My Nature Blog
I’ve never really had much much luck with crakes. I went to Jerringot a fair bit when living out that way and only saw them the once. It took about four visits to Eastern Park to find the Ballions. I didn’t mind: they are elusive buggers and there were other birds higher up on my priority list.
Nonetheless: TWO CRAKES AT ONCE!
[Read more…] about Brilliant Views Of Crakes At Werribee Treatment Plant
I’ve already posted twice about Wednesdays trip to Werribee Treatment Plant. It seems I am a glutton for punishment because I am adding a third post in as many days. This post, however, is about a bird that is fast becoming a favourite.
I’m talking about Barn Owls.
[Read more…] about Seeing barn owls TWICE MORE at WTP
Last night, a bunch of my birding friends went birding in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne. There was no way I could go at such short notice. I watched their adventures from afar and was super jealous when they found a large number of barn owls on Beach Rd.
I was fine with missing out but then my friend Carolyn messaged me this morning asking if I wanted to go looking for the barn owls tonight! She had gone with the others last night, but left after seeing the boobook at Eynesbury. The others stayed out until after midnight.
The following photos show their plumage and markings. I think they are so beautiful.
The back of the bird. This angle will come in useful if I see just the butt poking out from a tree.
Here, you can see the colours on the wings.
A clear side on angle which shows barring? on the tail and spots on the chest.
Under the wings. Note both bars and spots.
Having a scratch, which is adorable. I was thankful to Carolyn for lending me her binoculars.
Fluffing up the features. The sounds my camera lens was making, as well as the flash of the camera, was annoying him at this point.
Turning his head. It looks magnificent.
These photos are mediocre. I had the medium lens with me, the 55-300. I thought the birds would be a lot lower then they were.
They were in a series of pines on Beach Rd, right near the top. We got there just after dark and saw a couple of owls flying over but couldn’t get a definite Id, Suspect one was a boobook.
We walked back to the car, around 6.45. There was one above the car! Another flew in. One would circle around the tree only to land again. I’m not sure what this behaviour is for, nor whether they often stay in trees in groups.
They seemed to handle the torch okay. Suspect the camera disturbed them but my friends had gotten photos the night before and said that it didn’t annoy them. Their photos were significantly better then mine. Carolyn pointed out that this could be due to the number of torches on them. They probably didn’t have their cameras on auto, either.
Mine struggled to focus. My telephoto lens would have definitely been more practical in this setting. I also think a tripod could have been more helpful as slow shutter speed didn’t help.
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There isn’t that much else to say. It was so brilliant seeing them. We could only do a quick visit, as Carolyn was leaving for a birding trip. I would love to have observed them for longer because they are really interesting birds. I have little knowledge about owls. I’m so excited to learn more about them.
They are a bird that is apparently very hit and miss. There can be a lot one night and a week later, there can be very few.
Super thankful for this trip – and most of the other ones I’ve done recently. They’ve been very therapeutic and have given me a great starting point to do more research.
This trip took place on the 15th of February
I didn’t really want to go to WTP last Sunday. I’d only had four hours sleep, due to being up late with my family the night before. I was already exhausted. I knew it was a bad idea. But… I needed to bird. I knew I’d look back on it fondly. I just knew that I would really struggle that day.
And I did. But it was so worth it.
I got picked up by Peter, from Bannockburn, at 6.30. We all met outside WTP at 7, where it took a short while to get started. Once we organized the various cars we headed off.
The first stop was Kirks Point. You don’t need a key to access this part of the plant, I think. It’s a bumpy dirt road that is unsealed. You need a decent car to get there.
We saw a striated fieldwren on the way there, which was fantastic. I’d been hoping to find one at a number of birding locations along the Western Suburbs but hadn’t had much luck. It was so beautiful to photograph.
We were able to see a number of terns in this area, including common terns and fairy terns. I can definitely see the size difference between fairy and crested terns now. It always seems so much easier after you’ve seen it in the field. I struggled to tell the common ones apart until I noticed that they had a black bill.
Initially I couldn’t tell what was what and really struggled. Fortunately, Simon Starr from Firetail Birdwatching Tours was there to help out. He was very generous helping people and sharing his scope. Would love to bird with him when my budget improves.
I don’t know what this carcass is – would be interested to try to ID it at some pont.
Saw my first eurasian skylark! Was so grateful to be in a car with such generous people.
A deceased fish I found and wanted to try to ID. I’m a nerd.
I’m not 100% sure my locations are accurate, as we stopped at started at various points. I’m loosely organizing pictures according to where I think I was at the time.
The above is of a couple of zebra finch. I loved being able to get up close and watching them, it was so fascinating.
Then we found the banded lapwing! It’s a bird I’m obsessed with and would love to see again, I find the markings to be so beautiful. It was hard to get a clear photograph as they were a fair distance away.
There were also babies, which were every more difficult to photograph.
Obligatory plane photo for the nephew. It’s not currently being used to test stuff anymore, but it’s still fun.
This this is the little eagle that we saw
I also saw 2 brolga at the T section! They were right at the back and a bit difficult to see. It sorta shows how silly birding is. I can get up close and get really beautiful photos of the captive ones at Serendip. But no, I have to find them in the wild – just so I can claim it as a tick. I don’t even care about ticks, I guess I like it increasing my life list because it somehow conveys seriousness about birding.
I’ll continue doing my slow birding and just exploring certain areas as much as I can. I’m going slightly stir crazy as I’m really feeling the urge to travel, but don’t have the money to pay for driving lessons currently.
These were found just in the gate from the boat ramp. The directions given to a friend was “inside the gate, down point wilson road and opposite kirk point road. That first pond in.”
I can’t give further information as I’ve only been there once. The whole day, I had no idea where I was.
It was hilarious. As soon as Phil got out of the car he shouted “There it is!” I know that they aren’t that common, but I kinda didn’t see what the fuss was. I know it likes hanging out with the sharpies instead of the red necked stint. It looked a bit different, but certainly not interesting enough to photograph. I’ve learned that I’m just not into sandpipers and stints that much, at least not yet. It’s an overwhelming hobby and I’ll mature as I learn more.
See the bird in the grassy stuff at the bottom? Which has colouring that is a bit different? I have no idea how they could tell so easily; took me a while to find it.
The pectoral. Really liked being able to see one as I had only seen my first sharpies at Lake Colac last year. At that point, I wasn’t able to tell the difference between sharpies and pectoral. Once I learned that pectorals are a bit rarer I decided ‘ooh! I have to see one.’ Which, again, shows my silly reasons for adding stuff to a list.
I can see the difference in breast/facial markings now, but may have struggled if someone didn’t point it out to me. Kevin Bartram is awesome at telling birds apart, even when it’s really difficult.
White winged black tern around the rocks near gate 4.
At this point, I don’t remember where we were, other then the bird hide. I think we may have been driving to the car. All I know is that I saw a number of musk ducks and I was enamored.
I got this photo of a female for comparison purples. We struggled to tell the difference between a musk duck, and blue billed duck, recently when at Lake Lorne. I can definitely see the difference in the shape of the head.
The duck butt.
The thing I found especially fascinating was that it wasn’t his tail that as causing the water. He was using his feet! I didn’t notice that the first time I saw the video. I’d love to return just to take photos of the ducks.
As mentioned, I really struggled this day. Things were taking longer then planned. People wouldn’t move on after they were done, they would stay at chat for a while. This is understandable – and isn’t a criticism. I was so lethargic and it was a rather hot day, so I’d have to sneak off to the car to sit down and try to relax. I felt so rude – and questioned whether I did the right thing by going. I think I did but damn, it was difficult.
The bird hide was crowded and there was so many birds, so I thought I’d wait outside. Someone would tell me if they saw something interesting. This strategy failed, somewhat, as others saw a red knot. But I was fortunate enough to get extended looks at this spotted crake.
Photo of its bottom, to help with identification.
It wasn’t that skittish, unlike the spotless crake I saw later that day! I enjoyed being able to see it, especially since I’ve dipped so many times at Belmont.
Orb Spider in the hide.
I was one of only two people that saw this blue billed duck. I was sitting in the car attempting to practice mindfulness.
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Thousands of shelducks in flight.
Cygnets with their parents.
Sheep 🙂
More shelducks. It almost felt like you were in the countryside.
Beautiful avocets.
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Despite getting crook, it was a really lovely. So awesome that I had to go back home to my parents house so I could tell the nephew about it. He was just as excited as I was about seeing the banded lapwings. Now my parents are talking about maybe going there with Seth one day. That would be fantastic, he’d love it there. I wouldn’t want to ask a friend in case he gets overwhelmed.
I’m also joining the local field nats club. Big, fantastic day
The Werribee Treatment Plant was the place I wanted to get to this year. I contacted someone from Birdingpals in January, asking if they could help. He forwarded my address onto a local but nothing came of it. I was going to hire a guide for the day but that requires money I don’t have. I’d accepted that I probably wouldn’t get there anytime soon and decided to find affording birding destinations close to public transport and camp grounds. I know I’ll be doing that next year.
I asked for advice on the Facebook group – and got an offer to visit Werribee Treatment Plant for the morning. We only got to visit a small part of it but I loved it. Birding is the only time my brain gives me real peace.
I love raptors. Normally I have to work really hard just to get a glimpse of one. Here, they were everywhere. So many species. So many calls. It’s worth coming here just for the plethora of raptors.
I was called a sick bitch for getting this photo. Well, I am one. 🙂 I’m not sure what species it is but LOOK! It’s doing a poop!
It sounds silly, but getting decent poop shots has become an obsession of mine. I was photographing a new holland honeyeater and accidentally got a photo of it doing a teeny one. Glenn was jealous, and we both have been trying to top my original shot. It didn’t help that we saw some hilarious bird poop shots online. This… is was the culmination of a lot of work and hoping.
Was so honoured to see this white bellied sea eagle. I think that they are a magnificent bird and could spend all day watching them. I become enamored with them during the 2014 breeding season via EagleCam. I was devastated when the chick died. I just think they are so beautiful – I’m particularly fond of eagles.
We saw this guy and both got out of the car, carefully so as not to scare it away. I had trouble focusing. Then it turned around and hung out above as for a while! Got some interesting photos with lens flare. This alone was the trip.
Another highlight was hearing the call of a whistling kite in the wild. Glenn fell in love with the bird after hearing a captive one at Jirrahlinga. I loved it.
I think this is a pipit, although we all know how easily confused I get. Loved how it wasn’t as skittish as the one I saw elsewhere.
We went to a bird hide and saw a number of shorebirds. The tide was out a fair way. There were a LOT of sandpipers, and one red necked stint. Lots of swans and avocets. I saw a couple of sharpies being territorial
Also got photos of a curlew sandpiper! Only a couple of sandpipers left to see. Finally feel like I’m making a dint. I know I’m at the annoying stage of just list building, but I’m trying to learn as much as I can. Once I’ve learned as much as I can about the birds in the area I can focus on just watching them.
A nest. Was wondering whether it was the sea eagles?
Zebra finch. Was so excited to see. I love robins, wrens and finches. I think they are fascinating. I love the markings on this guy.
A chat. I want to see other species of them 🙂
This is more then just a buff banded rail. We saw something run across the path and were a bit confused. It looked a bit unusual – almost like a rufuos bristlebird? We waited for it to come closer. We saw that it was a rail but didn’t understand why. I looked at the photos and that was when I noticed that there was a tiger snake in the frame!
Think I may become a herper?
Dipped on any other crakes and rails, not for lack of trying. They are now a group of bogey birds that vex me so.
Loved the reflections here. Totally worth coming back just for photography. We saw musk ducks, Great crested grebes, shelducks. It was beautiful to see them up close.
Common greenshank or mash sandpiper. Can’t instantly tell them apart yet.
A much better shot of a golden headed cisticola. Not bad for something taken through a windscreen!
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Had such a fab time and am so grateful to those that have been helping me lately. I’d love to return. Feeling a bit crazy because I haven’t birded for 5 days 😛 Silly work.