Jump to content

Elefromoz and her first year


elefromoz

Recommended Posts

@@michael-ibk, @@PeterHG, thanks, we had certainly heard them as walked along the river in the evening, our guide pointed out their song, could never seem to spot one though. So quite probably.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My July collection, First a few from "down south" on the coast

119.Kookaburra, not welcome by everyone, locally considered a pest due to their habit of taking the chicks of our local species

gallery_49445_1540_447988.jpg

 

120. Welcome Swallow

gallery_49445_1540_946784.jpg

 

121. Silver Gull

gallery_49445_1540_2454741.jpg

 

122. Pacific Gull

gallery_49445_1540_420973.jpg

 

123.Sooty Oystercatcher

gallery_49445_1540_426047.jpg

 

124. A couple of really bad photos, but can't leave them out as I will probably not see either again this year, and I was thrilled to see both species sharing the same "air-space" for a few minutes. White Bellied Sea Eagle

gallery_49445_1540_244058.jpg

 

125. Wedgetail Eagle

gallery_49445_1540_233940.jpg

 

126. Closer to home, in the CBD, after a bit of a hunt around a city lake, Nankeen Night Heron, this one sleeping

gallery_49445_1540_547966.jpg

 

and this one awake

gallery_49445_1540_673596.jpg

 

127. Pied Cormorant on a nest

gallery_49445_1540_205049.jpg

 

128. One from the garden, Singing Honey Eater, they really enjoy the Camellias over winter, not much else in the garden.

gallery_49445_1540_1852591.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

michael-ibk

"Welcome Swallow"? What a cool name! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@elefromoz

Lovely additions from Australia. That SInging Honey Eater is a stunner.

When you started the Big Year you said you didn't know much about birds or photography - you certainly can't say that about either now :)

Great photos of a fascinating range of birds. I think the Big Year has had a massive impact on a number of us!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

My August collection

 

129. Australian Hobby

gallery_49445_1540_661734.jpg

 

130. Pied Cormorant, a much larger bird than the Little Pied Cormorant posted previously

gallery_49445_1540_2944833.jpg

 

131.Red Capped Parrot

gallery_49445_1540_1628079.jpg

 

132. Ring Necked Parrot

gallery_49445_1540_3036829.jpg

 

133. Crested Tern

gallery_49445_1540_96423.jpg

 

134. Striated Pardalote, Id seen them at this hollow last year, great to see the pair back

 

gallery_49445_1540_47223.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_3051191.jpg

 

135. Pied Oystercatcher

gallery_49445_1540_1475797.jpg

 

136. Sacred Kingfisher, another one I hadn't seen for quite a few months

gallery_49445_1540_432395.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_111498.jpg

 

Most of these Birds are within two kilometres of my house in the Metropolitan area. I'll finish up for the month with a few of the local Osprey, Ive confirmed there are five Osprey within that same area. Theres several Norfolk Pines along the river which top branches provide great perches for the Birds of Prey, far left the Aust Hobby and far right Osprey pair.

gallery_49445_1540_2993637.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_137299.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_787650.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_763097.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_930010.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_445834.jpg

 

All was going well until those pesky 137. Australian Ravens turned up

 

gallery_49445_1540_374579.jpg

 

 

 

gallery_49445_1540_155851.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_2470039.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_575387.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Incredible how many Kingfisher species there are! Never heard about a sacred one. Those Parrots are colour-wonders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great additons again @@elefromoz from an unknown part of the world for me. What a beautiful series of the Osprey and the Raven!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@elefromoz, great action shots. And those parrots are like rainbows...really colorful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

My September collection, from around Perth and a few hours North.

Every year the hills area of Perth, where winters are cooler, Araluen Park hosts a Tulip festival. Probably a bit odd, but a lovely show of Tulips amongst the Eucalypts, nevertheless.

gallery_49445_1540_981556.jpg

 

The little bush-birds were very pretty too, and some lovely melodious songsters amongst them

138.Grey Shrike Thrush, Ill keep trying for a better photo another time

gallery_49445_1540_3519027.jpg

 

Both the Golden Whistler and Scarlet Robin (this time female) Ive previously posted

gallery_49445_1540_84692.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_1195687.jpg

 

In my own garden, the 139. Red Wattle Birds have been breeding up and kept busy with noisy, hungry chicks that seem to grow so fast.

gallery_49445_1540_2687332.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_673028.jpg

 

140. Rainbow Lorikeet, I include it reluctantly as it is a "pest", displacing our locals birds. Nevertheless here it is

gallery_49445_1540_2141029.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_4717822.jpg

 

141. White Cheeked HoneyEater

gallery_49445_1540_4191315.jpg

 

 

A few from the Chittering Valley 142. Grey Butcherbird

gallery_49445_1540_488473.jpg

 

143. Western Gerygone

gallery_49445_1540_572316.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_838518.jpg

 

144. Female Rufous Whistler, I am still trying for the Male, he's very pretty and another great singer

gallery_49445_1540_2372774.jpg

145. White Necked Heron

gallery_49445_1540_1251408.jpg

Another repeat, but a somewhat better photo, Yellow Rumped Thornbill

gallery_49445_1540_1362401.jpg

 

146. Australian Wood duck, Male and Female

gallery_49445_1540_793642.jpg

 

 

gallery_49445_1540_3661108.jpg

 

147. Red Capped Robin

gallery_49445_1540_67313.jpg

 

And Juv

gallery_49445_1540_1739890.jpg

 

148. Ring Necked Parrot, now I have posted a Ring-Neck before but this a different sub-species, zonarius, its colouring is quite different, no red on the bill, paler blue-green plumage and a yellow chest.

gallery_49445_1540_2223135.jpg

 

149. Yellow Throated Miner

gallery_49445_1540_45278.jpg

 

150. Nankeen Kestrel

gallery_49445_1540_72805.jpg

 

 

151. Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater, it kept its eye behind a twig all the time, think it thought if it couldn't see me, I couldn't see it.

gallery_49445_1540_383664.jpg

 

The Shorebirds have just started to trickle in to Alfred Cove near where I live all the way from Siberia. My first ones for this year, way out on the distant sandbar at low tide. 152. A little group of Curlew Sandpipers

gallery_49445_1540_1151528.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Rainbow Lorikeet may be a pest in your area, but wow, what a colourful one. Love the Robin - looks just like ours except for the very different colours.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a beautiful September collection @@elefromoz ! I felt quite at home already with the tulips in the first photo :) Well that was the last familiar one right away, for the rest was a colorful showcase of birds, completely unknown to me. Wonderful to see!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with @@michael-ibk, that is one colorful pest. But, I know how destructive non-native species can be.

 

My favorite is the Red Capped Robin. It's own my bucket list to get to Australia (and specifically Tasmania) to see a Pink Robin. There is just something about those Australian Robins that I really like.

 

Great set of photos!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

@@elefromoz some nice additions since I last visited this thread.

 

@@Atdahl You don't need to go to Tasmania to see Pink Robin. They are on the mainland in Victoria.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

A few to add on for October, first a couple of common ones from around the Perth city

153. Black faced Cuckoo Shrike

gallery_49445_1540_814304.jpg

 

154. Common Bronzewinggallery_49445_1540_2696993.jpg

 

155. Little Corellasgallery_49445_1540_2096901.jpg

 

156. and less common, Black Tailed Godwit ( I hope, vs Bar-Tailed) Mandurah Estuary, about an hour south of the city

gallery_49445_1540_13655.jpg

 

Watching this in the little coastal town of Gracetown, wild and windy....

gallery_49445_1540_120061.jpg

 

When this flew by, terrible photo, but, the first time Ive ever seen one so I was quite excited, 157. Australasian Gannet

gallery_49445_1540_40944.jpg

 

So thats all the new ones for the month but, in the bushland by the coast near Dunsborough, a very friendly Western Yellow Robin who let me approach quite close

gallery_49445_1540_2027597.jpg

 

Last month I posted the Female Rufous Whistler, I said I hoped to capture the Male next time. Here he is, his beautiful song echoing up the street

gallery_49445_1540_625506.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_1236168.jpg

 

@@Geoff mentioned a while back that the Female Golden Whistler was one of the most frequently wrongly identified birds...well heres my attempt. And Im happy Geoff for any correction.

gallery_49445_1540_1681329.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_442503.jpg

 

And my "mystery bird", it was in the same small patch of bush beside the coast along with the Western Yellow Robin and Golden Whistler, so @@Geoff any help again? Is it the same bird as the previous two photos( all 3 in Dunsborough but this one in our street, other two in the bush outside town)

gallery_49445_1540_460983.jpg

 

And because its Spring, some babies, lots everywhere at the moment.

gallery_49445_1540_511054.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_1076337.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

November has been a great month for Birds for me. I think Ive been walking around with my eyes closed up til this year as I am seeing and hearing Birds Ive never seen,or heard before. Every new bird is exciting, and Ive particularly enjoyed Birds form my home patch this month.

 

Ive joined Birdlife WA (West Aus) and took a walk with them a few weeks ago around Thompsons Lake, which is a wetland lake in the suburbs. The advantage of a group is, many eyes and ears on the job. I don't know how anyone spotted this in the distance and high in the tree, but he did...
gallery_49445_1540_1579615.jpg

 

158 Tawny Frogmouth and Chick!!

gallery_49445_1540_1487431.jpg

 

A different view from underneath showing the nest of twigs, a bit of the chick to the side, but also the excellent camouflage, just looks like a piece of bark

gallery_49445_1540_6332333.jpg

 

159. Pallid Cuckoo

gallery_49445_1540_1504126.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_7729532.jpg

 

160. Shiny Bronze Cuckoo

gallery_49445_1540_4594049.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_267946.jpg

 

I was in the Garden, down South in Dunsborough, when there was a thumping and flapping of wings overhead, a large bird in pursuit of a small Honey-eater. It missed its target but stopped on the branch of a small Eucalypt just 20 feet in front of me. I was too scared to move for fear of frightening it, so slowly I raised my camera...

161. Collared SparrowHawk

gallery_49445_1540_4225827.jpg

 

gallery_49445_1540_2201613.jpg

 

After that heart-stopping moment, back to the small birds, 162. Inland Thornbill

gallery_49445_1540_1759500.jpg

 

A walk through the nearby bush 163. Little Wattlebird

gallery_49445_1540_13240953.jpg

 

And onto the beach for 164. Fairy Martins

gallery_49445_1540_6535951.jpg

 

Back to my own garden and the 165. Magpie. We are friends again now. October is hell with the Magpies, they are very aggressive with chicks on the nest. Ive always told everyone they leave me alone when on the nest in our Gumtree. Not this year, just as i was bent over looking into the letterbox, glanced up to see it swooping straight toward me at eye level. I ducked and bolted inside and for the next three weeks or so we could only venture outside with a broom handy. There was a disturbing photo in the local paper of a cyclist with a Magpie pecking at his ear as he peddled along, he had a camera on his bike and caught the attack on film.Every Spring people end up at the doctor with Magpie related injuries. you may laugh.

gallery_49445_1540_11674362.jpg

 

We had a couple of nights on Rottnest Island, which is about half an hour by boat off Perth. Its inland Lakes (salt) are home to the Migratory Waders over Summer.

166.Ruddy Turnstone

gallery_49445_1540_5656718.jpg

 

 

167. Red Capped Plover (male)

gallery_49445_1540_5585953.jpg

 

and Female

gallery_49445_1540_3309416.jpg

 

168. Red Necked Stint

gallery_49445_1540_5432146.jpg

 

169. Red Necked Avocet, such a pretty bird

gallery_49445_1540_3848673.jpg

 

170. Banded Stilt, hundreds and hundreds of them, here with a Black Winged Stilt for comparison

gallery_49445_1540_2751545.jpg

 

171. Sanderling

gallery_49445_1540_1229449.jpg

 

172. Caspian Tern

gallery_49445_1540_3107295.jpg

 

and in the coastal scrub 173. White Fronted Chat (male)

gallery_49445_1540_2361309.jpg

 

and female

gallery_49445_1540_4305811.jpg

 

And a few repeats, marginally better photos than previously posted, Sooty Oystercatcher

gallery_49445_1540_2194096.jpg

 

Buff Banded Rail

gallery_49445_1540_9866977.jpg

 

White Browed Scrubwren, Juv

gallery_49445_1540_3598374.jpg

 

Kookaburra with Frog which it pounded to death on the branch

gallery_49445_1540_2536035.jpg

 

And finally, "now thats what I call a nest!"

gallery_49445_1540_17553639.jpg

 

And a little to tale to finish. I was stopped at the traffic lights in the suburbs, watching a Wattlebird chasing a Moth, both ducking and weaving, a tiny Willy Wagtail in pursuit of both. Finally the much larger Wattlebird caught the Moth in its beak with a quick snap, turned flew low over the road, Bang, hit by a car, dead as a Dodo. The little Willy Wagtail never skipped a beat, flew down and snatched the Moth from the dead Wattlebirds beak as it lay squashed on the road. Off the little fellow flew with his prize. For every loser theres a winner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@elefromoz

A brilliant collection! I really like the Avocet that we get, so seeing the Red Necked Avocet is a real treat.

It is amazing that anyone would see the Frogmouth - exceptional camouflage

Edited by TonyQ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

@@Geoff mentioned a while back that the Female Golden Whistler was one of the most frequently wrongly identified birds...well heres my attempt. And Im happy Geoff for any correction.

 

 

@@elefromoz Sorry, I've neglected to comment on this... Yep, i think all 3 are what i would call female Golden Whistlers (one is a young bird with a pale beak base) though I believe that the Western Australian forms of Golden whistler have now been reclassified as Western Whistler. Just to make it more confusing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and excellent collection of images/birds from November.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@TonyQ, thanks, I really liked your idea to focus on local birds "close to home" , its great to travel overseas and see all sorts of exciting things, but its also good to appreciate what we have at home.

 

@@Geoff, thanks, phew, as an absolute beginner to all this, much time is spent sweating over photos and books to help with ID. Im excited I got it right.... well til they went and did a name change on me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Ive been walking around with my eyes closed up til this year as I am seeing and hearing Birds Ive never seen,or heard before. Every new bird is exciting, and Ive particularly enjoyed Birds form my home patch this month.

We feel just the same - so many things we have never seen before. We have also enjoyed seeing a species at different times of the year, and seeing the youngsters has been a real pleasure. The "BIg Year" has had a big impact on us - and I have loved to follow other people's threads - in particular to see what lives in their part of the world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very impressive November for you - beautiful birds and pictures!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another great and varied set! Your november was definitely better than mine...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy