Kit & Herman Year 2

[Kitsafari]

Since I am with the grebe, I'll just continue with this family. We were very lucky this trip as we got to see three out of the four grebe species. The only species we did not see was the tri-coloured (formerly called little) grebe but this particular one is a vagrant in western Australia. 

 

344/WA20: Greater crested grebe, Herdsman Lake

 

This species is well distributed in southern Asia, Europe, parts of Africa and Australia. 

 

[Kitsafari]

345/WA21: Australasian Grebe,  Fremantle

 

The Australasian grebe prefers freshwater bodies and are usually shy but in an urban city like Fremantle, it has become more habituated to humans. there weren't many people at the lake, only Herman and I, so the family of three were swimming in the open and made it easier for us to observe them. 

 

[Kitsafari]

148/WA22: Greater white Egret, Herdsman Lake

 

Already in the Botswana count 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

346/WA23: Red-winged Fairywren, Victoria Dam

 

This is an Endemic species to the southwestern corner of West Australia. Unfortunately, we came during the non-breeding season so the fairy-wren was not resplendent in its colours. It was an incredibly shy bird as well. we had two speedy sightings. the first, I got all excited but shook the camera with a shot of the male and female, providing a wonderful EBC. the second, I saw the male hopped on the road but before I take a shot, it had disappeared behind a rock. it is found in thick undergrowth of the heavily forested jarrah, karri and tingle forests of the lower southwest regions. 

 

Leaving you with an EBC and a  slightly better pic of the female.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

347/WA24: Splendid Fairy-wren, Victoria Dam

 

Also skulking around the same forest was the splendid fairy-wren. there were at least 3 of them flying around when we spotted them,  so we had a bit of difficulty figuring out which was the non-breeding male or the juvenile wren, both with the black bill but I reckon the photos we had were of the dull male because of the blue wings. The female with the orangey bill posed beautifully for us. The Splendid fairy-wren has a large range from eastern through central to western Australia. 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Dave Williams]

Agreed, nice to see more of what's on offer in Australia. Some excellent shots included.

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @Dave Williams we need to get back to Australia for more varieties! 

 

As always, i messed up the count and have corrected them. Expect no less from a person who failed mathematics every year except when it counted most. 

 

348/WA25: Grey Fantail, Herdsmen Lake/Perth/ Victoria Dam

 

The grey fantail is described as a confiding bird, which surprised us as the grey fantails we saw were far shyer than the more boisterous and friendlier willie wagtail. the species have quite a few variants with five sub-species in Australia, two of which are in western australia. The ones we saw were mainly preissi sub-species which are commonly found in the south western Australia area. Their nests are described as the most exquisite structures that give it a wine glass shape that is bound together tightly with spider web. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

349/WA26: Restless Flycatcher, Flint Street Forest

 

The flycatcher really lived up to its name. It never pauses for more than a few seconds when it lands, and twists and turns in flight to catch insects, while flitting from branch to branch. It was such a challenge to get good shots, so of course, all of mine deserved the bin. Thankfully, Herman's shots were better. For a flycatcher, this unusual and rather large flycatcher prefers lower levels to look for movements of insect and sometimes hovers waiting for the insect to move.  it also has a strange grinding sound that earned it the name of scissor grinder bird. I have a video clip of it, but I haven't edited it. will put it up when I've done it. 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

350/WA27: Silver Gull, Fremantle marine jetty

 

With all-white back and front with greyish wings with black tips and red bill and red legs - thankfully the Silver Gull looks completely different from the gull species in western Australia. They are doing well in Fremantle, often flying into open-air dining tables to scavenge on leftover food that hasn't been cleared.
We also saw them in more natural surroundings around the marina, flying around the private boats moored there. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

For those interested to hear what the restless flycatcher sounds like. But please excuse the poor quality of the video!

 

 

[Kitsafari]

351/WA28: Western Gerygone, Victoria Dam/Herdsman Lake

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

352/WA29: Swamp Harrier, Herdsman Lake

 

These are resident raptors over the lake, preferring the swampy or wetlands regions to hunt for their food. This harrier flew over the lake in a circuitory route twice during the time we were there, each time scattering the waders and birds resting or feeding on the ground. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Now to some honeyeaters. 

 

353/WA30: New Holland Honeyeaters, Herdsmen Lake/Victoria Dam

 

[Kitsafari]

354/WA31: Singing honeyeaters, Herdsman Lake/Fremantle

 

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

355/WA32: Brown Honeyeater, Herdsman Lake/Victoria Dam

 

 

[Kitsafari]

356/WA33: White-cheeked Honeyeater, Fremantle

 

Looks similar to the new holland honeyeater but has a larger white patch on its cheeks.

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

357/WA34: Yellow-plumed honeyeater, Flint Street forest

 

[Kitsafari]

358/WA35: Glossy Ibis, Herdsman Lake

 

We were very pleased to see all the three ibis species at the lake, although it took a couple of days. But we liked Herdsman Lake so we didn't mind returning to the place. 

 

[Kitsafari]

359/WA36: Australian White Ibis, Herdsman Lake

360/WA37: Straw-necked Ibis, Herdsman Lake

 

Like the sociable glossy ibis, there was a flock of straw-necked ibis that was picking at the grass very early in the morning. The Australian white ibis, which is gregarious by nature, was among that flock, all alone, until much later when another flew in to join the straw-necked ibis. The white ibis seems to enjoy the company of the straw-necked ibis as they are seen often together in other parts of Western Australia as well feeding on earthworms, insects and grasshoppers. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

361/WA38: Laughing Kookaburra, Kardinya, Perth

 

our only viewing of this famous Australian bird. The kookabura is one of the largest tree kookaburras and is not native to the south western Australia but was introduced ironically by the Perth zoo between 1897 and 1912 in the foolish hope that the Kookaburra would eat snakes in the city. Instead, the kookaburra, which hunts small birds, consumed the many native birds which did not know how to evade the larger bird. 

The male has a blue patch on its wings while the female does not. 

 

[Kitsafari]

362/WA39 : Whistling Kite, Kardinya woods, Perth

 

The whistling kite prefers wooded areas adjacent to wetlands where it can prey on ducks and waterbirds, but it is not above scavenging as well. 

 

[Kitsafari]

363/WA40 : Magpie-Lark, Perth/Fremantle, Herdsman Lake

 

a very common bird but the magpie-lark is actually part of the monarch flycatcher group, and is its largest. It's just slightly smaller than the Australian magpie. The male has a black face and throat while the female has a white face and throat; the black eye band is horizontal in the male but vertical in the female. 

 

a male on the left and female on the right

 

male: 

[PeterHG]

An impressive set of beautiful additions!

 

[Kitsafari]

thank you @PeterHG !

 

365/WA42: Spotted Pardolate, Victoria Dam

 

The walk to the dam is through a forested area and this was where we heard and (thanks to our guide Peter Taylor) saw these small and pretty birds. 

The spotted pardolate is differentiated from the striated pardolate by, well lots of spots on its crown and back and wings. It likes heavier wooded areas and has its nests in hollows in the ground. But this particular pardolate and its female, which we couldn't catch on the camera, were checking out a hole in the soil bank. 

 

 

checking out a hole in the soil wall

 

[Kitsafari]

366/wA43: Striated Pardolate, Victoria Dam

 

The striated pardolate is slightly larger than its spotted cousin and nests mainly in tree hollows. It likes to feed high in the trees so we were pretty  lucky a couple of them flewer lower for us to see them.