Locked down to 10km from-home-zone currently, so a fine time to start a new project, only 8 months late.
Going back to Jan 21 to begin the catch-up from St George's Basin area. I'll start slow and see if my tech skills are up to it...
1. Chestnut Teal - one male and two females
2. Rainbow Lorrikeet - usual suspects
3. Azure Kingfisher - fuzzy but it counts?
4. Australian Pelican - team-pose as we paddled past in canoe
5. Eastern Osprey - beside creek entering the basin.
Hi Michael, welcome. Some great photos.
Your Azure Kingfisher will count, but only if you add the photo! At least I can't see it. It is easy to get caught up and make such mistakes.
I am looking forward to seeing it though.
Thanks for posting.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Hmmm. Difficult to count to 5...apologies. I have added it now...I hope.
Thanks
Hello Michael - how excellent, another one to join in :-) And a Sydney local too - welcome! Some lovely pics to get you started - and some cool birds as well. Love the pelican shot!
Bawley Point first photos and ID of these 2 (Easter)
6. Red-capped Plover
7. Scarlet Honeyeater - flew under the outdoor table, wouldn't be coaxed into a better light for photo
Back to the Basin
8. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
9. Crimson Rosella
Local beach back home, Wollongong.
10. Nankeen Kestrel - nice wind for a hover and a hunt. Second pic: you may see the little legs of Fairy-wren catch in left talon.
Local trail - Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest (June)
11. Spotted Pardalote - Good pose, but dark in the bush.
12. Red-browed finch
13. Eastern Yellow Robin - always keen to have their photo taken
Into LGA July lockdown, so safely confined to my local beaches, local creek and rainforest trail runs. Beautiful spots, lucky to be locked down here, if anywhere...
14. New Holland Honeyeater - Port beach
15. Grey Fantail - back on forest trail
Near Port beach: Kelp Gull teaching young to drop and smash molluscs on the exposed rocks
16. Kelp Gull
17. Welcome Swallow - resting on the leeward side of headland
18. Little Pied Cormorant - fishing and then drying out.
19. Sooty Oystercatcher
20. Silver gull: one appropriately silver, the other sadly sooty.
Great photos Michael, your Azure Kngisher is certainly clear enough for ID. Glad to see your adding photos from earlier this year. Some really good birds, most would be new to me. Thanks again for sharing
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
21. Grey Butcherbird
22. Laughing Kookaburra
23. Noisy Miner
24. Crested Pigeon
25. Satin Bowerbird (fml)
26. Willie Wagtail
27. Little Corella
28. Superb Fairy-Wren
29. Australian White Ibis
30. Shining Bronze-Cuckoo
You have got some really nice photos there Michael, and putting some good numbers together. Thanks again for joining in and sharing.
I really enjoy seeing birds which are not found in my neck of the woods.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Thanks Dale,
I think my input will start to slow as I run out of 'local government area' birds. I have learnt from scrolling other folks' Big Year Challenges that EBC, which is a nice way to revisit and focus on the common and easily ignored birds. A good way to practise the photography, without waiting for the rarity of a new bird.
This is also a big kick in the pants to organise all my digital files!
Cheers,
Michael, great to see all these birds - and some great photos too :-) That Scarlet Honeyeater is amazing, what a good sighting. And I didn't know Kelp Gulls came this far north, I've never seen them in NSW - such cool gulls. Love the shell-cracking photo.
Yeah, birding is an exercise in patience at the moment. I've made a conscious adjustment to give away my pursuit of big numbers and new birds this year, its just not going to happen - so I'm just having fun observing the locals more closely, and trying to get better at photographing them and learning new things about them. Which is really the point anyway :-)
Sounds like you have a good variety of habitats in your LGA though, so I reckon you've got a lot of scope to catch up while we are in lockdown - Sue and I at least wont be going too many places for a while either - so I'm looking forward to seeing more of your Illawarra birds :-)
Great photos Michael. For me, your Butcherbird (one of my absolute favourite birds) is the pick of the bunch.
I hear you on being stuck in your LGA, I'm in Melbourne and we totally get it. But as a newcomer, I was amazed at just how many birds I could find in my local area... close to 50 species at our local lake alone! It also made me appreciate the birds I saw frequently, rather than going crazy trying to find new birds.
Looking forward to seeing more photos :)
Welcome Michael. Always great to have others join the challenge. It really has been a challenge this year with all the lock downs. Loving your photos. BTW I recon thats a juv Male Satin Bowerbird with that pale beak. Females tend to have a dark grey beak. Is that Silver Gul just really dirty or is in Melanistic?
Dev, it was posted in Identifications, and with Michaels permission posted elswhere - general consensus was coal or oil contaminated water, or possibly tannin. There is still a chance of some melanism (apparently a few have been sighted), but as Sue mentioned, the legs and bill were darker (on the melansitic bird).
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Hi Alex,
Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, an effort in investigating my local spots is healthy in lots of ways. In particular, I have never spent time birding at the beach (which is for surfing), or around other water environments; it was mainly an activity for the bush.
My son found the scarlet honey-eater, and we all thought it was injured because it wouldn't fly away - turns out it was just waiting for us to go away :)
Thanks Devster,
I see what you're saying about the beak; in this situation, should I alter/edit the original post? In saying that, if I take a clearer shot of the same species (which I am hoping-to catch an older male) do I just post it in the next set, without notching up the count?
Gull is really dirty; got a severe talking to from it's mum for 'not washing properly'.
Cheers,
Michael
Cheers Tommy,
The butcherbird still fascinates with it's gurgling song and will often pose long enough for me to get the lens cap off, unlike many other locals.
Snuck out early to local spots before work and picked up a couple more.
Puckey's Reserve - some usual suspects
31. Australian Magpie
32. Silvereye
33. Red-whiskered bulbul - skipped around in the shadow before presenting nicely in the sun.
34. Little Wattlebird
Bellambi Lagoon
35. Dusky Moorhen
36. Little Egret - think I got this one right; the long feather at the back of the head.
Coomaditchy Lagoon
37. Great Cormorant
38. Fan-tailed Cuckoo - the eye just caught the light
39. Pied Cormorant
Great shgots, keep them coming! Love the Little Wattlebird and Bulbul pictures especially.
Wow, Michael, you are off to a great start. Welcome! Love the variety and difficult to pick a favourite... maybe the Red-capped Plover and Scarlet Honeyeater. Also impressed with your ID skills.
A couple of comments, if I may:
A Silver Gull from the Illawarra has been posted on ABID (Australian Birds ID facebook group) in last few days and consensus is that it is soiled. It appears to be the same gull as yours.
Love the Bronze-cuckoo but wondering how you decided on Horsfield's rather than Shining as the indicative dark eye-stripe is not very evident. I realise that photos only tell so much and you may have seen it clearly on the day. Either one is a great bird to see, so well done.
Looking forward to more as you explore your neighbourhood.
Horsfield's or Shining Bronze-cuckoo? I think it's a rookie error, as I wasn't even aware of the shining one, but having asked dr google images, I see what you mean by the eyebrow mark. Do I edit the original or scrap it as unclear? Another photo of same bird, same day, attached might clarify as Shining...
Cheers,
And thanks for the help :)
Yes, that photo clinches it as Shining Bronze-cuckoo. Just edit the previous post to the correct ID and fact sheet now that it is clarified. We all get confused by similar species so don't be too concerned. Any of us will help if we can.
FYI: Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo has a dark eye-stripe, broad white supercilium (think eyebrow) and rufous sides to base of uppertail all of which this bird is lacking. Hope you don't mind that bit of learning.
That works for me! The Shining Bronze-Cuckoo is a bird I've never seen before.
Much appreciated.
Some more great birds Michael. I am yet to see any cuckoos, here them often at certain times of the year, but can't get one in view.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Local - Mt Keira
40 Golden Whistler - over-exposed, but took off before I could adjust
41 Lewin's Honeyeater
42 Olive-backed Oriole
43 Topknot Pigeon - dark, but hoping the 'orange mullet' is enough to ID, the white stripe on the tail feathers too.
44 Australian King Parrot
Back to the beach and Bellambi Lagoon
45 Magpie Lark
Pelican - already counted, but I love the pose
46 White-faced Heron - flew past as I was high (altitude!) on a dune
Well done, Michael. Some nice birds there including a definite Topknot Pigeon. Lovely capture of the bird in flight. Bring on 50!
Welcome Michael! What a great 'belated' start to your big year challenge.
I will try to get you added to our stats sheet today :-)
Oops; apologies! I didn't realise I was creating work for someone. But, thanks when it happens!
Seems Karen was quite timely as you are now represented in the Stats, Michael. You will find it under the Forum of Big Year Challenge. A wonderful way to see what common birds you are missing apart from other things. Great to se yo7 off to such a good start.
More local's from parks, powerlines and ponds.
47 Galah
48 White-headed pigeon
49 Spotted dove
50 Sulphur-crested cockatoo - a classic for the half-century? (if I can count properly)
51 White-throated tree-creeper - distant but hopefully passable, couldn't believe I couldn't get closer, then once I got back to the car, I realise the lens (new, not used to it yet) had crept back to 150mm.
52 Grey Shrike-thrush - same
53 Pied currawong
54 Common Myna
55 Eurasian Coot
56 Australasian figbird (ml and fml) together in the same tree
57 Common blackbird
58 Masked lapwing - have seen them nearly everyday for as long as I can remember, first photo ever.
59 Australian Brush-turkey
Thanks for the stats Karen, and hints Sue; I am on to it.
Again some great photos. Your "hopefully passable" shots or more than passable, they are really good - not that I can confirm ID, but others will (not that your having any problem with ID anyway).
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Wow look at you go Michael. Love the enthusiasm and the photos. Keep it up! I've come to a screaming holt and haven't picked up my camera for a few weeks now.
Well done, Michael. wonderful to see your posts... I especially like the White-headed Pigeon as I have not seen one in ages.
Thanks for the support, Devster. I imagine I am approaching a similar halt, as travelling is further confined. For now its also a good excuse for me to get fresh air and I have just got a new heavy-weight lens (for me at least) that I am trying to learn.
Cheers Sue: I sometimes see the white-headed pigeons as I drive to work, and they appear quite regal...but the one I captued last week looked like it had suffered a long and emotional night.
Pre-morning walks and out the car window on the way to/from work
60 Australasian Darter - having a wingspan competition with a cormorant. Coomaditchy Lagoon
61 Black Swan - Lake Illawarra
62 Eastern Curlew - first timer for me. Could not believe the length of bill. Lake Ill.
63 Pacific black duck
64 Variegated Fairy-wren - Puckey's/Fairymeadow beach
65 Caspian tern - fairly sure on this one, given the red/orange bill as opposed to the yellow of the crested tern? Lake Illawarra.
66 Australian Wood Duck - living up to it's name
67 Brown thornbill - cheeky rascal would not sit still - Mt Keira
Wollongong Golf Course
68 White-browed Scrubwren
69 Australian Raven immature - brown eye playing golf, older with white eye
70 European gold finch
71 Red wattlebird
Wow, Michael, you are really getting into it. So pleased that you are finding some good spots for exercise. I had not realised that European Goldfinch are found so close to Sydney. Love the Red Wattlebird and the Eastern Curlew.
Oh wow Michael, your going great guns. Some great finds there. I also love the Eastern Curlew, there are so many birds that would all be new to me.Thanks for sharing, I enjoy almost as much looking at others photos, as I do taking my own.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
72 Eastern Great Egret
73 Intermediate Egret - no fact sheet but is in the BIrdlife working list.
replacement upgrade - 11 - sharper spotted pardalote
Wow look at you go Michael. Love the size comparision from the Darter & Cormorant
Some great shots, and cool birds. I've never seen a White-headed Pigeon, how cool. Didn't know they were donw here, but apparently their range is extending southwards - will keep an eye out, I wonder if I've just been dismissing too many pigeons as ferals!
74. White-bellied Sea-Eagle - along the southern edge of Lake Illawarra
75. Eastern Spinebill - Mt Keira
76. Wonga Pigeon - Mt Keira
Replacement Grey-shrike thrush (52) - also Mt Keira
Some nice photos, you are going strong! You've got a decent variety of birds in your area! I haven't seen a Wonga Pigeon for years :-)
Again Michael, some great birds you have captured well.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Well done, Michael. Love the Eastern Spinebill hanging in there but so nice to see a Wonga Pigeon.
77. Yellow Thornbill - mt Nebo area walking trail
78. black-faced cuckoo-shrike - neighbour
79. Grey Goshawk - mt Nebo area walking trail
80. Common Starling - neighbour, lovely green sheen
Some more great shots of some fantastic birds. We don't get the Yellow Thornbill, and our Grey Goshawk is the white morph (not yet sighted this year - hopefully soon!). Starlings can be very colourful with the right light and time of year.
Thanks again.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
81. Rock Dove - on MM beach
82. Purple Swamphen - Coomaditchy Lagoon
83. Australian Reed-Warbler - Coomaditchy Lagoon
84. Yellow-faced Honeyeater - Mt Nebo firetrail. 5 other species bouncing around this same coral tree yesterday morning.
Good to see you getting new birds. Very dramatic shot of the honeyeater in the coral tree, lovely :-)
Great set, Michael. Good to see your late start has not held you back. Looking forward to more.
Keep em coming Micheal, I am enjoying your work.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
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