Saturday 24 March 2012
More on Mount Macedon
Gang-Gang cockatoos, kookaburras and wattlebirds are also apparently seen. Any more reliable information?
Birding Mount Macedon?
Is the Mount Macedon area in Melbourne still good for birds? If so, could you please give me information about birds in the area? Birds seen in the area (according to some reports) include Australian magpie, striated thornbill, crimson rosella, grey shrike-thrush, flame robin, white-throated treecreeper, pied currawong and yellow-faced honeyeater. The yellow-faced honeyeater would be a lifer. Are there any other birds I can expect to find? Please help. Thank you, Chanith.
P.S- Specifically at Hanging Rock
P.S- Specifically at Hanging Rock
FLASHBACK- Grade 4 (2011) School Camp
This is a flashback of my school camp in Grade 4 on Phillip Island. Until I work out how to get to my old blog on Ultranet, I cannot give detailed trip reports. Here is a rough list from memory of birds I saw on the camp.
OUTSIDE THE CAMP AREA-
BIRDS
Australian Pelican
Silver Gull
MAMMALS
Ring-Tailed Possum
INSIDE THE CAMP AREA-
BIRDS
Cape Barren Goose
Pacific Black Duck
Purple Swamphen
House Sparrow
New Holland Honeyeater
Welcome Swallow
Owlet Nightjar (Possible, on night walk teachers reported seeing small bird)
White-Plumed Honeyeater
LIFERS- O (As expected)
OUTSIDE THE CAMP AREA-
BIRDS
Australian Pelican
Silver Gull
MAMMALS
Ring-Tailed Possum
INSIDE THE CAMP AREA-
BIRDS
Cape Barren Goose
Pacific Black Duck
Purple Swamphen
House Sparrow
New Holland Honeyeater
Welcome Swallow
Owlet Nightjar (Possible, on night walk teachers reported seeing small bird)
White-Plumed Honeyeater
LIFERS- O (As expected)
Sunday 11 March 2012
BIRDS IN MY SCHOOL
I don't think I have posted on the birds of my school before. This is something I should have done long ago, so without waiting any longer, here it is.
Essendon North Primary School, also known as E.N.P.S, is a school in north Essendon. It is not very diverse in birds. However, 13 birds occur as residents, with more occuring as vagrants. The resident birds are-
LITTLE RAVEN
AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE
SPOTTED DOVE
CRESTED PIGEON
RAINBOW LORIKEET
MUSK LORIKEET
HOUSE SPARROW
WELCOME SWALLOW
NOISY MINER
RED WATTLEBIRD
WHITE-PLUMED HONEYEATER
COMMON BLACKBIRD
WILLIE WAGTAIL
Vagrants include-
SILVER GULL
PACIFIC BLACK DUCK (possibly)
FERAL PIGEON
COMMON MYNA (though birds are often seen just outside the school along Keilor Road, they usually don't come in the school)
COMMON STARLING
SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO
By far the commonest bird in the school is this, the crested pigeon. Almost every day birds can be seen perching on top of the school library. Crested pigeons are native to Australia. They eat small seeds and other vegetation.
A crested pigeon feeds near the school oval
On the school oval, the second-commonest bird is the Australian Magpie. 3 species of honeyeater can be found in the school, all in the Embankment- the white-plumed honeyeater, red wattlebird and noisy miner.
The Embankment is the most bird-rich area of the school. Of the 13 resident birds in E.N.P.S, 7 can be seen in the Embankment. The Embankment is a cliff-like area, with a few eucalyptus trees. These trees attract honeyeaters and lorikeets. The grass near the Embankment attracts crested pigeons. Little ravens can be seen flying overhead, but usually don't land in the Embankment area.
The school can be divided into two birding areas- the Rocky Ground and the Oval.
The Oval consists of the school oval and area around it. The Embankment is part of the Oval. 9 of the resident birds in E.N.P.S can be found in the Oval. It is the most productive area.
The Rocky Ground consists of the more rocky, hard area- Everything other than the Oval area. It is less productive than the Oval. 6 of the resident birds in E.N.P.S inhabit the Rocky Ground.
The most interesting bird in the school is the musk lorikeet. This nectar-drinking species can be found in both areas, but is most often seen in the Rocky Ground. It is often seen drinking nectar from the eucalyptus trees in the teacher's carpark, along with red wattlebirds and occasionally rainbow lorikeets.
A musk lorikeet
Well, that is pretty much it for the birds in my school.
Essendon North Primary School, also known as E.N.P.S, is a school in north Essendon. It is not very diverse in birds. However, 13 birds occur as residents, with more occuring as vagrants. The resident birds are-
LITTLE RAVEN
AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE
SPOTTED DOVE
CRESTED PIGEON
RAINBOW LORIKEET
MUSK LORIKEET
HOUSE SPARROW
WELCOME SWALLOW
NOISY MINER
RED WATTLEBIRD
WHITE-PLUMED HONEYEATER
COMMON BLACKBIRD
WILLIE WAGTAIL
Vagrants include-
SILVER GULL
PACIFIC BLACK DUCK (possibly)
FERAL PIGEON
COMMON MYNA (though birds are often seen just outside the school along Keilor Road, they usually don't come in the school)
COMMON STARLING
SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO
By far the commonest bird in the school is this, the crested pigeon. Almost every day birds can be seen perching on top of the school library. Crested pigeons are native to Australia. They eat small seeds and other vegetation.
On the school oval, the second-commonest bird is the Australian Magpie. 3 species of honeyeater can be found in the school, all in the Embankment- the white-plumed honeyeater, red wattlebird and noisy miner.
The Embankment is the most bird-rich area of the school. Of the 13 resident birds in E.N.P.S, 7 can be seen in the Embankment. The Embankment is a cliff-like area, with a few eucalyptus trees. These trees attract honeyeaters and lorikeets. The grass near the Embankment attracts crested pigeons. Little ravens can be seen flying overhead, but usually don't land in the Embankment area.
The school can be divided into two birding areas- the Rocky Ground and the Oval.
The Oval consists of the school oval and area around it. The Embankment is part of the Oval. 9 of the resident birds in E.N.P.S can be found in the Oval. It is the most productive area.
The Rocky Ground consists of the more rocky, hard area- Everything other than the Oval area. It is less productive than the Oval. 6 of the resident birds in E.N.P.S inhabit the Rocky Ground.
The most interesting bird in the school is the musk lorikeet. This nectar-drinking species can be found in both areas, but is most often seen in the Rocky Ground. It is often seen drinking nectar from the eucalyptus trees in the teacher's carpark, along with red wattlebirds and occasionally rainbow lorikeets.
Well, that is pretty much it for the birds in my school.
WESTERN TREATMENT PLANT- A BIRDING QUIZ
What species of bird can you see in this flock of birds, found at the Western Treatment Plant!
There are no hints! For rules, go to my July Quizzes.
The mystery flock
There are no hints! For rules, go to my July Quizzes.
A VISIT TO THE WESTERN TREATMENT PLANT
My dad and I decided to visit the Western Treatment Plant to try and see the broad-billed sandpiper reported by other people in the lagoons near Gate 4 at the end of Beach Road.
As usual, it was a long drive to the treatment plant. When we got there, we saw three magpies and some pelicans. A brown falcon flew across the road, but was too quick for my camera. Then we got to Gate 4.
We opened the Gate. We looked carefully for waders. At first, we saw only coots and Black swans. Then, we saw a huge flock of waders. I identified red-necked stilts and my lifer curlew sandpiper. What are the larger waders in this photo? Are they knots or godwits? What species of knot or godwit are they? Help!
Flock of waders at WTP
I don't get much practice identifying waders, so my skills aren't that good. At another, larger lake, flocks of red-necked avocet, black-winged stilt and more waders showed up. Among waders, I spotted more curlew sandpipers and this interesting bird I think is a sharp-tailed sandpiper. If I am right, it would be a lifer for me. (I don't see shorebirds that often).
The mystery bird
A flock of curlew sandpipers next to some red-necked avocets
Having seen some waders, we wandered off, seeing chestnut teal, little black cormorants, little pied cormorants, Australian white ibis, eastern great egrets and hoary-headed grebes. Eventually we came to a big flock of birds. What birds were in it I cannot say, because today's quiz will be about that flock. While we observed those birds, a pelican was swimming in the water. We decided to go to the pier and see what we could see. I spotted little pied cormorants and silver gulls. We went on the rough road to the spit, but saw more of the same. We had a good day at the treatment plant.
As usual, it was a long drive to the treatment plant. When we got there, we saw three magpies and some pelicans. A brown falcon flew across the road, but was too quick for my camera. Then we got to Gate 4.
We opened the Gate. We looked carefully for waders. At first, we saw only coots and Black swans. Then, we saw a huge flock of waders. I identified red-necked stilts and my lifer curlew sandpiper. What are the larger waders in this photo? Are they knots or godwits? What species of knot or godwit are they? Help!
I don't get much practice identifying waders, so my skills aren't that good. At another, larger lake, flocks of red-necked avocet, black-winged stilt and more waders showed up. Among waders, I spotted more curlew sandpipers and this interesting bird I think is a sharp-tailed sandpiper. If I am right, it would be a lifer for me. (I don't see shorebirds that often).
Having seen some waders, we wandered off, seeing chestnut teal, little black cormorants, little pied cormorants, Australian white ibis, eastern great egrets and hoary-headed grebes. Eventually we came to a big flock of birds. What birds were in it I cannot say, because today's quiz will be about that flock. While we observed those birds, a pelican was swimming in the water. We decided to go to the pier and see what we could see. I spotted little pied cormorants and silver gulls. We went on the rough road to the spit, but saw more of the same. We had a good day at the treatment plant.
Friday 9 March 2012
A VISIT TO AFTON STREET
Ah, Afton Street Conservation Preserve. One of my favourite birding spots close to home. Paradalotes, terns, thornbills, silvereyes and raptors in one. Welcome swallows everywhere. Anyway, back to the post.
Yesterday we had headed off to Afton Street Conservation Preserve. Friday was a free day, so we decided to bird. With my sister, who is slowly turning into a birder, we were set to have a fine day. The first bird we saw was a Pacific black duck, swimming lazily in the water. Then, in the grassier areas, a crested pigeon decided to make my sister's acquaintance. High up in the air, a welcome swallow flew. Then, joining the swallows in the air, a black-shouldered kite, to my sister's delight, hovered in the air above the grass. Slowly but surely, we got closer and closer to the bird. Eventually it banked and flew away. In the grasslands, we stopped over at the forested area. A few honeyeaters were in the trees, as well as a silvereye.
A silvereye in a tree
Then we headed back- and had a surprise! That black-shouldered kite had perched extremely close to the trail, giving my sister and I great views!
It was sadly time to go home. A great cormorant flew above us, the final lifer for my sister as we headed back.
Yesterday we had headed off to Afton Street Conservation Preserve. Friday was a free day, so we decided to bird. With my sister, who is slowly turning into a birder, we were set to have a fine day. The first bird we saw was a Pacific black duck, swimming lazily in the water. Then, in the grassier areas, a crested pigeon decided to make my sister's acquaintance. High up in the air, a welcome swallow flew. Then, joining the swallows in the air, a black-shouldered kite, to my sister's delight, hovered in the air above the grass. Slowly but surely, we got closer and closer to the bird. Eventually it banked and flew away. In the grasslands, we stopped over at the forested area. A few honeyeaters were in the trees, as well as a silvereye.
Then we headed back- and had a surprise! That black-shouldered kite had perched extremely close to the trail, giving my sister and I great views!
BALLARAT
Recently my family and I went to Ballarat. We visited Sovereign Hill and Lake Wendouree. This is a report of the trip.
We headed out from home. It was a long drive to Ballarat, but eventually we got there. Our first stop was Sovereign Hill. At the hill, most of the birds were sparrows. There was a small lake nearby where I spotted Pacific black and Australian wood ducks. Then we got to the main birding destination of the trip- Lake Wendouree. The lake is well-known for its waterbirds. During the Melbourne Olympics, a gold medal winner accidentally dropped his medal into the lake. It has not yet been found.
As usual, the common birds around the lake were Eurasian coot and Pacific black duck. There were a few purple swamphens, Australian white ibises and masked lapwings hanging around. In the distance I saw two black swans. We stopped at a promising-looking part of the lake. Our first good birds were a pair of black-tailed native hens feeding with purple swamphens on the grass. In a small pond nearby, I saw grey teals, dusky moorhens, Pacific black ducks and another black swan. On a branch over the lake were two little pied cormorants and one little black cormorant. Another good bird perched on a dead branch- a clamorous reed warbler.
A reed warbler
Suddenly, on the edge of a pond, I saw a small, grey-brown bird feeding among the rocks. LIFER! AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED CRAKE!
The crake, one of Australia's more secretive waterbirds
Continuing on, I saw a few more crakes, a spotted dove and a superb fairy-wren. I had a great day.
FOOTNOTE- I highly recommend Lake Wendouree as a birding spot.All the birds above, as well as blue-billed and musk ducks, are all possible. There is an interesting ibis rookery. A list of birds I have seen in this site previously is below-
BLACK SWAN
BLUE-BILLED DUCK
PACIFIC BLACK DUCK
GREY TEAL
HARDHEAD
SPOTTED DOVE
LITTLE PIED CORMORANT
LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT
AUSTRALIAN WHITE IBIS
AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED CRAKE
PURPLE SWAMPHEN
BLACK-TAILED NATIVE HEN
DUSKY MOORHEN
EURASIAN COOT
MASKED LAPWING
RAINBOW LORIKEET
SUPERB FAIRY-WREN
CLAMOROUS REED WARBLER
This list is from memory, I might have left out one or two species. Other people have reported seeing Eastern great egrets and brolgas.
We headed out from home. It was a long drive to Ballarat, but eventually we got there. Our first stop was Sovereign Hill. At the hill, most of the birds were sparrows. There was a small lake nearby where I spotted Pacific black and Australian wood ducks. Then we got to the main birding destination of the trip- Lake Wendouree. The lake is well-known for its waterbirds. During the Melbourne Olympics, a gold medal winner accidentally dropped his medal into the lake. It has not yet been found.
As usual, the common birds around the lake were Eurasian coot and Pacific black duck. There were a few purple swamphens, Australian white ibises and masked lapwings hanging around. In the distance I saw two black swans. We stopped at a promising-looking part of the lake. Our first good birds were a pair of black-tailed native hens feeding with purple swamphens on the grass. In a small pond nearby, I saw grey teals, dusky moorhens, Pacific black ducks and another black swan. On a branch over the lake were two little pied cormorants and one little black cormorant. Another good bird perched on a dead branch- a clamorous reed warbler.
Suddenly, on the edge of a pond, I saw a small, grey-brown bird feeding among the rocks. LIFER! AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED CRAKE!
Continuing on, I saw a few more crakes, a spotted dove and a superb fairy-wren. I had a great day.
FOOTNOTE- I highly recommend Lake Wendouree as a birding spot.All the birds above, as well as blue-billed and musk ducks, are all possible. There is an interesting ibis rookery. A list of birds I have seen in this site previously is below-
BLACK SWAN
BLUE-BILLED DUCK
PACIFIC BLACK DUCK
GREY TEAL
HARDHEAD
SPOTTED DOVE
LITTLE PIED CORMORANT
LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT
AUSTRALIAN WHITE IBIS
AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED CRAKE
PURPLE SWAMPHEN
BLACK-TAILED NATIVE HEN
DUSKY MOORHEN
EURASIAN COOT
MASKED LAPWING
RAINBOW LORIKEET
SUPERB FAIRY-WREN
CLAMOROUS REED WARBLER
This list is from memory, I might have left out one or two species. Other people have reported seeing Eastern great egrets and brolgas.
Thursday 1 March 2012
MYSTERY BIRD
Again looking through my Sri Lanka photos I noticed this mystery bird at Minneriya National Park. What do you think it is? Obviously it is some kind of pipit- but what kind? This is an uncropped version.
This is a cropped version of the same photo.
This is a photo of the same bird from the front (uncropped)
Please help!
Please help!
QUIZ- SRI LANKA
Here is another quiz for the start of March. How many species of birds can you see in the photo? Once you have answered that, answer this. What are each species? Then, answer this (but only if you either are a complete genius or really want a challenge)- where in Sri Lanka was this photo taken?
The quiz photo
Good luck! Look at my July Quizzes if you want the rules for each quiz.
Good luck! Look at my July Quizzes if you want the rules for each quiz.
SRI LANKA- A TRIP TO HABARANA LODGE
Yep, I definitely should have done this post earlier. This post is about my trip to Habarana Lodge, where I went on a birding tour.
I got up at 6.30 am with my dad. We ate breakfast at the Chia Village hotel, then headed over to nearby Habarana Lodge. While we walked, we watched a brahminy kite fight off a house crow over the nearby wetland and a flock of cormorants passing us by. In a tree, a giant squirrel looked at us. Purple-rumped sunbirds drank nectar from flowers while little green bee-eaters flew at insects.
A brahminy kite looks at a crow in that annoyed way
Soon we were off on the tour. Before long, I spotted my first lifer, a grey-breasted prinia. Soon the basic forest birds of Sri Lanka were showing themselves. White-browed bulbuls, red-vented bulbuls, Indian black robins, brown-headed barbets and a beautiful paradise flycatcher all showed themselves.
The pretty grey-breasted prinia perches on a branch
The pretty Asian paradise flycatcher is very hard to photograph. This is so far the best shot I have got of one. It shows the female bird. The male has longer tail feathers.
A sunbird stopped in a tree and gave us some good views of its plumage.
Purple-rumped sunbird in a tree. This is the male.
We continued on to a clearing, where yellow-billed babblers played in the sunshine. Then, a smaller bird appeared. LIFER! DARK-FRONTED BABBLER! Of course, it was too fast for the camera, but I almost got it. Next time, I will get a good picture of it. But, as if to make up for the babbler, one of the usually shy grey mongooses came up close and gave us a good look at it!
A grey mongoose. I am not sure if this is a grey or brown mongoose. If you are better at identifying mammals than me, please help.
We continued on and I spotted heaps of butterflies. Glassy blue tigers, common Indian crows and plain tigers danced in the air before my eyes. Then we reached a clearing that was full of birds! Lifer after lifer! Tawny-bellied babblers, thick-billed flowerpeckers and Oriental white-eyes were just too quick for my camera! This trip gave me 5 lifers so far! When we headed back to the lodge, a grey-headed fish eagle was too shy for the camera. However, a great cormorant was not. Then we headed off to Trincomallee. For that part of the journey, you will have to look at my post on Pigeon Island
I got up at 6.30 am with my dad. We ate breakfast at the Chia Village hotel, then headed over to nearby Habarana Lodge. While we walked, we watched a brahminy kite fight off a house crow over the nearby wetland and a flock of cormorants passing us by. In a tree, a giant squirrel looked at us. Purple-rumped sunbirds drank nectar from flowers while little green bee-eaters flew at insects.
Soon we were off on the tour. Before long, I spotted my first lifer, a grey-breasted prinia. Soon the basic forest birds of Sri Lanka were showing themselves. White-browed bulbuls, red-vented bulbuls, Indian black robins, brown-headed barbets and a beautiful paradise flycatcher all showed themselves.
A sunbird stopped in a tree and gave us some good views of its plumage.
We continued on to a clearing, where yellow-billed babblers played in the sunshine. Then, a smaller bird appeared. LIFER! DARK-FRONTED BABBLER! Of course, it was too fast for the camera, but I almost got it. Next time, I will get a good picture of it. But, as if to make up for the babbler, one of the usually shy grey mongooses came up close and gave us a good look at it!
We continued on and I spotted heaps of butterflies. Glassy blue tigers, common Indian crows and plain tigers danced in the air before my eyes. Then we reached a clearing that was full of birds! Lifer after lifer! Tawny-bellied babblers, thick-billed flowerpeckers and Oriental white-eyes were just too quick for my camera! This trip gave me 5 lifers so far! When we headed back to the lodge, a grey-headed fish eagle was too shy for the camera. However, a great cormorant was not. Then we headed off to Trincomallee. For that part of the journey, you will have to look at my post on Pigeon Island
GALLERY- CAIRNS BIRDS FROM THE HOTEL
Here is a gallery of birds that can be seen commonly in Cairns City, in case people are interested. I should probably have done this long ago, but I forgot to. Here are some of the birds. All these photos were taken from the Mantra Esplanade hotel in Cairns and in the vicinity of the hotel.
White-bellied woodswallows (left) next to a pied imperial pigeon (right)
P.S: The waders on the Esplanade are not included in this.
Peaceful dove
Australian figbird
I hope you enjoyed these images of birdlife in Cairns
P.S: The waders on the Esplanade are not included in this.
I hope you enjoyed these images of birdlife in Cairns
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