Singing along

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Mildura West railway reserve

It was very glarey but I took my camera for a walk with it's new lens hood and I didn't have to be too patient before this honeyeater came out of the scrub for me!  

The railway reserve is probably quite under-rated. It has a walking path, lots of native vegetation and in some spots, guerrilla veggie patches. Every year there is a family that grows capsicums and there is a big mulberry tree but I never seem to time it right and whenever I go back when I think they will be ripe, all the mulberries are gone! Maybe it's the birds. I've seen Pink Cockatoos near here, eating almonds from backyard trees too.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Oldman Saltbush Snack

Red-rumped Parrots, Bob Corbould wetland

(female top, male bottom)

 The parrots were having a great ol' feed on the saltbush on the weekend. I was lucky enough to catch some of them in the morning sunshine. These guys are pretty common around here but this is the best photo opportunity I've had so far. The female is quite plain in comparison to the male but I think she has a lovely soft face.

Wild Bird Wednesday

The king of kingfishers

 Laughing Kookaburra, Mildura Base Hospital

There are lots of resident kookaburra's in Mildura, which I love because it gives that sense of place when you expect to see something and you do! 

I had always thought they mainly just ate skinks and other reptiles, until one day I saw one dive down to catch a fish. There have also been sightings of them catching yabbies. I did see recently a photo of a kookaburra destroying the body of New Holland Honeyeater, but the question was asked whether it was a scavenged find rather than a brutal intra-class killing!

I'm interested to know how dark these pics are on other people's computer screens… 

Wild Bird Wednesday

Swan update

Black Swan & cygnets, Etiwanda wetlands

White-plumed Honeyeater, Mildura

I must admit that the honeyeaters and bush birds are much harder to photograph than the waterbirds!  Even though these honeyeaters are so common, I still struggle to get a good shot. Even though I like the colours in this, it is a bit of a shame that that closer bottlebrush is there. 

The five swan babies have been coming along well, although they would want to watch out they don't get kicked out - mum and dad are already looking at the nest again!

Wild Bird Wednesday
The Bird D'Pot