Bird Dots

On Monday, I went for a bit-of-a-bird from Marlay Point back to Sale via Heart Hall Road behind the RAAF base [to the east for those not "of Sale"]. There is a heap of water after the East Coast Low and the birds have found it, especially a patch that has been recently worked for revegetation planting by Greening Australia. I stopped the car to have a closer look and took a few pictures. I estimated about 500 - 700 Teal.

About 10% of the birds on view in a wide arc of 90 degrees

Of course you never know what might be lurking in the mob. So I set up the scope in the middle of the road and had a good look. The following images are enlarged crops of the above photo.

Silver Gull (1 only)

One-legged Black-winged Stilt (a dozen or so)

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (probably 20). One on the left.
One cut off on the right is the one "under" the Silver Gull in the image above

I was pleased with these. Pink-eared Duck (2 thereof)

Magic. f8 and be there.

*Note: even f8 can't make up for camera shake, even at 1/1250th, and just being far away!

Trapyard Hill

Last weekend I did a short reconnaissance to Trapyard Hill for a walk I am leading in the New Year. It had been a decade since I was last there so the bush was a little different from my memory. In fact, so much different that I was geographically challenged onto occasions. However, it was a beautiful day, lots of flowers were out and the views were outstanding.

East Coast Low aftermath

Not so much the damage caused but the sudden appearance of a multitude of bodies of water everywhere has meant water birds everywhere too.

One patch along Heart Hall Road behind the RAAF base in Sale gave wonderful photo opportunities. A flock of 50 or so Black-winged Stilts did a bit of formation flying. When did you last see a bird bump into another whilst tightly packed?

The Whiskered Terns flew back and forth in tight formation too, quartering the water then dropping down, under the surface, to grab their meal. There were about 100 or so.

Those Whiskered Terns really get down to it.