black-shouldered kite

Raptors Eating Rodents at WTP

July 24, 2015 by Jade Craven Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I was going through my photos from the Western Treatment Plant with Glenn. He was saying how our sigma lens wasn’t working as good as he’d hope and that the Canon lens I’d borrowed was doing a better job.

It was true that the Canon lens was focusing a lot faster. However, I argued that that the Sigma lens was still pretty good. Glenn has a habit of not going through his photos properly. He’ll choose the best ones from a glance of the folder. That means he often misses the small details – the details that can really make the shot.

Yesterday, he was upset because I had gotten shots of birds of prey eating mice and he didn’t. As the below photos show, methinks he was mistake. He actually got better shots. They have much more detail and capture different moments.

Other images

He did take other photos, although he was right in that the quality was meh in some of them. It was mostly due to the settings of the camera and the fact we didn’t change them for different lighting. And at times the car was moving.

Cute Greenshank

A cormorant I’m pretending has a case of the giggles.

A beautiful Avocet

I learned SO MUCH yesterday – and the information is mixing with other bits of information I’m getting and turning me into a nerd.

I saw a golden headed cisticola yesterday and couldn’t figure out what it was. You know why? I hadn’t seen it in winter before and didn’t know that the top of their head turned blue.

We struggled to find any double banded plovers. I’ve since learned that there have been significantly less DBP’s in the Geelong region, according the the GFNC winter wader count. This is a quote from the email I got. I’m not sure about the etiquette with posting but it is so fascinating.

It is interesting to note that this lack of birds has also been observed this winter by other wader teams around Port Philip Bay eg Avalon and Western Treatment Plant but not so much the Westernport and Corner Inlet /Gippsland counts. Numerous suggestions as to what this might represent have been circulated including a reduction in open exposed ground in some Port Philip Bay sites which have been fenced off for conservation but actually have meant there is less open area for these birds. The other interesting factor back in New Zealand is that it is a beech mast year. In a mast year beech forests produce a higher than normal amount of seeds. Rats and stoats feed on the seeds and turn on native birds when the seeds run out. This may have put the Double-banded Plover young at risk and we may be seeing the result of a poor breeding season. We will see what next winter brings for these birds and what our wader experts across the Tasman think.

Visiting WTP with Glenn in Winter

July 23, 2015 by Jade Craven Leave a Comment

I’ve recently learned that birds start their nesting and breeding behaviour in mid winter so that the babies are ready when the food sources arrive in spring. This means awesome photo opportunities – especially if you manage to get photos of them sexing or tending to their babies.

This made me reconsider taking a break from birding over winter. I hadn’t gone to the treatment plant in about 6 months and was really keen to return there.

That’s actually a porky pie. I’ve gone outside the plant twice recently, looking for owls. But that doesn’t count 🙂

I put my feelers out on Facebook and connected with a Werribee birder called Paul. I had been wanting to take Glenn to the treatment plant for some time. He’s been reconnecting with his love of photography now that things in our lives have slowed down. I knew he would love it. He doesn’t necessarily care about birds in the same way that I do but there is always a smorgasbord of animals there. Lots of opportunities to get photos of birds eating and flying.

Then it hit me. He was servalpaul! Both Glenn and I had been following his instagram account for some time. We both loved his high quality photographs and I frequently used his work as example of what Glenn could accomplish. Glenn was a bit ‘meh’ about going to a sewerage farm (side story: so was the train station attendant, who said birdwatching was an obscure hobby) but perked up when I told him that someone he admired would be taking us there.

We got to Werribee Station shortly after 9.30am – minus Glenns wallet – and headed out to the plant.

Black kite. I love seeing them here. They are so common in many areas of Geelong, especially around Fyansford Common. I’m almost bored with them because I see them instead of my favourite, the black shouldered kite. Still, it was so awesome getting up close detail shots of them. Glenn was in his element and quickly forgot about his bad mood.

Swamp harrier. I learned you can tell what they are via their white rump. I suck with birds I don’t see frequently and need to brush up on bird of prey ID.

We got to see a brolga pair up close, which was beyond amazing. I know you can see them at Serendip Sanctuary and get good views but nothing compares to seeing such a beautiful bird in the wild. I did get to hear them call as they flew off, it sounded different to what I expected.

Someone was channeling Vivian Maier. Glenn said he was thinking of doing something similar.

A swan sitting on a nest. Some do breed all year round because there is a constant food source.

Black shouldered kite

I was so, so lucky to get this series of photos. The black shouldered kite was on a fence eating its delicious rodent lunch when it flew off, alarmed by the noise of the car. All 3 of us quickly fired off a series of shots. I had borrowed Pauls ‘spare’ camera at this time as the Nikon battery had died. It was the same as Glenns model but with a superior lens. This meant I could get a different perspective to Glenn, which came in handing as he accidentally had stuff on the wrong settings.

I was so stoked to see that some of the photos had worked out. This series shows the bird transferring the mouse from its beak to its talons. How amazing is that? I definitely have to return there now and WAY more frequently.

We came across an area where there was several birds of prey circling overhead, primarily black kites. I took a photo of this nankeen kestral before sneaking off for a discreet pee. This is one of the perils of birding at the WTP. Worth noting if you are inexperienced at doing a wee anywhere other then a toilet. It’s easier in a dress.

Another black shouldered kite. Extremely common there. I saw two at Barwon Bluff earlier in the week but didn’t have an SD card in the camera at the time. I know I have photos of the wingspan before but I quite liked this one.

The above photos are of two of the black kites that were flying overhead. I was a bit annoyed with myself at this point so only got mediocre photos. It was around this time that a flock of zebra finches flew in. None of the photos are worth posting, but I learned the birds are a lot more beautiful then I gave them credit for. They flew away as quickly as they came. No idea why.

The nankeen kestrel again. Such a beautiful bird, would love to get more photographs.

Red kneed dotterel. Wasn’t originally interested in getting photos of this but the reflection was nice.

A beautiful photo of an egret. Look at how awesome the lighting was. I want to come back here with Glenn on another cloudy, moody day to do black and white landscape shots.

The above two photos are of a flock of ducks near the bird hide. It was at this point we met two people who had discovered the elusive bittern that had been drawing a lot of attention. Ironically, earlier we had also met Steve Davidson and Craig Morley. Craig is the leader of the bird group for the Geelong Field Nats and had been very friendly to me so it was a pleasure to meet him again.

An avocet. I've converted Glenn to the dark side, he thinks these birds are beautiful. I hope to find more in the future, preferably closer to shore, for both of us to photograph.

The rare and vulnerable lost hubcap.

Peekaboo! There were yellow rumped thornbills but I loved this silvereye hanging upside down.

Spoonbill. Again, would have loved for Glenn to have had the opportunity to photograph these.

Interesting light. Hey, I dig this stuff. Any of these shots were quick ones done out of the car window.

We saw this black shouldered kite again at the end, where all three of us got a gazillion photos. It was here where we ran into Craig again! He kindly offered us a lift home, as it was easier then going to Werribee – Wyndham Vale – Corio – Home. Glenn learned just how close the treatment plant is to home and we got to look at our photos about an hour earlier then planned.

It was a really fantastic day. Glenn had a ball and Paul was a great guide. He taught us both so much. He helped us realize that yes, we needed to upgrade our gear and gave us camera recommendations that will really help us out in the long run. For me, he dropped random bird facts that helped me understand more about my favourite species.

You can check out more of Pauls photography on his Instagram account or Facebook page. I also enjoy his blog. He did a post about Werribee Treatment Plant and also the amazing Lamington National Park. His instagram pics from WTP use the tag #wtppr

First Visit to Lake Victoria

March 13, 2015 by Jade Craven Leave a Comment

This trip took place on 26th February

I was really excited to visit Lake Victoria. I love the Bellarine Peninsula. I lived there for 9 months and really regret not exploring it properly. It’s something that I’ve been planning to do now that I’m better…. but I’m not fond of going to areas I’m unfamiliar with.

The lovely Grace asked if I wanted to go along for my first Field Nats outing and told me that the area was good. I agreed, and I’m very thankful I did.

Lake Victoria is about 1-2km from the main lighthouse in Point Lonsdale. It’s accessibly from Emily St and there are a number of bus stops that go really close to there. From what I saw, there are no public toilets there though.

The rocks near the entrance are a popular spot for little egrets – or at least they were on the day! This is a spot that warrants multiple visits to properly explore.

Among those rocks we found a caspian tern. I’m always grateful to add another tern to my list but, as a species, they vex me.

We saw this large group of grebes, primarily hoary headed but with a couple of great crested. It was amazing to see. Those with a scope saw musk ducks closer towards the back of the lake.

I loved seeing this black shouldered kite hovering above us. It stayed for a short while, allowing my camera enough time to focus. It’s such a beautiful bird.

Large flocks of sharpies and red necked stints. The group was largish, so they would fly off occasionally when spooked. It was great to see this up close.

You can also see that some of the curlew sandpipers were getting their reddish breeding plumage. I loved seeing this up close.

Not sure what this skeleton is. I did consider taking it back home for the little dude, but figure he has enough random bits of animals that he’s found while adventuring.

There are hundreds of swans there – it’s somewhat similar to Swan Bay. You can’t get close to them like you can at Truganina. They also spook a lot easier then birds at more populated locations.

A lovely butterfly. Some of the ladies in the area were commenting on it but I missed the species name.

There were fairy terns sitting out on these rocks. I could definitely see the size difference at the time. Sometimes you can get the little terns in this area. It is about half way up the lake. You need to step off the path and walk along the side of the lake to get to this point – a lesson I, and my shoes, would later learn.

I appreciated how some of the fellow field nats were referring to the field guides to double check what species they saw. It makes me feel like less of a moron.

There were also two hoodies! It was really surprising. Some people suspected they were younger ones although I couldn’t see any leg bands. Most of the group walked further up to look at something while I stayed back to watch the hoodies. I didn’t move, because I didn’t know who the scope belonged to and didn’t want it to get damaged if no-one was around. That was when this little guy came up.

A red capped plover doing it’s ‘broken wing’ display. It does this to lead predators away from their nest or chicks. Apparently there was a chick further up. I didn’t move as I was minding the scope so took the following pictures. I felt so guilty doing so as I knew my presence was causing the bird distress.

The above is what I believe may be some sort of fungi, although I really have no idea.

An awesome looking spider!

A white throated needletail. I believe a fork tailed swift was also spotted but I can’t be sure that I saw it. So fast and difficult to discern!

An egg we found shortly after leaving the red capped. I’m not sure what species it belongs to.

A common greenshank. It was nice that others on the group were able to point out the call, it really helps newbies like me learn.

This was my first proper field nats excursion. I don’t know why it took me so long to join! Yes, there is an age bias towards older people. Someone explained it to be though that a lot of people have less time for the activities once they start families. They drop out of the community a bit and then rejoin when the kids are a bit older.

Everyone is super friendly and it’s not overwhelming like other groups I’ve been on. The pace is slower. I don’t feel as zonked.

I’m definitely planning on returning to the area. In fact, Seth and I visited here last weekend! I’d love to get to know the area better, preferably with someone else helping me.

Visiting Truganina Swamp

December 3, 2014 by Jade Craven Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I visited Truganina swamp for the first time. I recently joined a Victoria birdwatching group of Facebook and asked for advice about birding locations close to public transport. This was one of the locations mentioned and I’m so grateful it was. It was so close to the train station!

It was a fantastic session, probably one of the best I’ve had. So many new species and I was able to learn so much. Will definitely be returning. I’m cranky about the weather in Victoria currently as I want to return, despite the sunburn I received yesterday.

BANDED STILT BANDED STILT BANDED STILT.

I know I will probably look bag on this blog and be embarrassed by my excessive use of capitalization/exclamation marks but I don’t care. I’ve been trying to find banded stilts for a while now. You can find them in locations close to Geelong but not in places that are easily accessible. There is a known location off a highway but I was uncomfortable with the idea of standing on the side of the road.

I’ve now seen all species of stilts. I think they are more beautiful then black winged. It was hard to find up-to-date information about whether they were there or not, there were lots of reports about them being there in 2013. Regardless,

Bog standard white fronted chat. I’ve seen them multiple times but I think there is something adorable about them.

Black shouldered kite. Was hoping for other birds of prey but it was nice seeing one in flight.

Obligatory swan photo for Glenn and Seth. I saw a lot of them yesterday and am enamored with their call.

This little guy (or lady) is an Australasian (Richard’s) pipit. I initially had trouble identifying it as I had it confused with a little grassbird. When you look closely, however, the pipits markings are isolated to it’s breast and not over it’s tummy like with the grassbird.

Very thankful to Luke Shelley for asking the right questions to help me figure that out. It is common/moderately commmon and loves open country. There are four subspecies; the one I saw is Anthus Novaeseelandiae which is the one you find most often in Australia. Can be confused with Eurasian Skylark and Horsfield’s bushlark.

🙂 Do you see why I find identification so overwhelming at times? Sometimes it’s easier to ask for a straight ID and then use the information to work backwards. I’m finding that birding in new locations requires just as much time away from the field to understand what I’ve seen.

Right now I feel happier then I have in a long time, though. Well, since the last concert I went to.

This is a little egret. Which means that I’ll eventually find my arch nemesis, the intermediate.

Common Greenshank. I was right with a lot of my guesses yesterday but didn’t trust my gut. I was feeling sick and exhausted afterwards though so am blaming it on my brain, and the sunburn.

Sandpipers

The following images are apparently all sharpies. I can’t tell them apart. They are meant to look different according to age and gender. I find sandpipers to be too overwhelming. You can get other ones in the area so I’ll be double checking my photos now that I have confirmation on the clearer ones.

It was a fantastic twitch and is a place that I highly recommend people go to. It’s close to Westona train station. If coming from Geelong, it can be a bit of a bitch to get too. I had to get off the train at Werribee and catch a train to Laverton. I then had to catch a separate train to Westona. A bit of stuffing around but it was so worth it.

The walk was very quick and easy. It was surprising to see such a wide variety of birdlife so close to suburbia. I saw a blue tongue lizard (striped) while walking there. It was on the footpath and a number of birds (common mynas and house sparrows) were attacking it. It was hissing at them, and me, a lot. I tried to pick it up but it lunged at me, so I wrapped it in my cardigan and put it in someones front garden. It was trying to get there anyway but couldn’t fit through any gaps in the fence.

I struggle to know when to intervene with nature. In this case, I figured it was a wild animal in an artificial environment and I should give it a small helping hand. A local said they were quite common in the area. It’s amazing, and depressing at times, to see how wildlife survive in suburbia. I found a squashed blue tongue on a road near the river recently, which was sad.

Two new birds at Balyang

September 20, 2013 by Jade Craven Leave a Comment

I know I’ve been posting way too much local birdwatching lately. It’s because Balyang is about 700m away and is very easy for 5 year old legs to get to.

Yesterday was the first time I had seen my nephew since I’d gotten back from Queensland. He was very quick to tell me about what he’d gotten up to in Mansfield and then asked to go to Balyang. I had given him a toy quoll and bilby as a present so we took them on an adventure with is.

I’ve learned to go straight to this tiny island in the centre of the pond/swamp thingy as that is where all the cool birds hand out. The birds look generic when viewed through the camera but I was so excited when I got home and saw several of my favourite species.

I’ve developed a bit of a crush on the pink eared duck. It was standing on a lone branch but, alas, its nap was not meant to be.

A cormorant landed and swam up to the branch, stealing the ducks spot. No!

It was good, in a way, as it allowed me to get some close up shots of the duck itself. I think it’s quite beautiful, in a very weird way. It has a very compelling beak and markings.

The cormorant took the opportunity to go ‘sup and show off its wingspan

They weren’t the only birds we saw. There was a pelican, which I hadn’t seen there in a long time. I also saw two new birds

We saw this guy going over the bridge to get to the sanctuary. The photo isn’t good as my lens wasn’t close enough, I couldn’t ID it without getting a photo. I believe it’s a black-shouldered kite. My first bird of prey since starting a list!

(sidenote: I have no idea how to keep track of the birds I’ve seen. I’ve been adding reports to Eremaea, but what about all the birds I’ve seen before that?)

The picture of this guy is also fuzzy, but it was enough to ID it as a black-faced cuckoo shrike.

It’s taken a while, but I feel like I’m learning more about birdwatching. You have to follow every movement you see and not look in the obvious spots. You will often have to work to find the animal and you need to intuitively understand the environment you’re in.

I feel like I’m getting there. This all would be so much easier if I just had a car and could bugger off to visit ALL THE THINGS!