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herdsman lake

  1. Good job he has big feet!

    Good job he has big feet!

    Or I'm sure he would be sinking into that wet ground! An Australasian Swamphen was the last photographable bird I had really from Herdsman Lake. After that we went to Kings Park, which was beautiful, and had lunch there. It really proved to be far too hot and humid for us; and after Judy and...
  2. Luv-a-duck--ling

    Luv-a-duck--ling

    We headed down to a different part of Herdsman Lake and my first spot were these delightful ducklings. Mum Pacific Black Duck was a little bit ahead of them.
  3. A character

    A character

    The last picture from this part of Herdsman Lake was a Willie-wagtail. I really never, ever got tired of seeing these wee characters LOL
  4. Ready for take-off?

    Ready for take-off?

    It looks like this Magpie-lark is in the process of growing an extra pair of wings, doesn't it. It wasn't the wind, as it was very still air.
  5. Cooly eating

    Cooly eating

    Towards the end of our tour of the lake, we eventually found a parrot, in the form of this Little Corella. He had to be in the shade, didn't he, and it was very dark there!! However, guess I had to forgive him as it was extremely hot and humid that day.
  6. A bit dozy

    A bit dozy

    There seem to have been Great Crested Grebes all over the place. Think this one was a bit bored really!
  7. Cross-legs

    Cross-legs

    Still in the swamp, we found an Australian Ibis walking close to the track. Big guys these!
  8. Wonder if he's tired!

    Wonder if he's tired!

    So two in two days.... a Lifer for me at Claremont Lake the day before and now another Nankeen Night Heron. I'd not seen any night herons before this. They are rather attractive, aren't they. They are also known as Rufous Night Herons.
  9. Some learn the technique very young

    Some learn the technique very young

    The best picture I could get of this young Brown Honeyeater. He had his bill mostly hidden all the time, and quite a bit of it you couldn't see his head LOL.
  10. Exploring

    Exploring

    There was a board walk around a reed bed, so of course we had to go and look. We were joined by an Australasian Swamphen, also checking it out.
  11. Two of a single kind

    Two of a single kind

    Pink-eared Ducks are quite unusual, there's no other ducks in the genus. They do have a bill reminiscent of shovelers. The light was really awkward in this little area, but I'd seen all too few of these guys.
  12. Blending in

    Blending in

    The leaves here remind me of autumn, although it was now late spring! An Australasian Grebe was in a swamp not far from where the Willie-wagtail was. They are rather similar to our Dabchick and have the same frustrating habit of disappearing under water just as you're trying to take their...
  13. Stand Off

    Stand Off

    Just look at the size difference and you'll get some idea of how brave Willie-wagtails can be. Think he must have had a nest or young in the vicinity for he came out onto the path to distract the Australian Ravens, and attempt to chase them off. We stood and watched the Willie-wagtail's antics...
  14. Distant grebe

    Distant grebe

    Continuing our exploration around the lake, there were lots of trees and shrubs between us and the water, but got views like this one every now and then. So you get a good idea of the habitat there. An Australasian Grebe was swimming lazily across out from the reed bed.
  15. An aroma?

    An aroma?

    Along a bit from the Pacific Black Duck was another dark duck, a rather unusual species ... Musk Duck.
  16. Must be out of place?

    Must be out of place?

    A Pacific Black Duck nowhere near the Pacific, which is on the other side of the Australian continent LOL However, he's plenty of pals around to keep him company as I saw them just about wherever I went. Always nice to see them, as they're so distinguished with that well-patterned face.
  17. Does it look different?

    Does it look different?

    This Great Crested Grebe looks very like 'our' one, but this is the Australian subspecies P.c. australia. He certainly seemed to come much closer to me than the ones in Perthshire do - they always seem to be miles away LOL
  18. Black and white in the green

    Black and white in the green

    We at last got views of the water and the first species to appear was an Eurasian Coot, this is the Australian subspecies f.a. australis. Never really got to the bottom of why my camera seems to struggle with the focus when there's ripples in the water!
  19. Lonely lady

    Lonely lady

    We had now got into the reserve proper, passing warning signs for the dangerous snakes! In one of the shrubs lining the water's edge, was a female Rufous Whistler. Only my second picture of this species, having seen a male in the Flinders Ranges a week or so before.
  20. Another old friend

    Another old friend

    Australasian Swamphen... he was just a bit further along from the thornbill, still in the car park. Birding seems to be easy here, they're waiting for me to arrive LOL
  21. Start of the end

    Start of the end

    So dawned my last day in Australia. And to begin it Alex and June took me to Herdsman Lake, another of the many lakes in the area which are excellent for Birdwatching; you can see many of them described in our Opus article: https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Perth_area No sooner had I got out of...
  22. Unnoticed

    Unnoticed

    One of my last pictures before leaving Herdsman Lake, was to memorialise a snake warning sign. This for Tiger Snakes. I'd only seen one snake in Australia and that was in Brisbane. However, what I failed to notice, was a bird sitting in the bush looking over the lake. If only I'd realised it...
  23. Brownie

    Brownie

    In the trees not far from the ravens I saw some movement and clicked. Turned out to be a Brown Honeyeater, an adult this time. The light was awkward but I've done the best I can to show some colour and detail. This folks, is my last bird from that amazing trip. It would not have been possible...
  24. What have you got

    What have you got

    On the other side of the road to where we'd parked beside the lake were two Australian Ravens. Have zoomed in, and blown up the picture, I still can't work out what they've got there to so interest them LOL
  25. Flocking

    Flocking

    We drove to a different part of Herdsman Lake and this was the view we had. Lots of Pacific Black Ducks flocking there. I don't think I'd seen so many together before that. The reed bed in the background is actually a rather large island in the middle of the lake.
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