The
only good thing about duck hunting season is that wetlands around Melbourne get an influx of birds. I don't know how they manage to do it but ducks seem to be able to predict this and start appearing in larger numbers 'down south' 2-3 weeks before the season starts.
One of the best locations on the Bellarine Peninsula for duck watching is Lake Lorne in Drysdale. I spent an hour there this afternoon and spotted 6 species.
Not surprisingly with the heat (36C at 5:30PM) most of the 100+ Freckled Duck were congregated under the willows on the islands in the centre of the lake.
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| Freckled Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
However, some were cruising around on the lake reasonably close to shore
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| Freckled Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
some in the company of other ducks
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| Freckled Duck + Grey Teal, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
and others found submerged perches on which to hang around and, in the case of the male, show off his red bill.
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| Freckled Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
Both of the
Blue-billed Ducks I found were much further from shore making photography difficult. This one looks like an immature male just coming into colour (the bill is not yet bright blue).
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| Blue-billed Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
This mature male was displaying further out in the lake--I did not see any females so maybe wishful thinking--but it did provide a great (albeit long distance) view of the diagnostic tail.
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| Blue-billed Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
Others included
Hardhead,
Pacific Black Ducks and
Chestnut Teal
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| Hardhead, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
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| Pacific Black Duck, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
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| Chestnut Teal (male), Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
The only species I did not manage to photograph was the
Australian Wood Duck that were perched in the undergrowth on one of the central islands.
All were under the very watchful eye of the resident duck hunters: a pair of
Whistling Kites.
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| Whistling Kite, Lake Lorne, Drysdale |
