Winton Wetlands special

So, the final post from our Tassie adventure is a "special" tribute to my brief visit to the Winton Wetlands.

While it was on our return journey, I figured there was enough from that single 2 hour visit to warrant a seperate post to celebrate the special nature of the wetland. I was impressed with the range of birds and other wildlife I saw from my very quick tour.

Here are my picks to share, and the only disappointment is my inability to identify the bird of prey I have in good clear pictures. Someone will help me at some point. Bottom line, if that is all I have to be disappointed about I am in a very privileged position 😁 - its been fun catching up; touring and now being settled back in home. Time to refresh my exploring of the local sights!

Pair of black swans upon still water.

Take-off by an eastern rosella (later I saw two flocks
of more than 50 birds each lift out of grass as I drove by)

The next two photos are sulphur crested cockatoos. Second one most intereting as it is perched at the entrance to a nesting hole.

Yellow-billed spoonbills, one having a bit to say!

Little pied cormorant

Australian wooduck and egret on waters edge.

Three sulphur-crested cockatoos on the lookout.

Australian white & straw-necked ibis sharing some space

The next 3 photos show off two different birds of prey (I believe same species, but young - that is my excuse for not being able to name them 😏).

The next 3 photos show of two sets of little corellas playing and perching (seemingly precariously the way they carry-on) out on a limb!

My final offering is a white-necked heron. I was mazed how prolific these were in this location - we rarely see one at a location around here, so to see them so often on this two hour drive was a delight and a pleasure. Majestic movers!

The road less travelled home (June)

We decided that our trip back from Sydney would take the road less travelled rather than simply follow the freeway as normal, or head back up the NE Highway (bit cold and potentially treacheous this time of year when not used to winter travel). While mostly about taking in the magnificent coastal scenery along our route, a few opportunities were taken to enjoy the birdlife.

This meant we followed the old Pacific Highway to Newcastle on our first day, ending up at Fern Bay, not far from Port Stephens and Fingal Bay. My wife wanted to explore those areas which her family had frequented for childhood holidays. The trip was very pleasant because there was very little traffic and a reduced speed limit most of the way, so it was easy to take in the scenery so often by-passed using the freeway.

After exploring that very picturesque but rapidly developing area, next day we headed to the other side of Port Stephens and stayed a night at Tea Gardens. The afternoon of our arrival we went for a short exploratory drive and came across quite the mix of water birds sharing the spoils of the shallows as the sun begun its evening descent. Pelicans, an egret, silvergulls, little black cormorants and a white-faced heron. Each seemed to get their share!

Next morning we headed off through Mungo Brush to Buladelah. Nice coastal rainforest and heathland then farmland. We intended to take the Lakes Way to Forster via Seal Rocks and Boomerang Beach, alas a bad car accident led traffic in both directions to be turned around. Still we made Forster for the night and enjoyed sunset and sunrise over the main beach and ocean pool from our seafront room.

Next day after a brief drive around we headed north to Black Head, by-passed Taree and then into Harrington and Crowdy Head. We took the dirt road through the Crowdy Bay National Park to Dunbogan, Laurieton and North Haven to stay the night - my turn to reminisce from our childhod holidays in that location. The stay was cool, and a visit up North Brother Mountain {Dooragan} lookout next morning a highlight.

We went for a walk out the Dunbogan sea wall on the cloudy and windy afternoon we arrived and were treated to the following three sightings.  First up a Brahmini kite hovering into the strong wind.

Next, this young darter was (it turned out!) straining on a boulder, and the second photo captures the "surprise" as it examines what it had just excreted - "did I really just do that?" And they say photos never lie!

The final treat for this little excursion was a pair of sooty oystercatchers flying in for a rest and brief explore on the boulders down near the water edge. That water offers a nice backdrop to the birds on the boulder and serves to highlight the striking red/orange of their beaks and eye ring. Like the "plain" white of the cockatoo in the previous post, the "plain" black is very dressed up with that red/orange and the pink of the legs.

From here we headed further north via Port Macquarie and a drive through Limeburners Creek National Park to Crescent Head and on to South West Rocks for our final night before heading home. Both final days were simply fantastic weather and we were treated along the way to many whale sightings at stunning coastal locations. Have to include these two shots for some substantiation of the claims - SW Rocks beach lookig to Trial Bay and a pod of whales heading north from the Smokey Cape Lighthouse.

Set out below are some photos from around various locations near SW Rocks - the birds in each are identified under the photos. This is a location we are returning to for a more extensive stay and explore in early August - here's hoping the weather is still as spectacular!

Pacific black duck

Pelicans (and chestnut teal butts)

Chestnut teals foraging

Chestnut teals resting on the bank

Young black-winged stilt foraging

Black-winged stilt pair in disagreement

Same pair foraging after resolution

The ubiquitous white ibis

Young pied butcherbird

Pair of crested pigeons seeking seed

Pied butcherbird in full voice

Some more from Shaws Bay (Sept)

Another week, another day, another walk along the north wall at Shaws Bay.

First up was this figbird offering a clear profile just above the green foliage as it perched on a dead branch and checked out where it might fly off to next. The plainer brown striated plummage of the female without the distinctive red eye patch here.

Next up I offer a three photo set showing the amazing ability of the egret to be still, even when striking and thereafter ... hardly a ripple in the still water! First up the slow stalk, getting the long neck muscles into the sprung "strike" position; second, the strike, with that powerful pointed beak and head piecing the surface and into the reeds; finally, savouring the catch just before devouring it. The stillness hardly seems to have been broken after the event 😉- unless, of course, you happen to be the prey!

While certainly not birds, the floating and breeze dependent haphazard flight of a butterfly is always a sight to behold. This day there were masses of Caper whites. Here are a couple of photos of ones enjoying the pollen and nectar of the yellow flowers out near the beach. The subtle pastel colours really complement the environment they are enjoying.

 

The next two photos offer two more wading birds in action. First a smaller egret with a breeding plume hanging off the back of the head and more in the tail. Just standing patiently ... watching, waiting. Second, a white-faced heron also being patient but with the right leg poised to wade forward.

Finally, another little pied cormorant roosting in the mangroves, but having a quiet word as I meandered past and paused for the photo opportunity.

Meandering in July

Slim pickings in July, but a few encounters to share featuring mainly water birds & waders,

First up is a series of three photos showing a little pied cormorant getting into a relaxed position to soak up the sun and dry out after spending some time swimming and diving.

This next series of three highlights a pair of pied oystercatchers reposing on some rocks, turned into the wind tucking their beaks along their back and standing on one leg. The red eyes are (as always) a strong feature. The individual poses are zoomed in on each bird of the pair.

Even the much maligned noisy miner can look exquisite in the right light and surroundings. This photo shows off the range of colour in the plumage and the black and yellow highlights looking across the yellow beak. The light weight of the bird is demonstrated by the way the milk thistle remains upright as the miner clings vertically on the stem. Sometimes so much can be noticed with time to enjoy the environment.

Here is a nice shot of two pairs of Australian wood ducks enjoying the shaded grass under a tree ... not a care in the world for a while at least ... 

Next up are two common "black" birds. First, the magpie enjoying the view across the river on some debris branches wedged ashore after the earlier floods - that beak looking powerful; second, one of those willy wagtails perched on a steel gate post with the ever-present cheeky gaze at the camera.

Finally, on a drive through some sodden cane fields north of Woodburn I managed to photograph this trio of water bird waders near a canal, culminating with two of them sharing the same lens, offering a neat contrast. A feature of these birds here is the similar shape of the bodies, though each clearly different in bulk; also the similar longs legs enabling the wading through waters and marsh of considerable depth.