BirdForum

I often do a pass by Herdsman Lake on the way to work. Yesterday while driving along Lakeside drive I spotted a small grey bird in the grass among the Purple Swamphens. Lucky it's a quiet road because I quickly braked and though to myself, "That was too big to be a dove. And it didn't look quite like a peewee." I turned and parked near where the bird sat and immediately pinned it as a lapwing, but which kind? I put my ever-present binoculars on it. Banded Lapwing. A bird I have...

Gemfyre

I went back to Herdsman Lake after work (to the south-west corner) and added a few more birds to the list.

Silver Gull
Cattle Egret (a rarity in Perth, but there has been one hanging around a paddock next to the lake).
Black-winged Stilt
Little Black Cormorant
Pelican
Rufous Whistler
Western Gerygone
Silvereye
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
New Holland Honeyeater

Gemfyre

Although my current job isn't perfect (I'm working as a secretary for a solicitor, when I have a degree in Conservation Biology), the location is brilliant. Herdsman Lake is a 3 minute drive away so I often go there for lunch.

Today is the first really warm day we've had in ages. And in the mere hour I had for lunch I spotted all ten duck species that you can see at this lake. Getting 7 - 8 species is usual, to get the full 10 there has to be the rare Freckled Duck in residence -...

Gemfyre

The first Rainbow Bee-eaters were spotted around Perth back in late August.

Last week I finally heard some at Wireless Hill, but didn't see any.

Yesterday I finally saw a few at Carine Lakes. One appeared directly in front of us and an astute member of the group realised this bird had dug it's nesting hole directly into the ground in front of us! Generally Bee-eaters dig hollows into embankments, but there was a lack of such formations at Carine. I'm not sure how...

Gemfyre