No.1 and No.2 Dams, Chiltern

No early morning photography at the lake this morning as I opted to pack up most of the camping gear to be ready for a quicker getaway this afternoon. However, this female Australian Magpie kept me company while I ate breakfast so I couldn't resist getting a shot.

Australian Magpie (female), Lake Anderson Caravan Park, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/4, 1/1600

First official birding stop for the day was Chiltern Valley No. 2 Dam (a small pocket of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, a few kilometres west of Chiltern) but, on the way, I spotted a handful of Australian White Ibis sitting on nests on a small island in a farm dam.

Australian White Ibis, Wenkes Road, Chiltern, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

When we arrived at No. 2 Dam, we walked around to the bird hide but there was very little activity on the dam, except for the arrival of this Australian Pelican.

Australian Pelican, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 400, f/5, 1/1600

The surrounding bush was similarly quiet but this Eastern Yellow Robin landed in a tree almost immediately above my head - not the best angle but you have to take what you can get.

Eastern Yellow Robin, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

Back at the car park we spotted a Whistling Kite circling overhead

Whistling Kite, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/8000

Whistling Kite, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4, 1/6400

but the highlight of this location was spotting a Yellow-footed Antechinus running along a log and climbing a tree. I almost always have the camera with long lens attached to a tripod but this morning because we were walking to a bird hide (and tripods, crowds and bird hides are a bad combination), I was hand holding the camera...highly serendipitous because there is no way I would have caught this little marsupial if I had to set up the tripod.

Yellow-footed Antechinus, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4.5, 1/2000

Yellow-footed Antechinus, No. 2 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/4.5, 1/5000

Next stop was No. 1 Dam, a small picturesque lake surrounded by eucalypt woodland.

No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @16mm, ISO 800, f/11, 1/200

Circling overhead was another (or maybe the same as the two dams are only about 2 kilometres apart) Whistling Kite but this time much higher up.

Whistling Kite, No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/9, 1/2500

A pair of Red-rumped Parrots landed on a stump just offshore from the bank near where we were standing and gave us great views, including the female checking out a hole in the stump.

Red-rumped Parrot, No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/250

Red-rumped Parrot, No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/320

Red-rumped Parrot, No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/500

Red-rumped Parrot (female), No. 1 Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/800

This afternoon, Regent Parrots revisited.