Wild Bird Wednesday 39 - Stilts

One of the (many) things I like about birding is coming upon the unexpected; and this does not have to mean finding something that is rare.  Large numbers of common birds, a common bird in an uncommon place are just as interesting to me (and probably more interesting in a real sense) then some form of storm blown rarity that is likely to soon be dead at the hands of the weather or  a passing cat.

So, last week I was pleased to find birds that fitted into both groups - an abundance of birds I had hoped to see, as well as a few birds where I did not expect them.

Lake Victoria is an shallow saline lake that has been expanded by the digging of shell grit.  According to sources on the Web it "sometimes holds internationally significant numbers of banded Stilts" - I think I managed to visit it on such a day!  I have no real idea how many of these birds were present, but there were 4 very dense flocks just loafing about and many more birds in one area feeding.  I find it hard to believe that there were less the 2000 birds there.

The Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus) is about 36 - 45 cm long with a fine black bill. It is nomadic within Australia and only breeds when large salt lakes form in parts of central Australia - and given that central Australia is a desert that's not very year - or even most years if the truth be told.  The key thing to look for on these birds is the white head - they always have one.  Adult birds in breeding plumage also have a chestnut band across the chest.

I have to say I was pretty excited to see these!

So, a few days later I was out in the evening at Lake Lorn - which is about 20 minutes from Point Lonsdale when I found two Black-Winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus).  These are an Australian race of a wide spread species - but I was not expecting to see them.

The key difference here is that they have a black back to their heads - and completely black wings if you see them in flight.

As you may well imagine, it was a good way to end a day.

Now its over to you - use the link below to join in with Wild Bird Wednesday.  Link, visit, invite and enjoy!  (and as a special plea, could you make sure you link to your actual  WBW post, rather than just to your general blog address!) 

Our World Tuesday - Australasian Fur Seals

I was out and about on Port Phillip Bay this week - if I lived much nearer to the sea a boat of some kind would be on my wish list.  Although I recall boats be called "A hole surrounded by water, into which one pours money!" - so maybe not.

I went out on an organised tour to visit one of the old sea forts that were build and later abandoned by the military - but more about that on another day.

On the way to the fort we stopped by the  Australasian Fur Seal colony that hauls out on a structure called Chinaman's Hat.  I've posted about this place before.

What was unusual about today was some of the seal behaviour we saw.  Many of the seals were floating on the surface of the water with there front flippers held up in the air.

Apparently, the dark colour of the flippers and the closeness of the blood flow to the surface of skin allows the seals to use their flippers as solar panels and get some free warmth.  It seems like a good adaptation.

For once the place was not stomach churningly smelly!

You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

Enjoy the pictures.

Macro Monday - Detail

When I was at the beach last week, I could not help but notice the way that "man-made" objects interact with the salt and the spray from the sea.

Never buy a car from the seaside my father told me - although his ability to avoid inland rust buckets puts the clarity of his judgement in question!

I took both of these pictures as I walked back to our "house" - and I was thinking about the relationship between the made and the natural and how one fades into another.  There are times when I wish I could think about football or other less confusing topics!

You can find more Macro Shots from around the world Macro Monday.

Enjoy the close ups!

SkyWatch Friday - Two Big Skies

I have been spending a few days at the beach - which was the cause of the spotty internet connection!

One of the things I like about the sea - and the places around it - it the way the sky looks huge.

These are two big skies.

This one is over Lake Victoria - a nature reserve near Point Lonsdale.  Keep an eye open for this location as it may come up again next wednesday.  Although you cant tell from this picture there are lots and lots of birds in this area.

The second shot comes from a walk between Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff.  The beach did not yield its normal treasure trove of shells and wave cast stuff - but it did give up a rather fine sky.

Hope you like the pictures.

You can find more skies at Sky Watch Friday.

Wild Bird Wednesday 38 - Masked Lapwing

This will be a rather more brief than normal WBW - I'm still dealing with intermittently poor, but consistently frustrating internet access.  Comments from me may be a bit delayed this week!

This bird is a Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles).  It's a common and highly visible bird, seeming to enjoy taking up residence on the grassy patches in the middle of roundabouts and sports ovals.  It is a shade under 40 cm long - but packs a good deal more aggression that than its size would suggest possible.

I had hoped to be able to capture the sharp bony spurs that stick out from the "shoulders" of the wings - but this bird is too relaxed to show them.  These spurs are used to attack predators - including dogs and humans!  They also give the bird its "old" common name of Spur-Winged Plover.

Incidentally, these pictures were taken with my camera snuggled down into a pillow that was bent over  the door of my car.  Its a great way to support a long lens.

Now its your turn.

Click on the link below to join WBW.  And remember - visit, invite and enjoy!

Our World Tuesday - Easter Beach

I am in a world of intermittent internet access - but when the beach looks like this, is it really important?

This is the "front beach" at Point Lonsdale at low tide.

This is almost the same beach at high tide!  Thats quite a difference!

You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.