Showing posts with label Birding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birding. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Birding at Lakewood Nature Reserve

Friends took me birding at Lakewood Nature Reserve. They had seen Blue-billed Ducks some days earlier and we were going to find out whether they were still around. Blue-billed Duck are uncommon and their conservation status in Victoria is vulnerable.

Lakewood Nature Reserve consists of open space, bushland and a retarding basin. It is located in Knoxfield in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.




Welcome Swallow
© Barbara Oehring
 


Grey Teal
© Barbara Oehring

 
A well equipped bird photographer.


© Barbara Oehring

Mallard walking.


© Barbara Oehring


These Mallards seemed to be as interested in the male Blue-billed Duck as we were.


© Barbara Oehring



 
Blue-billed Duck (m)
© Barbara Oehring


 
Blue-billed Duck (f)
© Barbara Oehring
 
 
 
Later that afternoon our patience was rewarded with a pair of Blue-billed Duck.

Blue-billed Duck
© Barbara Oehring

 

© Barbara Oehring

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Birding at Lilydale Lake Wetland

On a hot spring evening I stopped at Lilydale Lake Wetland for a short bird walk.


I was delighted to discover a Buff-banded Rail


Buff-banded Rail
Gallirallus philippensis
© Barbara Oehring 2012




and very surprised to find a Pink-eared Duck - a single bird (drake) on a post with a nesting box.


Pink-eared Duck
Malacorhynchus membranaceus
© Barbara Oehring 2012



 Next was a Great Cormorant,

Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
© Barbara Oehring 2012 

a male Superb Fairy-wren



Superb Fairy-wren
Malurus cyaneus
© Barbara Oehring 2012


and at the end of my walk I saw a pair of Purple Swamphen bathing.


Purple Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
© Barbara Oehring 2012

 

Friday, August 17, 2012

KOOLAMARA WATERS WALK

KOOLAMARA WATERS in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges is one of my favourite local birding spots.

 On Sunday afternoon I spent a little while observing birds and capturing on camera the following.


 Purple Swamphen on the alert during feeding.



Purple Swamphen
© Barbara Oehring 2012


 This Willie Wagtail stood still for the shortest time.

Willie Wagtail
© Barbara Oehring 2012



Galah
© Barbara Oehring 2012
  
The parklands were lush with green grass. It was August, the last month of winter.

Australian Magpie
© Barbara Oehring 2012
Red Wattlebird on the lookout.



Red Wattlebird
© Barbara Oehring 2012

It was time well spent.