Silver Gulls at Pt Lonsdale

The weather was cool and rainy today but a quick stop at the Pt Lonsdale lighthouse, while out running a few errands, proved fruitful despite there being very few birds around. Usually in bad weather at this time of the year the lighthouse is a good place to spot albatross, gannets and other seabirds flying around offshore. However, despite the frequent rain storms today, the wind was an unseasonable northerly and not very strong. In the 20 minutes I spent at the lighthouse between rain storms I did not see one bird offshore.

The lookout in front of the lighthouse does provide a great view west to The Bluff at Barwon Heads

The Bluff, Barwon Heads from Point Lonsdale

and east to the limestone cliffs and fortifications on Point Nepean.

Point Nepean from Point Lonsdale

Serendipity played its part though when for a brief few minutes a gap in the heavy cloud cover in the north allowed a diffused sunlight to pass through just as a pair of Silver Gulls landed on the cliff top in front of me. The light combined with the soft, out of focus sea behind the birds and their "modelling" display (they really did look like they were trying out poses for me to shoot), allowed me to capture this sequence in a few minutes before I had to retreat from another oncoming storm.

Silver Gull, Pt Lonsdale

These really are glorious birds when you find them away from car parks, rubbish dumps and fish'n'chip shops.

A quick trip around the Bellarine Peninsula

This afternoon was my first time out birding for six weeks so I took the opportunity to visit a few of my favourite haunts.

First stop was Swan Bay Jetty, usually a great spot for pelicans and cormorants. It was quite windy today so many of the usual suspects were taking refuge on the shore.

Swan Bay Jetty

This is a common site here

Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Swan Bay Jetty

with some birds allowing quite close approach if you take your time.

Little Pied Cormorant, Swan Bay Jetty

Next stop was Ripview lookout at Queenscliff, where I found this immature Black-shouldered Kite hovering above the sand dunes.

Black-shouldered Kite, Queenscliff

Lake Victoria in Point Lonsdale usually has several species of small wading birds feeding around the edge of the shore. The lake shore has receded due to the lack of recent rain so the few Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers there today were too far away to photograph. There were the resident Red-capped Plovers though and they make great photographic subjects.

Red-capped Plover, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale

See last stop at Begola Wetlands

Lake Victoria, Pt Lonsdale

I went for a walk at Lake Victoria in Pt Lonsdale (see map) this evening. Immediately on arrival at the car park I could see a few Banded Stilts feeding close to the shore but once I got through the gate and closer to the lake shore, I was confronted with a flock of 400+ among Silver Gulls and Red-necked Stints.

Silver Gulls and Banded Stilts, Lake Victoria

Red-necked Stints and Banded Stilts, Lake Victoria

They were so intent on feeding that they allowed me to get fairly close.

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria

Red-necked Stint, Lake Victoria

There were also 3 Common Greenshank nearby but they are usually quite skittish so I didn't try and approach them too closely. Unfortunately, they were almost completely backlit but there was no way of getting around behind them without wading out into the lake and scaring off the Stilts and Stints.

Common Greenshank, Lake Victoria

The highlight of the evening, however, was the smallest plover chick I have seen. This Red-capped Plover can't be much more than a few days old.

Red-capped Plover, Lake Victoria

While I was watching the plover and chick, a flock of Black-winged Stilts flew in over me onto the pond beside the golf course.

Black-winged Stilt, Lake Victoria

Black-winged Stilt, Lake Victoria

About 20 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos were screeching from the tops of the cypress trees on the golf course and while I was walking back along the track to the car park, they flew past me giving me time for one shot.

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Lake Victoria

Egrets at Pt Lonsdale

My habit of having the camera bag and tripod in the car was rewarded today when passing the Swan Bay wetlands near the corner of Fellows and Murray Roads in Point Lonsdale (see map). This is my usual detour on the way to Queenscliff as it provides excellent views of a shallow branch of Swan Bay including the salt marshes along Murray Road. I noticed a pair of Caspian Terns flying over Swan Bay so pulled up to see if I could get a photograph but, alas, they were too far away and flying off towards Queenscliff by the time I got the camera out. However, it was my good fortune to spot the following "odd couple" on the pond on the opposite side of Fellows Rd.

Little Egret and Eastern Great Egret, Pt Lonsdale

The sky was dark grey with low cloud but this is an advantage when photographing white birds such as egrets because the low contrast allows the detail in the white plumage to be captured.

Eastern Great Egret, Pt Lonsdale

Pt Lonsdale Lighthouse

Point Lonsdale forms the western side of the entrance to Port Phillip Bay (affectionately know as "The Rip" or "The Heads"). View Map

The lighthouse is a great spot to view seabirds (and the changing weather).

I took a brief break from work to get some lunch and take the camera for a walk this afternoon. Left home in bright sunshine but, unfortunately, Victoria's reliably fickle coastal weather struck and by the time I got there (10 mins drive) heavy dark cloud had come in creating an eerie light and the promise of yet more precipitation.

Approaching Storm, Pt Lonsdale Lighthouse

Before it started to rain I managed to see one Shy Albatross skimming the waves about 500m offshore

Shy Albatross, Bass Strait, Pt Lonsdale

...precipitation promise fulfilled so ran back to car, grabbed lunch and back to work...shortest birding "trip" for the year - about 12 minutes out of the car...at least the office is warm and dry ;-)