Well, this has been a strange year, although I did manage to see some good birds. Lets hope the next one is better in terms of health, travel, politics and general wellbeing.
Here is a selection of my favourite pictures from 2021.
As a bit of a challenge, why not see if you can ID these birds: all taken this year, and all in Victoria.
Cheers and best wishes for the New Year. SM
Just a brief post this week as I continue to try to come out of covid-hibernation. These are some shots of a large flock of Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida) that I took on my recent trip to Werribee.
On close examination I found a few other species of birds in the flock as well. See if you can find them. Consider it a kind of birding "Where's Wally"!
Hope all is well, and that people have a good Christmas in these continually strange times. SM
I manged to get out birding again this week - and I am almost starting to feel a whiff of normality in the air here. I suspect it wont last!
I traveled to the sewage works at Werribee on another bright and windy day - the weather seemed to keep the birds in the air, and by mid-morning it was very bright. But it was good to be out.
I managed to get some pictures of White-fronted Chat (Epthianura albifrons) which is a common bird that I have found hard to photograph. This male perched in a bush for a short time and I was able to get of a burst of shots. The wind - and hand holding a long lens - made it all a bit difficult, but here are the pictures anyway.
As ever, to join in with WBW, click on the link below. SM
The edition of WBW is brought to you by two very long distance travelers - the Bar-Tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) and the Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus).
These birds were sitting in mangrove bushes outside the hide at Toora, in East Gippsland a few weeks ago. The Bar-Tailed Godwits have the long straight beak, and the Eurasian Whimbrels have a curved beak, and distinctive head stripes.
These birds breed high in the northern hemisphere, in places like Siberia. I am always amazed when I see these birds in Australia because a proportion of the individuals I see were an egg a few months ago!
The weekend after I saw these birds a very rare Whimbrel was found in the area - a Hudsonian Whimbrel was fund in the area. I have looked very hard at all of my pictures, but I seem to have missed it!
As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below. SM
The Australia Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a huge and conspicuous water bird. Its name does not actually refer to its size, but to the yellow rings around its eyes. Who would have thought.
These birds were at one of my more regular - if a little distant - bird watching locations, Swan Bay Jetty which is about two hours west of my house.
I rather liked the way that the four birds got involved in some semi-synchronized plumage maintenance.
As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below. SM
