Tassie VII - road south to the end

A little cryptic, perhaps. Less so if you have toured some extremities in Tassie. One day we drove as far south as is possible in a normal vehicle - to Cockle Creek. While we struck some drizzle and wind when we got there, we did find a coffee cart 😁! Along the way and back we saw a range of birds among the many wonderful views across waters and bays and villages of shacks. Well worth the drive.

A pair of pied oystercatchers

Kelp gull walking on water?

Pair of black swans doing what they do.

Both for a fuller context!

A wading white-faced heron on the hunt.

A single sooty oystercatcher on one leg eyeing me.

Our other big drive for a day was to Bruny Island. Here is a selection of birds we sighted along the way to, and at the lighthouse. Another exploration we enjoyed, though the island deserves much longer than a single day look around for sure.

A juvenile pacific gull

A flock of very juvenile pacific gulls figuring it all out!

Not to be outdone, a large flock of floating silver gulls.

A Richard's pipit

Finally, willingly and often posing atop the pushes astride the path to the top of the lighthouse and return were several new holland honeyeaters. Glorious in such a setting.

A coastal walk

A walk I have wanted to take for quite some time. Seemed like the day. Lennox Headland to Skennars Haedland return. As well as the "coastal track" there is now also a more formal walk and bike path interwoven along the way. Absolutley gorgeous and certainly something to savour if you get the opportunity. This is a smaller section of the wonderful Ballina to Lennox coastal path. 

See for yourself 😀 ... this is taken from near Pat Morton lookout (Lennox Headland end) looking south across Boulder Beach to Skennar's Headland. Up there, I reckon, challenging most coastal scenic walking routes anywhere you like.

Of course, my main hope was to sight some birds! Some success ... 

I'm sure early in the morning or later in the afternoon there would be even more, but you go when you can go ... on the north side of the stairs heading to the lookout at Lennox Headland a couple of brush turkeys were busy building their nest. The first photo below shows one deep in shadow down a "hole" in the centre of the mound while the larger turkey (bigger yellow necklace) is building from the edge. The second photo is included to highlight just how large that yellow necklace was!

A little further down the path from where the first photo of the post was taken, the ground was alive with Richard's pipits (apparently now the more correct name is Australian pipit). This triology shares two contrasting profiles and one in full voice. They hop, and stop, and look about and hop off again and if you get too close, well they take to the wing for a short flight to safety.

Walking along the path among the boulders there were several rainbow bee-eaters soaring through their acrobatic flights and resting in between on the casuarina branches on the beach front. Quite the "playground" location here! This trilogy shares a single one at rest; the next two, a resting pair, but with the "top" one showing off its prey being devoured from the prior flight. Of course, their gorgeous shimmering plummage is on full display too!

Standing with prominence on a large piece of driftwood among the beach rocks beside the beach was this white-faced heron displaying some breeding plummage. The plummage offers a hint of maroon among the grey.

At the end of the beach, deep in a bush shelter, there was this female superb fairy wren letting TWO male suitors know who was in control 😁.

Just a little further along, among beachside banksia seed pods, was this Lewin's honeyeater just finished a good feather shake.

Over on Skennar's Headland there were loads of fairy wrens about. The first two photos below are red-backed fairy wrens - the male, mid-call, clearly reflecting the name; the female a little ruffled as it emerged from the grass for some fresh air and light. The final three of this set are Superb fairy wrens - a pair of females, a single female and a male displaying the striking blue hues.

 

On the return journey, another rainbow bee-eater was spotted, and a welcome swallow being cute on the post rail of one of the bridges across some swampy ground.

Finally, feasting among the purple thistle flowers were some honey bees laden with pollen.

Winter close to home

 So, settled into my (2020) AL/LSL stint and have been focused on catching up on a lot of recreational reading. This is my usual way to ease into feeling like it is OK to take it easy and not be worried I "should be doing something" 😊. I have just started heading out again to take some photographs and that reminded to make sure I keep on top of catching this blog up ... so here I am ... back to the winter months of 2017.

Eclectic because the trips seem to be fewer in winter months (at least in 2017). Perhaps I was subconsciously yearning for a bit of a break given the intensity of my relatively recent conversion to birding? However such things are relative and while dedicated "days" may have been infrequent, the camera was mostly handy and so quite a range of birds and locations were covered. Turns out my search for winter photos to share fell into 3 broad geographical areas, so 

• this post will cover sightings close to home (Victoria Park, Wollongbar and that "other" home Uni); 
• the next post will cover a productive excursion to Lismore Lake; and 
• the third post in the winter compilation will cover "around" Ballina.

Enjoy some new finds and more of some favourites ...

These first two were noticed during a walk around Victoria Park Nature Reserve. A real treat when you manage to do the whole (short) boardwalk loop without anyone else being on location. The silence and sounds are something to behold. These guys are way up in the treetops and identified by their frequent droppings while they are feeding. The second little fella, an eastern yellow robin was peeking out around a trunk showing off their agility.

Topknot pidgeon

Eastern yellow robin

Next two were treats on-campus out my window. Not everyday we get to be so up close and personal with a mum & joey and the treat was too good NOT to share because it is not a bird 😆. The second one is a bird ... a wonga pidgeon grazing on the hill side, also out my window. 

Swamp wallaby & joey

Wonga pidgeon

This handsome white-headed pidgeon is quite prolific and easy to see on powerlines after any shower of rain or even during the rain. This was out the front of our home. I love the proud chest , the crinkled feathers on the back of the neck and the red eyes. Quite something (and very different look) in the sunshine.

White-headed pidgeon

This is again stretching the idea of a "bird" ... but the sunflower in full bloom is always a sight to behold and the bees were loving it this day out at Eltham.

Sunflower(s) and bees

The remaining photos in this compilation were all taken at various points around Lismore campus. The black kites on two different days when they were scouring the football fields. I wanted to show off three quite different perspectives with these photos - as always with birds of prey it is a wonderful privilege to be able to share space and get so close to admire them. 

Black kite

Black kite on ground

Black kite about to launch

Once again, a rare treat that is NOT a bird, but it IS in a tree 😃 and like the wallaby with the joey, far too special not to share with you. Healthy and big!

Big healthy koala

Striated pardolote

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

Black-shouldered kite

Magpie lark on mud nest

Richard's pipit

Rainbow lorikeet