Lakeside Bungalow Day 3

Final morning activity before we headed off.

Seems like a "lot" for just a few hours before we headed off in comparison to the prior two posts, but really this post is more a series of sets around certain "activities" that unfolded on our final morning.

Pond activity

This set revolves around the waterbird activity at varous points around the pond. I wanted to share the way the different species tend to congregate together, but still happily tolerate intruders from time to time. Also the way ducks manage to glide across the water in such a graceful and seemingly calm manner. I also included a couple of photos showing the water around the aerator just to contrast the seemingly mirror like surface in the larger section of the pond.

I have labelled each photo with the birds therein just for a change.

Little pied cormorant among the pacific black ducks

Pacific black ducks marauding on their own

Australian wood duck family surveying from the bank

All clear and settled on the pond!

Pacific black duck heading into the aerated water

And then there were two doing it too!

Lord drake overseeing the pond

Perching birds

This series belies some of my earlier comments about the skittishness of some these types in this area! Just when you think you have them figured out! So some nice portraits here showing the wide the variety of perches taken advantage of - contrast the straight lines of the man-made ones with those of nature 😉.

First up a peaceful dove on a pergola with a left profile to the camera and then more straight ahead. Gorgeous quiet petite dove.

Next up a laughing kookaburra who was very content to allow me into its personal space for some neat portraits. Always feel so privileged when they gaze down the lens right into your eyes. The final one was a different subject offering the contrast of a human perch and a gorgeous fluffy belly.

Next up was an australian king parrot - up high and then down lower once it had flown off to another perch a little further up the driveway and content to allow me closer in thicker foliage. The more pastel plumage of the female this time.

Finally for the perching birds is a magpie lark and a magpie. Both in the vineyard, one atop the post supporting the wire runners and the other on the drip-feed spinkler tubes. Contrast again the man-made perches with those of nature for the king parrot above.

The ultimate plumage!

This final set offers a sequence of the resident peacock and it's attendant guinea fowl as they explored the vineyard and drink from the pond. The latter photos of the set show the peacock peeking around the corner of the bungalow and slowly advancing onto the verandah. After noticing "another" one in the window reflection, there were a series of antics and preening activities culminating in the final viewing which seemed to garner self-approval and off it went on it's merry way! A really nice behavioural experience to end our visit 😁.