In The Garden.

It is amazing what you find just walking around the garden.

Around the Area.

Took a drive out to Swallow Lagoon, the bird life was very quiet as it has been in this area for a while. picked up a couple of photos of insects doing their business.

I then drove over to Marlay Point and stopped at the wet paddock on the way, the water is drying up fast, still there were black-winged Stilts, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Red-capped Plovers, I set up my seat and waited for the Plovers to come closer. The Sandpipers stayed on the other side of the water.

 Black-winged Stilt.

 

 Female Red-capped Plover.

 

 Male Red-capped Plover.

 

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

 

Crane Flies.

 

Ross.

Morwell National park.

Earlier in the Month the Heyfield Birders spent a very pleasant few hours at the Morwell national Park.
27 Species were ticked off including, Large billed Scrub Wren, Brown Gerygone, Black Cockatoos, Wedge Tailed Eagle, White Browed Scrub Wren.

 Rufous Fantail.

 

 Wedge Tailed Eagle.

 

White Browed Scrub Wren.

 

Grey Fantail Nest with Babies.

 

Back at the car park whilst having lunch the Yellow Robins put on a real show, they seemed to be every where.

 This one was that close I didn't have time to wind the lens back, hence the cut off head.

 

Parent and Baby.

 

 

Ross.

 

 

 



First Outing 2015.

Heyfield bird watchers had their first outing last Thursday, 10 members attended, and we met at the gate to Herb Guyatt reserve at Wurruk. After strolling around the reserve for about 2 hours we ticked off 45 species, including Scarlet Honey eater, Azure Kingfisher (x 3), Whistling Kite, Black Duck, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail.
It was then onto Flooding creek as one of our members had seen Latham Snipe here, we walked along the creek towards Lake Guyatt and put up 6 snipe.
At Lake Guyatt we ticked 46 Freckled Duck, Great Egret and Scarlet Honey Eater, Nankeen Night Heron.
Five of us then drove along Stevens St to check out the water birds  on the wet paddocks below, here we ticked great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Red Kneed Dotterels, Cattle Egret and in the distance Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.  The scope was a great help here. All in all 56 species for the outing.
We finished about 12.30pm as the rain started.

 Azure Kingfisher.

 

 Black Duck.

 

 Trio of Ducks.

 

 Freckled Duck.

 

 Great Egret.

 

 Nankeen Night Heron.

 

Whistling Kite.

 

 

Ross.

Around the house.

My wife and are at the moment experiencing a fairly major change in our life. We now have our 9 year old grand daughter living with us permanently. So I am now hearing the words " what can we do now Poppa" too many times to mention in a day.

She mentioned we should have a look around the garden for bugs, she had just found a water feature in the garden full of Tadpoles, this got her going. So it was off on a bug hunt. The photos are the result. All taken with my Panasonic FZ 200 camera set on the close up setting, not macro.

Honey Bee busy on the Silver Birch.

 

Honey Bee.

Leaf  Curling Spider

 

Orb-weaving Spider.

Orb-weaving Spider.

Redback spider on shed door.

Spiny Spider.

Spiny Spider.

 

 

It is very interesting what you can find around the garden, another world in miniature.

 

 

Ross.

Marlay point and surrounds.

Went for a drive down to Marlay point to check out the water birds, unfortunately the place was over run by fishermen, so the only birds around were the gulls. Lots of water on the paddocks after the rain the past couple of weeks. Black-winged Stilts were in abundance.
Further along the road back towards the RAAF base I spotted a Whistling Kite in a spot where they seem to hang out. Also on the road was a Blue Tongue lizard.

 Black-winged Stilt

 

 Blue Tongue Lizard.

 

 Whistling Kite.

 

Whistling Kite.

 

 

 

Ross.

Herb Guyatt Reserve.

 Crimson Rosella.

 

 Juvenile Red Browed Finch. 

 

 Grey Fantail.

 

 Kookaburra.

 

 Red Browed Finch.

 

 Silver Eye.

 

Yellow- rumped Thornbill.

 

 Golden Whistler.

 

 Yellow Faced Honeyeater.

 

Eastern Yellow Robin.

 

After my first sighting of the Scarlet Honeyeater, I have been back to Herb Guyatt reserve a few times; but have not sighted the honeyeater again, except once along the river, still no photo, can hear them calling. On my last run through the reserve I took some photos of the birds I saw, ie the one's that sat long enough, quite a variety.

 

 

 

 

Ross.