Tassie VIII - Some birds around Strahan

Pristine. A place you feel relaxed and at peace.

That's the best way to describe the environment in and around Strahan on the west coast, sitting in the vast Macquarie Harbour and gateway to the Gordon River. Blessed with waterfront accommodation it was surprising how little range of birds we saw during our visit. However, the dominance of starlings and sparrows may have something to do with that in town. Not to worry ... here is a selection showcasing what we did see (and those sparrows and starlings were certainly incredibly active feeding their young mirroring what was noted earlier when we were in Franklin).

A mallard sitting on a mirrored harbour.

A welcome swallow sunning on an old pier post.

The next set of three provide portraits of the house sparrows and show how they are not afraid to get up close and personal with us!

A starling with prey observing the target nest from the gum.

Co-perching but one after a successful hunt.

Grey fantail (still for once) staring me down!

Sulphur-crested cockatoo on high.

This next set showcases a pair of welcome swallows up the Gordon River as we docked for a nature walk. The first one was from the boat as we docked; the second from the wharf as we disembarked for the walk. Always cute and the tannins in the water are also highlighted.

Finally, one of the gorgeous superb fairy wrens with that deeper iridescent blue being shown off on the grass among the fallen gum leaves as it hopped about looking for food.

Tassie VI - a walk around Franklin

Didn't take long but you never know what you might see & there are plenty of attractions to stretch the time out when you want! But my focus here is on the birds ...

First up this day, before the clouds came in and the wind came up, those common starlings were hard at work keeping food up to the very hungry chicks. A constant relay between parents from dawn to dusk was observable. The first two photos below show two alternate perches often used prior to ducking into the respective nests. Both show clearly what is in store for those lucky chicks!

Next, as the morning cloud began to move over, another common sight for this trip has been the common blackbird. I have commented previously on the more orange tinge to the beak and eyes than those I have photgraphed on the mainland. Clearly evident again here. While both these first two birds are a pest, they still offer quite the sight and even mores so when the setting complements.

What's a walk around where there are noisy plovers when you are unlucky not to see a nest or a young one. Here it was a very young one on those awkward over-sized legs suporting the fur-ball body ... but they learn quickly (and grow quickly).

Ah, at last. The European goldfinch. They had teased me in earlier parts of our trip but had not been co-operative enough to allow me decent shots. I was rewarded here, on this windy and cloudy morning. First of this set of three was on a grass verge on the oposite of the main road. Looks good with the grass and small flowers it was grazing on. A little further on and around a corner the second and third photos of the set were possible because it was on the same side of the road and so just that bit closer. Love the range of colours and those flowers look that much better in the background with the nearer poses. Left me with a BIG smile for a while 😁.

Back along the river bank and a smaller family of wood ducks was spotted. Mum was herding the ducklings on, dad standing there puffing his chest out with ruffled feathers just in case anyone dared come too close 😊.

Australian wood ducks galore on a big old log wiht one at the end just making herself heard! Sharing with a pair of chestnut teals, which feature in the second close up - perhaps the female chestnut teal is giving her own back to the wood duck?

A little pied cormorant on a favoured log judging by the colour of its perch!

Just as we arrived back I was quick enough (despite the unfavourable light) to get this small flock of yellow-tailed black cockatoos as they careened overhead. If their squawk iis not distinctive enough their long slow wing beat certainly betrays them.

Tassie V - Franklin on the Huon

Unfortunately I have a bit of a blank spot between leaving the east coast and getting to Hobart - only a small one as most of the time was travel. There was a glitch with the SD card I had in teh camera and it just shut the camera down 😕. Main thing I know I missed was our time in the Hobart Botanic Gardens and quite a few young birds that were in the grounds. Thankfully, I finally figured out it was an error/fault with the card, so a new one reassured me the camersa was still working fine😓.

So, the day we arrived at our next B&B in Franklin was another picture perfect one. Even while getting settled the sparrows had attracted my attention.

The Huon was showing its best side this afternoon and so it was "necessary" to go for a walk along the banks to see what I could see! First up, to confirm the "pretty as a picture" bit ... looking south.

And just to confirm that, looking north from where I began my river bank meander, I spotted this crow perched on the remains of a big old log near the bank. Shows off the scene, along with the photo above, I was enjoying very nicely 😀.

I shall simply label each photo with the bird type & brief comment. Great setting, so really good to see such a variety of bird life making the most of this pristine environment.

Common starlings gathering food for their young.

Pacific black duck cruising.

Australian wood duck pair also cruising.

Little pied cormorant drying off.

Two eurasian coots keeping close check.

I break the pattern here to show this set of three capturing a silvereye as it moved among the foliage maintaining a good camoflage. Each photo captures just enough of a glimpse with the final one showing the acrobatic skills and the greatest exposure of its self in the set.

Chestnut teal cruising & showing off that iridesence.

Another one, just resting from paddling!

Australian wood duck - shiny green wing tip not often visible

A dandy mallard showing off his finery in the afternoon!

Three eurasian coots in formation.

Because they are so cute, and very young, a special set here for an expansive family of Australian wood ducks here. First with mum carefully overseeing their grazing; then a couple focusing on the ducklings keeping to their tight huddle; finally just reassuring you that mum was not far away at all!

Nearing the end of my return leg I spotted these masked lapwings - a plovers corner! Might have thoght these young ones were not needing such close parental guarding, but apparently not quite yet 😁 - at least they were quiet!

A stopover at Goonoo Goonoo Station (Nov)

This is a long post in terms of photos included because it was a special couple of days.

We decided to take our time on the return journey after dropping our UK friends off. First night was at the Entrance. Next morning over breakfast, right beside the entrance to Tuggerah Lake, I spotted these galahs nestled in a palm. The one at the top was the only one I saw ... I did not notice the one lower left until I posted this photo here! A fitting way (as it turned out) for this journey to begin, as much I had not seen before was revealed.

We drove up the New Engalnd Highway after detouring through Cessnock and Pokolbin enjoying the sight of some grand Hunter Valley wine estates. We had booked the night at Goonoo Goonoo Station just south of Tamworth, based on strong recommendations from two sets of friends. Their recommendations proved to be sound, and we were not disappointed. 

Here is the view across the Station from the "village" to the Shearer's Quarters (it is the small shed, not the very large one) where our room awaited.

Soon after settling in, I spotted this sulphur-crested cockatoo in a large gum just outside our Quarters (and it turned out, just outside it's quarters too!).

We had a fantastic dinner in their restaurant, the Glasshouse, constructed between the old shearing shed and woolstore. Here is the view, as well as another of some views through the village - just to provide some context of the beauty and serenity of the environment during our visit. A credit to their staff.

Hopefully that sets the scene for the good fortune that followed by being able to savour so many new bird sightings for me ...

On my first wander, I could hear a cacophony coming from a large red bottle-brush tree. As I approached, not just the competing bird noises became evident but also the constant movement in competition for nectar by a variety of birds. As it turned out, the first one I noticed was an old favourite from my coastal meanderings, the noisy friarbird.

Next, however was a delightful new find for me - the musk lorikeet. Once again I can only marvel at the raucous palette nature conjours for our delight. Like other lorikeets they are boisterous and aggressive, acrobatic and ever so gorgeous with the striking blue and red head markings contrasting with the more familiar green and yellow body plumage. Such a delight - and as normal with new sightings, I have included quite a few (because I just kept taking photos!). Enjoy!

When I turned around to keep wandering, I noticed movement on a grassy area off to the south. Here was another new sighting. Two adults and two young red-rumped parrots. The turquoise tones of the adult are fantastic and the "red-rump" is clear from photos of the rear view. Like other grass parrots I have experienced, they blend in so well despite this palette being much darker than other parrots I have seen.

Returning to the Quarters to get ready for dinner, this pair of galahs were playing around their hollow and the late afernoon light and cloudy sky provided a fitting backdrop. The contrast of the live branches and leaves just behind the dead branches with the hollows is also striking.

Next morning I could not resist another wander around the property. I retraced the path taken the previous evening to the restaurant. I was rewarded, not with any new birds but two lovely sightings of familier ones in very different settings than I am used to. First a crested pigeon cooing atop a shed ridge-capping; then, an eastern rosella guarding the entrance to it's hollow.

Lured once again by the cacophony in the same red bottle-brush I headed off to see what might be there this morning. Along the way I noticed a small flock of swallows on the ridge-capping being overseen by a magpie atop one of the chimneys.

In the red bottle-brush I spotted this little honeyeater. Initially I thought it to be a brown honeyeater, but on closer inspection the little white spot behind the eye is not present. Searching my bird guide I believe it may be a white-plumed honeyeater (in which case it is yet another new sighting). I will claim it, despite none of the photos offering a clear pose to check, but the two included do show the delightful tones and acrobatic abilities.

And of course, driving the cacophony were the musk lorikeets!

Wending my way back to the Quarters to ready ourselves for departure, there remained a few more treats for me. First up this magnificent pair of eastern rosellas showed off their mating abilities in full view - how fortunate was I to witness this. Not hard to tell which one is the male (just look how vibrant the plumage is)!

Next up was this nankeen kestrel scanning the paddocks from on high in search of any prey lurking in the grasses. Among this sequence I spotted a small roaming flock of common starlings preening on a nearby yard fence.

Finally for our visit to the Station, here is a sequnce of the red rumped parrot parent and the young ones - grazing and having a drink at the trough. Ah, life on the farm! 

What a privilege this visit has afforded.

Our next night was in Tenterfield and after brunch and a wander around town, we followed the advice of a shop-owner and headed off to admire the view from Mount Mackenzie lookout. Quite the panorama and certainly worth the detour.

While we were there, a familiar nearby chirp of a rosella led me back along the road a little way. Up in the gum I was rewarded with my first clear sighting & photo opportunity of the crimson rosella - and what a sighting it was! A young one pleading with mum for lunch. I share here three different "pleads" and three different regurgitations rewarding the persistence of the young one. 

What a way to end this post.