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Winter antics in the flowering gums
Due to some good rainfall over recent winters many of the large Eucalypts flowered along the Elwood Canal (Elster Creek). Often the trees would be full of squawking Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets. I came...
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An Australian Painted Snipe or two, Lifer 354
Due to some decent rainfall during mid to late 2023 reports started coming in of Painted Snipes from around Australia and in Victoria. While it was 2.5 hours away it was well worth the drive to Bells...
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Painted Buttonquail, Lifer 353
I received a message on the local group alert that a rare (for me) bird had landed in a local backyard, a Painted Buttonquail. It had been seen feeding in the mulch under the trees. The bird seemed to...
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Superb Parrot, Lifer 352
On a trip with a birding buddy to the Chiltern area we explored the surrounding areas. While driving down one of the country laneways we came across a flock of parrots in a roadside forest. On...
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Eastern Reef Egret, Lifer 352
It took 5 trips to Mallacoota but I finally found an Eastern Reef Egret, also called the Pacific Reef Heron. It is found along the east coast of Australia with its southern range ending around...
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Dinosaur in the trees
It was hot and dry and I had just avoided a Red-bellied Black snake on the path to the Double Creek Inlet. I heard a hiss and to my right was a metre and a half long dinosaur sitting in a tree head...
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Ignorance is bliss
While staying in Mallacoota I visit Bastion Point several times a day at various tides looking for the birds that usually stop by this part of the coast. On most visits I came across a flock of...
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Feathering a nest
Just after I photographed the pair of Common Bronzewing on the Casuarina Track I stood on a small wooden boardwalk bridge over a dry creek bed. I had stopped to listen for birds and I watched as a pair...
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Mr and Mrs Bronzewing step out
Walking along the Casuarina Track leading down to the coast from the Mallacoota township, I saw quite a few birds including this pair of Common Bronzewing. This species is usually quite timid and with...
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Leptograpsus and Leptopius
Ok, well beetles have become a pain in my cloaka, it took me several hours to search various insect sites and databases looking for the name of this quite large weevil beetle. I learnt many new things...
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A Juvenile Storm Bird
While driving through the Mallacoota township heading out for an early morning walk at Double Creek, I spotted a large bird sitting on the front grass of a roadside home. Due to a bit of early morning...
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Warning calls, take the hint
On the drive into the Mallacoota township there is a spot that I explore each day as part of my birding/photography schedule. During December when I visited it was hot and very dry. Winding through the...
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Gippsland Water-dragon
There is a beautiful drive along the famous Snowy River from Orbost to Marlo. It is part of my pilgrimage route from Melbourne to the far east Victorian wilderness areas. Along the way I stop at...
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Cabbage-tree Palms, a nest and a monarch
Each December I try to spend a week in Mallacoota exploring the area’s National Parks and looking for birds and animals I dont usually see in my part of the world. Many of the Northern birds have their...
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Bright bird, hidden home.
While I was standing still and studying the Superb fairy-wrens for the ebird study, I noticed a Yellow Robin flying into a nearby prickly current-bush. I soon found its late season (or second) nest and...
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Front View, Rear View
For a small bird that is brightly coloured during breeding season, the male Superb fairy-wren is a noisy bird that likes to alert everything nearby that a stranger has come close or into its territory....
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A yellow-tailed Vandal
As I sorted out my camera gear out for my weekly walk around Green’s Bush I heard a crunching in the trees above my car. Several Yellow-tailed black cockatoos were tearing into the branches of a...
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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
One of my favourite birds is the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, a colourful, gregarious bird with a very distinctive call. It has a confiding nature and the juveniles can be quite curious. When I made a...
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Using the Bassian Thrush flush zone
While an early start at Green’s Bush means a good chance of finding Bassian Thrush it also means a lot less light available for the photo. The long lens needs a good amount of light for a nice clear...
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Fan-tailed Cuckoo calling
Through spring and summer I regularly hear Fan-tailed Cuckoos calling: described as a mournful descending trill. Along one of the paths to the Moorooduc quarry a pair flew down to lower branches and...
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