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 😁. 

Lakeside Bungalow Day 1 (Feb)

That is the view at the back (east) of the Lakeside bungalow, across the vineyard. This invites you when you pull up in the car park.

Just have to be careful ... never know what might be out and about 😟 even though you are just drawn to explore, you need to watch where you tread!

Then you get to the front and an entirely different view entices you to explore, alas you have to unpack!

OK, might as well enjoy a snack before we explore. 😁 then we will get to more birds which really is the point of the blog (but it is good to indulge along the way!)

While exploring along the bank of the creek this pale-headed rosella was very intent on enjoying the seeds so allowed me a few angles to capture the wonderful pastel hues of the undercarriage. Even among the heavy camouflage of the leaves that splendid & riotous palette of nature is clear to savour. A lovely treat to begin this stay.

Further along a grey butcherbird was spotted searching the eucalypt forest for morsels that might move within sight. Just after that a pair of pale-headed rosellas alighted briefly for a chatter before disappearing into the late afternoon forest.

Much more sedate and relaxed on an exposed dead branch was this handsome pair of bar-shouldered doves, resplendent in their grey, brown and bronze plummage.

Once back at the bungalow by the pond, this final trio of birds was spotted before we settled in for our first evening in the peace and quiet of the Mt. Barney bush. An australasian figbird perching proudly, the resident peacock wandering it's domain as dusk settled and the resident drake roosting on a rock overseeing it's pond.

Memorable meanderings (Oct 2020)

Back in October 2020, just after it happened, I posted about a great day out at the Rocky Creek Dam precinct. There were many beautiful sightings that day.

As I am nearing the end of reviewing my photos for 2020 and devising posts that capture those memories, there were other photos throughout October worth sharing. Similar to several opportunities shared in recent posts, I realise I have collected quite a few good close-ups, some featuring just the birds, others both the birds and some settings for additional context. One thing I really enjoy about the close-ups is being able to convey to you the delicacy of the down and feathers - not just for tiny birds, but often the larger ones too. Whenever a bird allows me into their space, it is a real privlege to be able to capture, and now share, that intimacy for you to admire.

The first set of photos were taken during a visit to Mavis's Kitchen in the shadow of Wollumbin (Mt. Warning) for a family lunch. Afterwards we took a walk around the grounds and along the upper reaches of a creek tributrary to the Tweed River bordering the property. First one is a mother wood duck overseeing the grazing techniques of her teenagers while making sure we do not encroach too closely.

Next we have the local drake showing off his very distinctive facial features and striking subtle feather variations accentuated while swimming among the pond lillies, that demonstrate, yet again, that black is seldom really black!

Finally for this location, on the far bank of the creek, was this azure kingfisher. Sadly, not the clearest of photos, but still good enough to allow you to appreciate the striking range of plummage they offer for your admiration.

Next up I offer a very obliging female superb fairy wren who was very willing to allow me nearby on several different perches. Each shows a context to see their small size, while the generosity of allowing me very close shows that delicate down and feather structure I noted at the beginning of the post. Quite the charmer this little lady 😁!

Next are two angles of a younger darter fully fanned out soaking up the energy from the sun while drying its feathers. The soft down of the neck, chest and back contrast the strong feathers of the wing and rudder-like tail. Of course, the wonderfully flexible neck features as well. The rocky perch and the watery background complete a serene image.

The next trilogy is included to show how patiently watching a bird in the same environmental position can offer very different impressions of the shape. In each of these the breeding plummage is clear, like an extra layer thrown on in a hurry and still damp waiting to dry! The elongated neck is certainly evident in the first photo, absent with the head in the second and tucked in fully resting in the third. The grey and white and subtle maroon plummage contrasts really well with the heavy fresh green spring foliage on the bank.

Next trilogy offers two birds with quite the range in size and fiercness! First up are two shots of a welcome swallow during and after a chat with me while resting on a sunny boulder before taking flight again hunting for insects; the thrid photo is an osprey checking me out with an imperious (I don't think it is quite contemputuous!) gaze before it returns that gaze to seeking potential fish for dinner.

This next trilogy is one of several tame laughing kookaburras used to descending for feeding time to the back verandah of a friend's residence. While not to be encouraged, the feeding time offers a really good chance to be still and close to show off the sharp contrast between the feathered finery and the very powerful beak. The likeness in shape to the much smaller kingfishers is unmistakable! I love the symmetry provided by the glare I receive in the final photo of this trilogy. Not something I would like to see heading straight at me!

By coincidence (truely!!) I noticed this laughing kookaburra with a very large earth worm; seemed appropriate to include the photo immediately after my previous comment ... I "know" how the worm must have felt seeing the beak arriving. (I can't help myself as I write this ... imagine how early it had to rise to get a worm this size 😋). The other thing that stands out for me in the photo is the battered state of the worm from being thrashed to tenderise against the branch and the resulting blood spots on the breast feathers. Nature in all her g(l)ory 😜 ... yes, its getting late I know!

Definately not a bird, even a prehistoric version! This water dragon, however, I decided to include because the prehistoric and reptilian features are striking; also the very green tinge on the shoulder stripes I have not noticed on them before - perhaps a special spring feature for this one?

And to conclude a curious male house sparrow taking a very close look at the lens as it perched on the edge capping of the roof.