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western australia

  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...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australasian swamphen australia herdsman lake november perth porphyrio melanotus western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november pacific black duck pacific black duck ducklings perth western australia
    • Comments: 8
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth rhipidura leucophrys western australia willie-wagtail
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia grallina cyanoleuca herdsman lake magpie-lark nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia cacatua sanguinea herdsman lake little corella nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia great crested grebe herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth podiceps cristatus podiceps cristatus australis western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  7. Cross-legs

    Cross-legs

    Still in the swamp, we found an Australian Ibis walking close to the track. Big guys these!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia australian ibis herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth threskiornis molucca western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia herdsman lake nankeen night heron nikon coolpix p900 november nycticorax caledonicus nycticorax caledonicus australasiae perth rufous night heron western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia brown honeyeater brown honeyeater fledgling herdsman lake lichmera indistincta nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australasian swamphen australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth porphyrio melanotus western australia
    • Comments: 12
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia herdsman lake malacorhynchus membranaceus nikon coolpix p900 november perth pink-eared duck western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australasian grebe australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth tachybaptus novaehollandiae western australia
    • Comments: 10
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia australian raven corvus coronoides corvus coronoides perplexus herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth rhipidura leucophrys western australia willie-wagtail
    • Comments: 8
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australasian grebe australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth tachybaptus novaehollandiae western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  15. An aroma?

    An aroma?

    Along a bit from the Pacific Black Duck was another dark duck, a rather unusual species ... Musk Duck.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia biziura lobata herdsman lake musk duck nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 anas superciliosa australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november pacific black duck perth western australia
    • Comments: 10
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia great crested grebe herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth podiceps cristatus podiceps cristatus australis western australia
    • Comments: 6
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia eurasian coot fulica atra fulica atra australis herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia
    • Comments: 10
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november pachycephala rufiventris perth rufous whistler rufous whistler female western australia
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australasian swamphen australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth porphyrio melanotus western australia
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  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...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 acanthiza chrysorrhoa australia herdsman lake nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia yellow-rumped thornbill
    • Comments: 8
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  22. A shady tree

    A shady tree

    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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 anthochaera carunculata nikon coolpix p900 november perth red wattlebird western australia yanchep national park
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  23. Now Where?

    Now Where?

    Another seeking shade was a male Magpie-lark. But it looks as though he's coming to the end of the line, and considering what his next move will be. A couple of shots later he was hot-footing it to the shrubs in the background (very wise!) Sorry I was missing for so long, but I was away for...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 17 november 2019 australia grallina cyanoleuca magpie-lark magpie-lark male nikon coolpix p900 perth western australia yanchep national park
    • Comments: 11
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  24. Seeking shade

    Seeking shade

    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!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 cacatua sanguinea eolophus roseicapilla galah little corella nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia yanchep national park
    • Comments: 10
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
  25. Wee fluff b*m

    Wee fluff b*m

    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.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2019 australia australian wood duck chenonetta jubata maned duck maned duck duckling maned goose nikon coolpix p900 november perth western australia yanchep national park
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands
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