I will very soon be going to Sri Lanka. Expect posts from Sri Lanka soon! I will try to keep you updated on what I see. There may be times when I cannot post because I am in bungalows with no electricity etc., or in a hotel without internet. As I said, I will try to keep you well updated. I will be visiting:
. THALANGAMA TANK
. DEHIWALA ZOO
. NUWERA ELIYA (Maybe)
. KANDY
. BANDARAWELA
. WILPATTU NATIONAL PARK
Forgive mispellings in this list. Today we pack. See you soon!
P.S: For info on Sri Lanka birding posts, I have posted a few things about Thalangama Tank and birding in Sri Lanka if you are interested
Saturday 10 September 2011
A VISIT TO QUEENS PARK
Today my mum, my sister and I went to Queens Park in Moonee Ponds. We started by walking around the lake. Doing this, I saw a few Eurasian coots, lots of Pacific black ducks and dusky moorhens, two australasian grebes, one hardhead, a few chestnut teals and lots of feral pigeons.
An Australasian grebe
A coot
Then, as my sister played in the playground, I went to the summerhouse and observed some more feral pigeons, lots of silver gulls and a few more hardheads.
A male hardhead
All in all, this trip was well worth it!
Then, as my sister played in the playground, I went to the summerhouse and observed some more feral pigeons, lots of silver gulls and a few more hardheads.
All in all, this trip was well worth it!
VISITING AFTON STREET CONSERVATION PRESERVE AGAIN!
Yesterday my dad and I went to Afton Street Conservation Preserve. Near the carpark we saw a single australian wood duck. We walked along the ridge slope, seeing heaps of yellow-rumped thornbills, Australian ravens and superb fairy-wrens. We saw a large, grey-brown bird with a red wattlebird that had a white edge to its tail. We were unable to identify this bird, although we suggested that it might have been an extra-large wattlebird (but this bird was way larger than the other wattlebird in the tree), a dove (that's the kind of feeling you get from my image of the bird) or a grey currawong. Warning- the following image of this bird was taken against the sun, so is not of very good quality. Please try to identify this bird for me if you can.
The mystery bird
After seeing the mystery bird, we walked up to the grasslands where we saw two raptors soaring- a whistling kite and a black-shouldered kite. I managed to get images of each, but both were too lousy to show on this blog. Then we tried to photograph a few passerines in the trees at the sand quarry. We didn't succeed.
The mystery bird and the two raptors certainly made this trip worth it!
After seeing the mystery bird, we walked up to the grasslands where we saw two raptors soaring- a whistling kite and a black-shouldered kite. I managed to get images of each, but both were too lousy to show on this blog. Then we tried to photograph a few passerines in the trees at the sand quarry. We didn't succeed.
The mystery bird and the two raptors certainly made this trip worth it!
Sunday 4 September 2011
THE BOATHOUSE CAFE AND AFTON STREET CONSERVATION PRESERVE
Yesterday my mum, my sister and I went to the Boathouse Cafe and Afton Street Conservation Preserve.
When we arrived at the Boathouse Cafe, I headed straight to the lake which I knew from experience was a good place to look for waterbirds. The lake didn't disappoint me, turning up a pair of Australian wood ducks, lots of Pacific black ducks, lots of silver gulls, a few grey teals and a few chestnut teals.
A chestnut teal (top), a grey teal (middle) and a Pacific black duck (bottom).
Then we headed for Afton Street Conservation Preserve. We checked out the wetland and saw two little pied cormorants, a Pacific black duck and two wood ducks. Then we headed for the grassland. At the grassland we saw two spotted turtledoves, one superb fairy-wren, a few yellow-rumped thornbills and a few female flame robins.
A female flame robin
All in all, this trip was worth it.
When we arrived at the Boathouse Cafe, I headed straight to the lake which I knew from experience was a good place to look for waterbirds. The lake didn't disappoint me, turning up a pair of Australian wood ducks, lots of Pacific black ducks, lots of silver gulls, a few grey teals and a few chestnut teals.
Then we headed for Afton Street Conservation Preserve. We checked out the wetland and saw two little pied cormorants, a Pacific black duck and two wood ducks. Then we headed for the grassland. At the grassland we saw two spotted turtledoves, one superb fairy-wren, a few yellow-rumped thornbills and a few female flame robins.
A female flame robin
All in all, this trip was worth it.
A VISIT TO BRIMBANK PARK AGAIN
The day before yesterday, my dad and I went to Brimbank Park again.
This time we crossed the ford (the one that was flooded). My dad ended up with wet feet, while my gumboots kept me dry. Then we went on this hard track with a killer-sized hill, lots of weeds and spiny plants surrounding us and a run-down, beaten, hardly-marked path. I managed to spot a brown thornbill in a tree and a few grey fantails, but that was pretty much it. Around the river we saw a few Pacific black ducks and one dusky moorhen. Then we had to turn back because my dad was starting to get cold feet.
A brown thornbill
This was not a very successful birding trip.
This time we crossed the ford (the one that was flooded). My dad ended up with wet feet, while my gumboots kept me dry. Then we went on this hard track with a killer-sized hill, lots of weeds and spiny plants surrounding us and a run-down, beaten, hardly-marked path. I managed to spot a brown thornbill in a tree and a few grey fantails, but that was pretty much it. Around the river we saw a few Pacific black ducks and one dusky moorhen. Then we had to turn back because my dad was starting to get cold feet.
This was not a very successful birding trip.
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