• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Two Months of Lifers Down Under (1 Viewer)

The male and female firetails are extremely hard to separate. A.Y. Pepper wrote that in the breeding season the females ear patch goes more orange but despite having caught and banded a few hundred i have never been able to distinguish any difference. Peppers study birds were captive bred.

Alex
 
Lovely stuff Delia - that Blue-billed Duck certainly lives up to its name! The photo of June and the magpie is delightful too! Keep it coming Lass!

Chris

LOL that blue bill really, really acted like a beacon. Amazing colour.

Delia the Clamorous Reed-warbler is now known as the Australian Reed-warbler Acrocephalus australis .

Oh of course. Thanks Ken.

The male and female firetails are extremely hard to separate. A.Y. Pepper wrote that in the breeding season the females ear patch goes more orange but despite having caught and banded a few hundred i have never been able to distinguish any difference. Peppers study birds were captive bred.

Alex

Right!!! Thanks for this Alex. So all the dull ones I saw were youngsters obviously.
 
After we'd crossed the bridge over the King River, we headed down into a bay looking out into Oyster Bay.

Through the trees we could just see an Emu walking across a paddock.

Following that we than drove along the Kalgan River and took a short walk high above the river. This was to a point that Alex knew there should be Ospreys and there certainly was one, sitting in a tree contemplating things.


Other species seen/heard on this section were Australian Ibis, Caspiean Tern, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Australian Raven, Australian Darter, Pacific Black Duck and Australian Magpie.

Our next stop was the beautiful Two Peoples Bay, which seems to be famous, as I'd heard quite a bit about it before.

Quite distant on a rock (though I did try and get closer) was a Sooty Oystercatcher. Nice one! Also seen here were a Laughing Kookaburra (though they have been introduced to this area), Welcome Swallow, Australian Pelican and Yellow-billed Spoonbill.
 

Attachments

  • BF Emu thread.jpg
    BF Emu thread.jpg
    123.5 KB · Views: 17
  • BF Kalgan River thread.jpg
    BF Kalgan River thread.jpg
    107.9 KB · Views: 20
  • BF Eastern Osprey 1 thread.jpg
    BF Eastern Osprey 1 thread.jpg
    63 KB · Views: 22
  • BF Alex & June, Two People's Bay thread.jpg
    BF Alex & June, Two People's Bay thread.jpg
    55.9 KB · Views: 30
  • BF Sooty Oystercatcher thread.jpg
    BF Sooty Oystercatcher thread.jpg
    67 KB · Views: 30
This last Osprey was a little more cooperative than the one at King River.
 
A couple of views to start this one, firstly overlooking Two Peoples Bay. For some reason people like to go to that large rock, strike weird poses and do handstands and things for photographs!

We then headed for Nanarup another lovely sandy bay. Here we had some more Musk Ducks, and I got my first flight picture of a Nankeen Kestrel (all the previous ones I'd seen were from a moving car!).

There were also a couple of Yellow-billed Spoonbills.
 

Attachments

  • BF Two Peoples Bay thread.jpg
    BF Two Peoples Bay thread.jpg
    66.7 KB · Views: 22
  • BF Nanarup thread.jpg
    BF Nanarup thread.jpg
    60.1 KB · Views: 19
  • BF Musk Duck 1 thread.jpg
    BF Musk Duck 1 thread.jpg
    36.9 KB · Views: 18
  • BF Nankeen Kestrel flight.jpg
    BF Nankeen Kestrel flight.jpg
    23 KB · Views: 21
  • BF Yellow-billed Spoonbill thread.jpg
    BF Yellow-billed Spoonbill thread.jpg
    42.4 KB · Views: 25
Making our way back along Oyster Bay towards Albany (not quite sure where I've got to now though.... Alex??) we came across a bit of a seabird city (well big village maybe).

On what looks like a jetty, were an assortment of birds, including Australian Pelicans and Little Pied Cormorants.

One of the big posts had a Great Crested Tern. I then managed to get a closer view of some of the dozy pelicans! Finally picking out an Australian Darter having a bit of a preen.

On our way round the back of Albany we detoured onto someone's property where they have some chainsaw art decorating the grounds. It sounds odd but it was really fascinating and well worth the short tour round. Free too, though you can leave donations.

Here were a couple of parrots he'd done. (Think these may be headed for the Stickbird thread LOL) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...Sculpture_Drive-Albany_Western_Australia.html
 

Attachments

  • BF Pelican, Little Pied Cormorant thread.jpg
    BF Pelican, Little Pied Cormorant thread.jpg
    57.9 KB · Views: 15
  • BF Great Crested Tern thread.jpg
    BF Great Crested Tern thread.jpg
    35.6 KB · Views: 14
  • BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    59 KB · Views: 12
  • BF Australian Darter thread.jpg
    BF Australian Darter thread.jpg
    38.5 KB · Views: 13
  • BF Parrot Wood Carvings thread.jpg
    BF Parrot Wood Carvings thread.jpg
    60.4 KB · Views: 27
To Denmark

8 November 2019

The next morning found June and myself back down at the hide, but a bit later than normal due to the tides.

En route we found both male and female Splendid Wrens and a Red-winged Fairywren but my pictures aren't really up to publication. Also a Buff-banded Rail but couldn't get an angle on that one for a picture. But I made up for all that with a lovely Australian Pipit near the hide.

Out in the bay were an assortment of black and white birds, with Ibis, Great Crested Terns, Silver Gulls, White-faced Heron, Osprey, Pelicans, Great Egret, cormorants, Grey Teal, Red-necked Stint, Black Swan and some Grey Plover too.

A Carnaby's Cockatoo flew over but try as I might I couldn't get a picture of him!!

Shortly after we got back, we set off westwards along the coast to Denmark! I just had to take a picture of this mail box... loved it LOL.

We followed a bit of a creek for a while and the first birds we came to in it were a pair of Yellow-billed Spoonbills, then a bit further along an assortment of species with (and I've not got them all in this picture), Straw-necked Ibis, Maned Duck, Australian Ringneck and a flock of Galahs.
 

Attachments

  • BF Australian Pipit thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pipit thread.jpg
    52.1 KB · Views: 18
  • BF Ibis and friends thread.jpg
    BF Ibis and friends thread.jpg
    44.4 KB · Views: 19
  • BF Mail Box thread.jpg
    BF Mail Box thread.jpg
    125.5 KB · Views: 27
  • BF Yellow-billed Spoonbill thread.jpg
    BF Yellow-billed Spoonbill thread.jpg
    64.1 KB · Views: 15
  • BF Straw-necked Ibis thread.jpg
    BF Straw-necked Ibis thread.jpg
    59.3 KB · Views: 24
your list is building all the time with some nice species,but:did you get the three big ticks for Western Australia? Western Whipbird,Western Bristlebird and Noisy Scrub-bird? Over here:the drought has almost broken-some nice flooding inland and our grass is up to 3 feet high in the back paddock.On the East Coast they have had massive rain falls.Some places have had up to 4 inches per hour and totalling more than a foot,but here just enough to turn things around. With All our Love,

Hans&Judy PS:will be selling some more of our photo gear-losing interest in photography? I think(Hans)
 
your list is building all the time with some nice species,but:did you get the three big ticks for Western Australia? Western Whipbird,Western Bristlebird and Noisy Scrub-bird? Over here:the drought has almost broken-some nice flooding inland and our grass is up to 3 feet high in the back paddock.On the East Coast they have had massive rain falls.Some places have had up to 4 inches per hour and totalling more than a foot,but here just enough to turn things around. With All our Love,

Hans&Judy PS:will be selling some more of our photo gear-losing interest in photography? I think(Hans)

Hi Hans.... no I didn't get any of them I'm afraid.

I'm sure you don't really mean to get rid of all your photographic equipment Hans??? That would be very sad.
 
We took a run down to Morley Beach in Wilson's Inlet. Not only was it a lovely little road (well track), but a great spot too. We saw a Scarlet Robin on the way, but didn't manage to get a picture of him.

Then a Silvereye teased me by flitting around in the bushes and trees, the ratbag!!

Out in the bay were an awful lot of Black Swans, Australian Pelican, Maned Duck, Greenshank, White-faced Heron and Grey Teal.

Then a Pied Stilt emerged not too far from us, I tried to get closer and hide behind a bush but the ground there was rather boggy LOL.

Not the best of pictures, but a Great Egret flew over as we were leaving.

Driving back towards the main road we heard a Western Whistler and saw a Willy-Wagtail, Australian Magpie, Western Rosella.
 

Attachments

  • BF Morley Bay, Wilson's Inlet thread.jpg
    BF Morley Bay, Wilson's Inlet thread.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 20
  • BF Black Swan thread.jpg
    BF Black Swan thread.jpg
    53.1 KB · Views: 16
  • BF Australian Pelican, Grey Teal thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pelican, Grey Teal thread.jpg
    57.6 KB · Views: 20
  • BF Pied Stilt thread.jpg
    BF Pied Stilt thread.jpg
    71 KB · Views: 26
  • BF Great Egret fly-over thread.jpg
    BF Great Egret fly-over thread.jpg
    38 KB · Views: 21
Next we found ourselves in Denmark and a rather nice cafe too!!

Down at the water was a rather close and good looking Australian Pelican.

After that we drove towards the coast along the edge of Wilson's Inlet, picking up a group of Silver Gulls, some nice views, a Pied Oystercatcher and an Australian Pied Cormorant.
 

Attachments

  • BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    84.4 KB · Views: 21
  • BF Silver Gull thread.jpg
    BF Silver Gull thread.jpg
    73.7 KB · Views: 17
  • BF Wilson's Inlet thread.jpg
    BF Wilson's Inlet thread.jpg
    76.3 KB · Views: 23
  • BF Pied Oystercatcher thread.jpg
    BF Pied Oystercatcher thread.jpg
    98.6 KB · Views: 26
  • BF Australian Pied Cormorant thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pied Cormorant thread.jpg
    75.5 KB · Views: 26
Thanks Lisa.... yeah... I rather liked those two pictures as well.
 
So we gradually worked our way along the road and arrived overlooking Ocean Beach... gosh how beautiful that view was.

Down on the sand I spotted a Caspian Tern. We were actually sitting at a view point when an Australian Raven flew down and sat on the rail in front of me. Guess he was hoping for a titbit, but all he got was his picture taken!!

An Australian Pelican flew over. Behind him in this picture is the smoke from a bush fire!!

Suddenly my attention was drawn to a couple of 'different' gulls which flew past. They settled on the water at some distance. Gawd... couldn't believe it, but I knew straightaway that they had to be Pacific Gulls!
 

Attachments

  • BF Ocean Beach thread.jpg
    BF Ocean Beach thread.jpg
    44.2 KB · Views: 22
  • BF Caspian Tern thread8.jpg
    BF Caspian Tern thread8.jpg
    73.8 KB · Views: 14
  • BF Australian Raven thread.jpg
    BF Australian Raven thread.jpg
    40.1 KB · Views: 21
  • BF Pelican flight thread.jpg
    BF Pelican flight thread.jpg
    38.3 KB · Views: 26
  • BF Pacific Gull thread.jpg
    BF Pacific Gull thread.jpg
    40.1 KB · Views: 41
Garden to Torndirrup National Park

9 November 2019

In the morning we discovered a rather beautiful Motorbike Frog in the garden. I didn't hear him calling though.

On the way down to the hide, June peeked over a neighbour's fence and spotted a Buff-banded Rail - it was a bit tricky getting the picture, as I had to stand on tippy-toes LOL.

Out on the grassy point were a bunch of White-faced Herons and goodness knows what else was hiding there! But around and about in the bay that morning were Grey Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Silver Gull, Red-capped Dotterel, Red-necked Stint, Australian Ibis and Australian Pelicans.

In the trees on the way back I got an awkwardly lit Splendid Fairywren.

NOTE: I've had to edit my Gluepot list, as I discovered this morning that I'd completely missed White-fronted Honeyeater, not only from the list but from the pictures too. See post #561 for the picture.
 

Attachments

  • BF Motorbike Frog thread.jpg
    BF Motorbike Frog thread.jpg
    91.5 KB · Views: 25
  • BF Buff-fronted Rail thread.jpg
    BF Buff-fronted Rail thread.jpg
    86.4 KB · Views: 32
  • BF White-faced Heron thread.jpg
    BF White-faced Heron thread.jpg
    77.9 KB · Views: 19
  • BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    BF Australian Pelican thread.jpg
    46.6 KB · Views: 13
  • BF Splendid Fairywren thread.jpg
    BF Splendid Fairywren thread.jpg
    63.6 KB · Views: 24
What a cool looking frog! I get more and more happy for you the more you post. What a wonderful trip.
 
I have to admit I was slightly disappointed the Motorbike Frog wasn't wearing a little crash helmet, otherwise great stuff Delia!

Chris
 
Warning! This thread is more than 1 year ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top