Melbourne in April

We had to visit Melbourne unexpectedly in April. Just across from where we spent most of our time we were fortunate enough to have Carlton Gardens to explore (and which also houses Melbourne Museum and the Exhibition Centre).

One visit yielded several new finds for me, and quite the expected location for one in particular. Always good to find new birds not in my portfolio 😊, and as regularly noted already, even those not new benefit from sightings in a different environment - this one definately much more urban and built than I have become accustomed to!

So we being with a few birds we might readily identify as city scavengers ...

This first "find" is one I have memories of as a child in Taree as being a BIG pest. However, I have not seen them around our local area at all, which is a blessing. Despite their reputation as a pest, they have quite beautiful and striking plumage to admire.

Common starling

Next we have a silver gull; a regular on my journey but usually on sand, this time on pavement in the park. Also in shot is a common myna - another pest and we have plenty of these at home too. This photo just struck me on my review because both birds are scavenging in the same space and both have just had successful finds. The second in the sequence is a good clear shot of the common myna showing the variations highlighting that brown and black are from from standard shades! The third, while a common feral pigeon, is predominantly white and not the more normal grey.

Attention now turned to movement on the pond ... striking for me because I had become accustomed to clear tidal waters and this was definately not tidal. A tepid city park pond, but certainly still full of new delights for me 😁.

These first several are not uncommon to me, but I wanted to convey a sense of pond community. So first I have dusky moorhens going about their business while a pacific black duck cruises on by. These are followed by more individual contexts for each of those birds to provide clearer glimpses of their individual characteristics. Wondrous creatures great and small, but never dull!

Then, cruising past as the sun shone through was another first for me - this chestnut teal. Magnificent iridescent green head.

And further around the pond island, basking in the sunlight and thus belying it's name was a fabulous new find - the nankeen night-heron. I am familiar with it's striated cousin, but these are far more striking and the nankeen (buff) plumage contrasting with the black head, clear yellow eyes and white chest is quite something. I was really privileged this one was so photogenic and allowed some wonderful close-up images by virtue of its statuesque poses - even offering one view with its neck extended. 

Even the humble pee-wee (magpie lark) was attracted by the pond.

And overseeing the park from on high was a little corella.

March munchies (2018)!

This post offers a feast of magnificent colour and the rewards when the bounty is plentiful. Largely based in our own backyard, but also the yard of my parents, the wonder of nature (weeds and all) is in full evidence here ... what our natural environment offers even when we believe it is detrimental (to us) should never be underestimated. And I finish with a treat from the other end of the spectrum.

The first two are a blue-faced honeyeater savouring the delicate and nectar rich flowers of the umbrella trees in our yard. Yes ... they are weeds! And from a distance the "flowers" look more like berries, most especially when the stems fall to the ground and the pods appear like large black pepper berries. However, given the power of the right light and perspective, the glisten of the nectar when the flowers open is joy to behold, and offer an autumn feast from the nectar gods 😜.

Never to be outdone and noisy protectors of their own feasting table we see the rainbow lorikeet in the same tree ... what a racket when these two birds decide to compete for their supper!

Staying with the ubiquitous rainbow lorikeet, the next several photos show off both the magnificent colours nature has to offer via a red-flowering gum, and the light accentuates the "rainbow" of the lorikeet plumage very definately.

How proud I am at the head of my "table"

Tucking right in!

A moment to bask & savour

The next smorgasboard awaits!

I have included this one because a close inspection shows the glistening small beads of nectar from the gorging in and among the flowers on both the bill and shoulder feathers (remember if you click on an image you can see a bigger version of each photo to scroll through). And it was a real treat to be able to obtain a study so close as their focus was clearly mostly on their bounty!

And next, three shots showing the smorgasboard underway and then the sharing that followed ... first an exploratory peek and approach, then more intimacy at the table 😲. This was just such a treat to see the wonderful palette provided by nature ... a close inspection may even reveal some iridescent blue (NOT blow!) flys too. And let's remember this was our autumn blooms!

Now, not quite yard shots, but one again to highlight how the striking features of this egret are complemented by its grassy and weedy surroundings that provide the insects it so enjoys.

And finally for March, that treat from the other end of the spectrum I promised.  While all the above photos highlight what nature had to offer, this barking owl was at the airport being used for a Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary promotion ... so totally NOT natural and very much in captivity in our built environment (but at least not in a cage). What you wouldn't give to know what is whirring behind those doleful but oh so sharp big round yellow eyes 😏😏.

Lismore Lake delights

While the water remains, dropping by fairly regularly just might throw up some interesting opportunities. January is HOT & HUMID here so while the water remains, it also provides a lot of glare, heat and reflection while wandering around. Despite the human discomfort, any water is good water for birdlife and offers a point of attraction. This late January visit proved absolutely worthwhile as one sequence in particular will attest, but it was not the only reason. The birds seldom disappoint 😉.

We begin with a couple of "big" birds ... neither especially common sightings, but each a real treat with their casual predatory and attentive gaits as they stalk through the reeds and weeds. Both also have very deceptive iridescent plumage when captured in the right light!

White-necked heron

Black-necked stork (jabiru).

Not to be outdone along the varied shrubbery and trees of the eastern shore between the lake and the river are the "small" birds. One well camouflaged, the others far more happy soaking up the energy of the sun in the open. These were sighted and captured during my walk stalking the stalking jabiru ... kind of offers a glimpse of why birdwatchers might be cheekily referred to as "twitchers" 😁!

Brown honeyeater

Mum& young white-breasted woodswallows

Just some mum time

And my stalk of the stalker turned out to be very well worth it! Right place, right time 😏 to capture the successful stalk ... here are a few photos from the sequence to give you a flavour) - no pun intended)! The dexterity was fascinating to watch ... and the satisfaction after the final swallow quite evident I reckon - and not just mine 😀!

Ahhh (yummm??) ... worth the effort!

This post started with the larger white-necked version, but this one is the equally striking white-faced heron going about it's hunt in the shallows.

Back to those white-breasted woodswallows and here we see the ubiquitous squark of the young ... though I could use my imagination and say they were signing their tunes in the midday breeze, but they were waiting for mum or dad to return with their lunch!

Here are a couple of fairy martins perched high after their acrobatics in the air. There was s small flock in this tree, so it was good to be able to get a decent view of several as these are not as common around here (in my experience) as welcome swallows. 

Another rare treat in my viewings was next on the way out of this wonderful walk. I spotted this comb-crested jacana skitting across the lilypads, clearly demonstrating there are distinct advantages very large toes!

And finally a few hardheads (ducks) with their distinctive whitish band on the end of their beak, sharing a mud bank with a foraging black-fronted dotterel. 

May the waters remain for an extended period 😊

After completing this and doing a quick view of the post, I was struck by the length of the keyword list that has accumulated along this journey so far. A very quick tally indicates photos included so far of 126 different types. I am very pleased to have been able to share these with you and also marvel at the variety we have (because this is no where near a full accounting) from predominantly local sites. May the pleasure continue.

A backyard in South Grafton

We visited, with my mum & dad, my aunty in South Grafton. Her property backs onto open fields used to graze cattle and run the occasional  polo cross events and a bit further down the showgrounds and rugby fields too. She also takes great pride in her cottage garden. So, a nice outlook and environment ... and across the front and a large levee bank and some fields lies the mighty Clarence River too.

Greeting us out front and back were some sparrows. Growing up these were really common, but of late up in our region they seem very rare, so it was a nice treat to be greeted by them.  

Carrying some lining foraged for the nest

A favourite spot on the corrugated fence

Three little sparrows sitting on a fence!

Three little sparrows sitting on a(nother) fence!

And then there were two!

Next are mum & youngster enjoying a break and refreshment at the bird path ... first taking the drink, second making sure it goes down 😉.

Next, enjoying perches on two quintessential Australian icons are mum & youngster pied grey butcher birds. First, the pair on the Hill Hoist; second the youngster practicing budding choral skills on the wooden paling fence post; and third, mum keeping a close eye on me from the Hills Hoist. So very Australian backyard!! 

Then perched atop a fence for climbing vegetables is the very under-rated crested pigeon. Under-rated because they are plentiful and "appear" just a common grey plumage ... until, as in this instance, you see them in the right light showing off their delightful and netted and richly subtle grey and purple plumage of their primaries and secondaries. This one also looks extra cute with the chest ruffled and fluffed by the breeze. Even plain is beautiful with birds 😊.

I could not resist including this young blue-faced honey-eater out exploring. The juxtaposition of it looking around, searching from its iron-enclosed surroundings seems at odds with the freedom of the natural setting beyond the image. Still, a vantage point is a vantage point ... and we all need to learn those to avoid and those to try again!

And to conclude, well what better than the feral pigeon to highlight further the point made above about even "plain is beautiful with birds" ... given the right light and a splash of colour in the verdant background ... e voila!