Spring birding

I managed to find a couple of hours for a quick trip out today.  I birded between St Kilda and Port Gawler, just to the north of Adelaide.

It was very quiet to start with, but I did happen on this little story...... Once upon a time there were three White-winged Fairy-wrens, Daddy, Mummy and little baby.......

At Port Gawler things got better as there were a few waders about.  Resident Red-kneed Dotterels and a few migrant Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.

There was also a very confiding Red-necked Avocet which allowed me to get my best photos of this species yet.

As usual, the Pied Butcherbird was trying his luck along the edge of the samphire and there were plenty of Singing Honeyeaters doing what they do best.....singing!

Birding again

I can't believe its been 4 months since my last post.  A combination of ill health, too busy at work and at home, (and the Aussie Rules Football season!) has kept me away from the camera and the binoculars.

I did make a quick trip up to Brookfield Conservation Park the other weekend though. Just inside the gate, and the first bird I see is a stunning male red-capped Robin.  He was very confiding, and was not bothered that I sat only a few metres from his song perch.  Not so confiding were any of the multitude of lustily singing Rufous Songlarks. They wouldn't let me within 20 metres before flying away.

A little further along the track I stopped for an immature Hooded Robin, and what I think is a juvenile Rufous Whistler |(happy to be corrected).

Just as unconfiding was a Pallid Cuckoo, about 50 metres was his limit! (so this is a highly cropped image)

It was to be a very short visit, so I only had time for the Bluebush Track.  As usual there were plenty of White-winged Fairywrens about, and I got close to a small party of females. It wasn't long before the male popped up, but he never gave me a unobstructed shot.

As I was about to leave I noticed this Southern Whiteface popping in and out of a Saltbush with insects in it's beak, a sure sign that spring is on it's way.

Local birds

This morning I took a short drive around my local area. First stop was a local ornamental lake. Nothing much there apart from the usual "mixed up Mallards" and Muscovy Ducks. I turned back towards the car, and spooked a Great Egret, before trying to stalk a White-faced Heron. Next lake held an Australian Pelican, a pair of Maned Duck and some Purple Swamphen. En-route to the agricultural area, I spotted a couple of Masked Lapwings by the side of the road. These birds are normally very timid, and fly off at the earliest opportunity. I stopped a short distance along the road, and they continued approaching. For the first time I saw the wing spurs which gave them their original name of Spur-winged Plover. The agricultural land was very quiet, but I spotted a female fairywren, so pulled over and was rewarded with this stunning male White-winged Fairywren. Last bird of the morning was a Wedge-tailed Eagle fighting against the wind.