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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.
2019
australia
herdsman lake
nankeen night heron
nikon coolpix p900
november
nycticorax caledonicus
nycticorax caledonicus australasiae
perth
rufous night heron
western australia
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.
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.
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...
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...
2019
australia
australian raven
corvus coronoides
corvus coronoides perplexus
herdsman lake
nikon coolpix p900
november
perth
rhipidura leucophrys
western australia
willie-wagtail
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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
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...
Another keeping to the shade was a Red Wattlebird (I've had to lighten this image somewhat - hope you don't think I took it too far?).
This was the last bird picture I took that day, the penultimate day of my trip, and think this may have been the last wattlebird I saw.
It was so hot that day that virtually all the birds were seeking shade, including the Little Corella and Galah.
Didn't make for easy photography, as I was standing in the full glare of the sun!
Excuse the language, couldn't think of a better title at the time LOL. There were a few of these foraging under the watchful eye of mum Maned Duck.
Think I may have told you before about their confused nomenclature, variously known as Maned Goose and Australian Wood Duck.
2019
australia
australian wood duck
chenonetta jubata
maned duck
maned duck duckling
maned goose
nikon coolpix p900
november
perth
western australia
yanchep national park
We headed off then to find the cafe and there announcing that it was still open was a Red Wattlebird sitting on the roof.
The sharp eyes among you should have no bother spotting the wattles!
There then followed a bit of discussion as to where to go and the decision was made to head up the coast to Yanchep National Park.
So, off we set. Not long out of the car and I encountered an Australian Ringneck up in a tree. This is the type known as the Twenty-eight, don't think I've really...
2019
australia
australian ringneck
barnardius zonarius
barnardius zonarius semitorquatus
nikon coolpix p900
november
perth
twenty-eight
western australia
yanchep national park
We met up with David and Pam Free, along with Mike Bouette who guided me round Lake Claremont. Such lovely, knowledgeable and welcoming people they all were too.
Pam had some some wonderful pictures of the wildlife to be seen around the lake, and they were displayed on boards, one of which you...
So, we come to the last bird from that wonderful morning, a female Magpie-Lark, plodding round the foreshore of the lake. I do believe this was the first I'd seen in Western Australia - they were two a'penny in Queensland!
What a grand day it had been too.
Just about my closest view of an Australasian Shoveler, actually probably any shoveler LOL.
She seemed to be quietly contemplating life. Unless I've messed up somewhere, I don't appear to have taken a picture of a male, and can't remember now if, or where, I saw one.
Didn't have too many sightings of the Hoary-headed Grebe but, I think because of the ripples on the water, it seemed to throw the focus off. Try as I might I could not get good focus.
Think now, I might not have used so much zoom, but we live and learn.
They're rather nice looking grebes...
We were nearly all the way round Lake Claremont now, just a few more birds to look at, but thought I'd let you see a view of the lake from near the cafe.
The open area of bank on the far side, I think will be where we saw the night heron and all those other goodies!
Nearly at the end of our trip round the lake, but still the nice birds were popping up. Here was a Singing Honeyeater, quite high up in a tree beside the path (not singing for us though!)