Lunchtime Surprise

Another quick trip out for lunch today, this time at Ripview Lookout in Queenscliff. There's always something going on here with plenty of gulls and cormorants and, if you're lucky or patient there are gannets and, at this time of the year if the weather is right, albatross flying past. It was a quiet day today with just a few birds around.

This Pacific Gull stood sentinel on the reef marker

Pacific Gull, Ripview Lookout, Queenscliff

A few Pied Cormorants flew by and the dull overcast conditions reduced the contrast making it easier to get some underwing detail without any fiddling in Photoshop.

Pied Cormorant, Ripview Lookout

As I was about to pack up and leave, I noticed a small ship entering The Rip (the perpetually rough entrance to Port Phillip Bay) and I recognised it as one of the Sea Shepherd ships, the Sam Simon, named after the co-creator and executive producer of “The Simpsons" and managed to capture it just as it was turning into the channel.

so I hung around for a few more minutes as it passed by Point Nepean.

Driving back through Queenscliff, I noticed a lot of White-faced Herons feeding on the mudflats of Swan Bay. The backlighting made for some interesting silhouettes.

White-faced Heron, Swan Bay, Queenscliff

There were many other birds there too but work beckoned...

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

Albatross (take 2)

Following yesterday's sighting of so many albatross, I tried again this afternoon to see if they were closer in shore. Very little activity at the lighthouse but several Black-browed Albatross and Shy Albatross could be seen from Ripview Lookout in Queenscliff (see map). Still a few hundred metres offshore but a great sight.

Black-browed Albatross, Queenscliff

Black-browed Albatross, Queenscliff

Black-browed Albatross, Queenscliff

Black-browed Albatross, Queenscliff

Black-browed Albatross, Queenscliff

Shy Albatross, Queenscliff

Shy Albatross, Queenscliff

Shy Albatross, Queenscliff

Queenscliff Boat Ramp

Queenscliff, on the Bellarine Peninsula, offers a range of birding possibilities including the mudflats and salt marshes of Swan Bay, the marina and ferry terminal, beaches, coastal scrub and parks. View Map

I was in the car park at the Queenscliff boat ramp (at the northern end of Hesse St, past the railway terminal) today watching gulls and terns playing musical poles on the mooring poles just offshore when this Little Black Cormorant landed 4 metres away from me and was not the least concerned when I went back to the car and returned camera in hand (literally - this was shot hand-held with a 28-200 zoom lens - I couldn't get far enough away to use anything longer).

Little Black Cormorant, Queenscliff

I suspect that it (along with many other birds frequenting the area - particularly gulls, terns and pelicans) is habituated to people at the boat ramp with bait and fish scraps.

Ripview, Queenscliff

Ripview, at the end of Hesse St past Victoria Park and Fort Queenscliff, offers an excellent view of the Rip (aka "The Heads"), the entry to Port Philip Bay. View Map

This is a popular site for watching the in- and out-going shipping as well as seabirds.

I visited there briefly today (another lunchtime excursion). There were gulls, terns, cormorants and gannets all fishing offshore and flying past.

Pied Cormorant, Queenscliff

Unfortunately, this site is not as good as it was previously for birdwatching. The removal of the old, rusting storm-water drainpipe and adjacent sign was probably justified for a number of reasons but it was a reliable location for cormorants, gulls and terns.

Pied Cormorant, Queenscliff (March 2009)

Sometimes progress is not always good.