A quiet 3 months (Aug-Oct)

For a variety of reasons, mainly health related, this period was relatively quiet. Of course, preparations for our long-awaited driving trip to Tassie occupied much of our time too.

The selection below shows a variety of regular birds along several common areas we walk. "Regular" in terms of sightings they might be, but as usual, they also offer different appreciations of the capability and beauty of the birds.

First up I managed to frame this osprey alighting from the top of a riverside pine. More usually I photo these in static poses.

Next a youngish prancing plover (masked lapwing) just about to disappear into the shadow of a telegraph pole.

The next two photos show a rainbow lorikeet and a crested pigeon. The lorikeet is feasting on the nectar of the banksia flower while keeping a very keen eye on the photographer. The pigeon is in the same bush and roosting among the flowers to complement its wonderful plummage and also keeping an eye on the photographer.

Here is a pied cormorant basking on a boulder along the wall in the morning sun. The sheen on the wings and the black collar and head streak contrast strongly with the white neck and chest. The yellow beak is also a clear further contrast.

  

The same beauty of the soft pastel palette is perhaps even more apparent with this crested pigeon grazing on the grass among the clover, compared to the perch in the banksia shown above. Both have their own charm.

From pines, to banksia, to grass, to rocks, a plainer bare branch context against our wonderfully clear blue sky shows off the magnificent sounding (and looking) pied butcherbird. 

 

And a youngish magpie listening and feeling for any movement underground before it digs out the underground prey.

Showing off both the grass and rocky context is this white ibis preening its chest while balancing on a single leg ... such dexterity while ensuring they look their best 😁.

A pair of pacific black ducks by the edge of the lake enjoying some anonymity in the shadows.

The next two photos show a pair of welcome swallows enjoying the afternoon sun on their highwire perch. One caught at the beginning of a dive, and then in the second photo it has returned to the (deserved) admiration of its partner!

Another photo showing the acrobatic skills of the rainbow lorikeet.

Finally, just prior to our departure, a brush turkey decided he was going to build a nest in our front yard 😟. You can see in the first photo the spread of dirt behind the red flowers ... it had been moved there by the turkey from the nice clean path beside the birdbath. The next position was off to the left under a native magnolia tree ... the second photo shows to proud builder working the dirt & debris into position under the tree. On our return (mid-Nov) the nest is MUCH bigger and the yard much less tidy but boy, can these guys move a lot of material around in a short amount of time!