awesome sight and a new tick to my list.

Black Kite, Milvus migrans

Their camouflage in the dusty paddock was amazing and at times we lost site of them until they moved.

On the opposite side of the road, a family of Zebra Finches hung out in the trees.

Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

Entering Gate 6, our jaws dropped. With lakes on either side of the road lined with reeds and small shrubs you couldn't look in any direction without seeing a bird. Hundreds of waterbirds filled the lakes, small birds flitted amongst the reeds and shrubs, more birds flew overhead. We were so overwhelmed we didn't know which way to point our cameras first!

Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus

One of my hopes for the day was to see and photograph a Golden-headed Cisticola. I saw one as soon as we drove through the gate and was bitterly disappointed to get 3 blurry shots before it flew off. I spent a good 10 minutes wandering around trying to find it again before giving up and getting back in the car.

A few metres up the road we stopped for good views of Australian Shelducks and Yellow-billed Spoonbills. I was waiting for Sarah to finish taking photos when I happened to glance out my window and see a tiny little golden bird perched on a branch right beside me. I held my breath as I got my camera up and into focus. The gorgeous Golden-headed Cisticola was happy preening itself on its perch and gave us plenty of time to get lots of great shots. It was very hard to narrow it down to just these 4!

Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Platalea flavipes

White-fronted Chat, Epthianura albifrons

European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis

It was only 2 weeks ago that I excitedly saw my first Pink-eared Duck. Well now I've seen more than I could ever have imagined. Everywhere we looked we saw more of these beautiful ducks.

Pink-eared Duck, Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Looking back we had great views of the You Yangs and saw a whirly whirly from back where the tractor was working the paddock.

The next section we drove was clearly where all the birds of prey hung out - a Peregrine Falcon, Whistling Kites and a Black-shouldered Kite - all perching nicely for us.

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus

Whistling Kite, Haliastur sphenurus

Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris

As we got closer to Port Phillip Bay we started to see more shorebirds. Many were starting to show their brilliant breeding plumage.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata

Red-necked Stints & Curlew Sandpipers 

Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis

Two different species of Tern added one more tick to my list. 

Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida

White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus

Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena

Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

Fairy Martin, Petrochelidon ariel

Australasian Pipit, Anthus novaeseelandiae

Superb Fairy Wren, Malurus cyaneus

 Brown Goshawk, Accipiter fasciatus

And to finish up the day we were happily entertained by this Striated Fieldwren as it sung loud and proud on the top of a bush. Another new spotting for me and a great finish to the day.

Striated Fieldwren, Calamanthus fuliginosus

After 3hrs we were exhausted. I felt like I had eye strain from seeing so much and we had only covered one third of the plant. I came away with 4 new spots to bring my tally up to a grand total of 218. Can't wait to go back!