Sealers Cove

A couple of weekends ago I walked out to Sealers Cove at Wilsons Promontory National Park - its a walk I have often done, but this time I was testing out a new backpack and sleeping bag.  Both worked well.

As you can see, its not a bad place to spend a few hours - although at twilight the possums were a bit of a problem to everybody.  Clearly they (thats the possums!) are used to getting food from campers - and one of them made off with my breakfast fruit bread!  I was less the impressed.  But, in hindsight its actually rather amusing!

I sat on that tree, drank a fine, camp brew coffee and watched the Sooty Oystercatchers - it was a great weekend!

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

Wild Bird Wednesday 323 - Eurasian Coot

Just back from a wonderfull disconnected trip to the beach.  With luck I will catch up with comments before this post publishes - if not, my apologies for being off line.  We all need to recharge at times.

I think that Coots are rather assuming birds - filled with huge levels of  passion and anger, that often shows up as they charge about over lakes and ponds at the slightest sign of wrong doing by other birds.

I caught this bird in a more relaxed (or exhausted) moment, and rather liked the reflection.

As ever, click on the blue button to join in with WBW.  Cheers SM

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Wild Bird Wednesday 322 - Pink Eared Duck

These are some Pink Eared Ducks (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) from Jells Park in Melbourne.  A busy day at work and the start of some (in my opinion) well deserved time off almost made me miss this post!

These duck are so great they need no more words!

From the look of these boys and girls I think spring may be in the air!

As ever, click on the blue button to join in with WBW.  Cheers SM

An InLinkz Link-up

Wild Bird Wednesday 321 - Crimson Rosellas (in the rain)

The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) is, to say the least, showy.   It shows a range of colours over its range, but the ones in my part of the world fall into the Crimson Type! Elsewhere they run to yellow and orange.

As you can see from these pictures these birds were feeding on the ground in the rain. I rather like the way the raindrops have beaded on the feathers.  The light was pretty dull for these pictures, but I do like them.

These pictures were taken at Wilsons Promontory National Park - which is very close to being my favourite place.  I'm going there (again) this weekend!

As ever, to join in with WBW just click on the link below (and this week I will remember to put it there!)  Cheers - SM

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Wild Bird Wednesday 320 - Blue-Billed Duck

I managed to get back to Jells Park for a couple of hours this weekend - which was a bit of a relief from the office I have to tell you!

I was really pleased to find the Blue-billed Ducks (Oxyura australis) much closer to one of the viewing platforms than in my other recent visits.  This duck is native to Australia, but is closely related to other around the world.  If you are reading this in the UK, the BBD is closely related to the Ruddy Duck - which has been subject to a effort to remove it from the UK as a breeding species.

It's not hard to see how these duck got their name! Although I have to say that I rather like the females as well!

As ever, to join in with WBW just click on the blue button below: no invitation is need, just join in!  SM

PS: it's been an interesting week to say the least!  Will catch up with comments and such like asap.  Its hard to believe I stared doing WBW on Wednesday, 16 July 2012! 

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Wild Bird Wednesday 319 - Freckled Duck

These are some more shots from Jells Park.  While I was scanning about with my bins, I noticed these ducks tucked up underneath an island.

The head shape is pretty distinctive, with a high crown. These are Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa).  This is Australia's rarest duck. The population is estimated to number 11,000-26,000 individuals. By loafing about at the base of an island it is doing exactly what the guide books say it does.

These images are rather more cropped than normal, but I like the tones and textures, and the rather 'secretive' nature of the images.  They look much better larger - so click on them so see this.

To join in with WBW just click on the blue button below.  SM

An InLinkz Link-up