It has been a bit too cloudy for much in the way of astronomy lately and I've been too busy for much flying (although I did spot a Blue Whale and calf a mile or two offshore on the Ninety Mile Beach - alas, no camera on-board).
In the meantime, a somewhat eclectic group of recent bird sightings.
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| A pair of Channel-billed Cuckoos (Scythrops noveaehollandiae) have been regular visitors in Spring over the last few years and they stay as long as the mulberry tree has fruit. They get hounded from pillar to post by every other bird and are generally hide well inside a tree. So, I was pleased to get this long-distance shot recently. |
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| PW recently took us to a new wetlands in Drouin (map here) where a family of Hoary-headed Grebes (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) were busy feeding in the shallow water. |
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| Although not nesting in this tree on the Lower Newry Road where an old nest sits, this White-bellied Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leacoaster) was taking a keen interest in some Pacific Black Duck, Chestnut Teal and Grey Teal families in the pond below. |
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| Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia) are fairly common on the Cemetery Road wetlands in Sale but not commonly close enough to get a decent shot. This one was too busy feeding close to the road to worry about me stopping for a few shots. |
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| The flowering native plants in our garden attract both Musk and Rainbow Lorikeets which makes it easier to get closer shots of these fast-moving and fast-feeding birds. This Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) is enjoying one of our Silver Princess flowering gums. |
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| We spotted this mob of 18-20 Emus (Dromaius novahollandiae) about 200m away in a paddock along Beaver Meadows Track recently. When we turned away to look at some birds on the other side of the track, their curiosity got the better of them and they came up for a closer look (see next photo). |
