Hexham Swamp

A glorious Sunday morning was made even more so with a trip to the recently re-opened Hexham Swamp, a section of the Hunter Wetlands National Park that had been closed for some time until a few months ago. It was a bit of a maze getting into the place (just as well we were guided by a local) but well worth it when we got there.

Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-5, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @15mm, ISO 400, f/16 1/320 

Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-5, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @16mm, ISO 400, f/16 1/320

The most obvious birds on the lake were Australian Pelicans, Black Swans and Australian White Ibis

Australian Pelican, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/800

Black Swan, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/640

Australian White Ibis, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/800

Black Swan, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1250

but the most spectacular site was the flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers that took off, flew around and landed several times while we were there.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1000

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/1250

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Hexham Swamp, Newcastle NSW
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/4000

Western Treatment Plant

Today I had the pleasure of participating in a Melbourne Birdlife Photography outing to the Western Treatment Plant. I arrived early while it was still quite dark so I bumped the ISO up to 800 to give me at least some semblance of a chance of catching a few birds.

This immature Black Kite cooperated nicely, staying on on the branch of a dead tree long enough for me to park about a hundred or so metres up the road and walk back under cover of the roadside vegetation.

Black Kite (immature), Beach Road Avalon
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/5.6 1/250

There were a lot of Zebra Finches in the roadside vegetation but they were considerably less cooperative than the Kite, flitting from branch to branch and flying between trees in almost continuous motion. Combined with the low light, it was tough to get any great shots but these cheeky little birds are great to just watch.

Zebra Finch (immature), Beach Road, Avalon
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/5.6 1/125

Zebra Finch (adult male), Beach Road, Avalon
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/5.6 1/320

Lake Borrie and the coastal ponds had all the usual suspects: ducks, cormorants, pelicans and the beach sand and mud flats had gulls and a few terns but these were mostly too far away for any good shots.

When we reached the bird hide, two Australian Spotted Crakes turned on a show, wandering around the mud bank on one of the nearby ponds, seemingly oblivious of the wall of photographers.

Australian Spotted Crake, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/500

Returning back along the coast road, we spotted a group of White-winged Black Terns on a log in one of the ponds right beside the road. I've only ever seen these birds on distant rocks offshore so it was a thrill to see so many so close. The non-breeding plumage of these birds is nothing like the breeding plumage for which they are named so its somewhat confusing to separate these birds from the other 'grey-winged white terns' we see more commonly. The characteristic black patch curving around behind the eye was easily seen here though.

White-Winged Black Tern, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/640

White-Winged Black Tern, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/400

The real highlight for the day was finding two Pectoral Sandpipers among the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints in the pond back near the Beach Road gate. The Pectoral Sandpiper is the one in the middle of this shot with the heavily streaked chest with the sharp cut-off to the white breast.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/200

Pectoral Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/200

Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/400

Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/5.6 1/640

The stints also put on a bit of a show, congregating on rocks in the middle of the pond.

Red-necked Stint, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/400

Late in the afternoon in rapidly falling light and with an oncoming storm, two of us headed for the Borrow Pits at the far east of the Plant where we found dozens of Red-necked Avocets and Marsh Sandpipers.

Red-necked Avocet, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 1600, f/8 1/800 

Marsh Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO1600, f/11 1/200

and thousands of Red-necked Stints and Curlew Sandpipers

Red-necked Stint, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 800, f/11 1/200

which were spectacular when they took off in flight. I didn't have time to change the settings on the camera to enable a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the birds but decided that slow shutter speed and panning would work to capture recognisable birds but with blurred wings giving the feeling of motion

Red-necked Stint + Curlew Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 1600, f/16 1/50

and, just for the heck of it, I tried a few shots with less panning, blurring the birds even more.

Red-necked Stint + Curlew Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 x2 adaptor, ISO 1600, f/16 1/50

...and John managed to find an Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard and corral it by the side of the road until I caught up to him after locking a gate. 

Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-5, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 107.5mm, ISO 400 f/8 1/80

Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, Western Treatment Plant
Pentax K-5, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 100mm, ISO 400 f/8 1/100

Kerang Lakes - Part 3 Back to Lake Tutchewop

After searching for the 'alleged' Long-billed Dowitcher at Lake Tutchewop this morning then spending some time at Reedy Lakes, I returned to Lake Tutchewop late this afternoon for one more attempt at the Dowitcher.

The water level had dropped even further this afternoon but there were still lots of birds to be photographed including Australian Pelicans, Australian Shelduck, Caspian Tern, Silver Gulls and several species of small waders hanging around at the water's edge.

Australian Pelican, Australian Shelduck, Caspian Tern, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-capped Plover, Red-necked Stint
Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/32 1/100

Australian Shelduck + Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/16 1/125

Australian Pelican, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/22, ISO 400, f/22 1/200

Masked Lapwing, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/22, ISO 400, f/16 1/125

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper + Silver Gull, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/22, ISO 400, f/16 1/100

Nothing close to shore though...and no Dowitcher! There were several other people at the site also Dowitcher hunting. They were a little more gung-ho than I am (well, a lot really) about searching the vegetated areas (two of them walked straight through the waist high vegetation) so if the bird was there it was definitely not going to show itself. Rather than get into an argument over habitat destruction, flushing birds and the dangers of snake-bite, I decided it was time to leave. Not quite willing to give up yet, I drove to nearby Lake Kelly, the only other lake in the area with wader-suitable shallows around the lake shore. A slow scan of the shore line from two vantage points found nothing resembling a Dowitcher but I did get the chance to get reasonably close to a feeding Red-necked Avocet. There were several of them feeding along the shore with Banded Stilts but getting any closer to the others would have meant walking along the lake shore with no cover and I didn't want to chance disturbing the birds just for another shot.

Red-necked Avocet, Lake Kelly, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/22, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

As I was driving out, a Nankeen Kestrel flew into a tree by the roadside so first a shot from the car window...

Nankeen Kestrel (female), Lake Kelly, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

then out of the car for a closer look/shot.

Nankeen Kestrel (female), Lake Kelly, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/22, ISO 400, f/5.6 1/4000

So, I dipped on the Long-billed Dowitcher but I am confident I gave it my best shot on the day. I have seen this species before (in North America) so I was was not too devastated to have missed it but it may be the only chance I get to add it to my Australian list. Overall, though, happy with a great day of birding.

Kerang Lakes - Part 1 Lake Tutchewop

Having enviously read reports of sightings of the first recorded Long-billed Dowitcher in Australia at Lake Tutchewop while I was travelling overseas and keeping up family and domestic duties during November and December, I finally bit the bullet and decided to head north this weekend to see if I could find and photograph this bird. I initially planned this trip for yesterday but, with the predicted high winds and temperatures in the 40s, dedicated Saturday to painting deck rails and furniture and decided to wait for the cooler weather today for birding.

After a few hours sleep to prepare for the long day of driving, I was woken by the alarm at 4:00 and was out they door by 4:11AM, arriving at Lake Tutchewop just on 8:30AM to find large flocks of Australian Pelicans, Australian Shelducks and small waders resting around the water's edge.

Australian Pelican, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

Australian Shelduck + small waders, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

I spent two hours searching the south end of the lake, particularly around the area of salt marsh, grasses and reeds surrounding the inlet channel (Lake Tutchewop is a drain for irrigation water) where the bird had most often been reported) but no Dowitcher in sight.

I did manage to get a few shots of other birds making the most of the inlet channel. White-Fronted Chats were flitting about the vegetation, the males occasionally perching long enough for me to catch a shot, where the females stayed low in the vegetation.

White-fronted Chat (male), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/320

There were many Red-capped Plovers racing around the mud flats looking for food

Red-capped Plover (male), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

Red-capped Plover (immature), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/640

along with a few Red-necked Stints, one of which walked closely past me as I was photographing the Plovers.

Red-necked Stint, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

By far the most numerous waders were Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, most of which were congregated a few hundred metres 'offshore'

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

but a few flew in closer,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

some feeding along the water's edge,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

others 'hiding' among the vegetation,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/640

and two posing for portraits.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/320

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

Further out on the lake, among the pelicans and ducks, was a pair of Great Cormorants and a solo Gull-billed Tern

Great Cormorant, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/400

Gull-billed Tern, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/640

and several Black Kites were circling over the lake picking up thermals.

Black Kite, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

A little disappointed but not to be beaten, I called it quits at this location and headed around the lake to check out the northern shore but there was very little bird life anywhere else I could get to on the lake and, more importantly, no Dowitcher. 

It was early afternoon by the time I got back to the southern end of Lake Tutchewop and by now there were several other birders out on the mudflats scoping the offshore flocks for the odd one out. The water level in the lake was receding quickly (the water's edge was now at least 100 metres further out than it had been this morning) so the flocks of Australian Shelduck and small waders were further away. The distance and heat haze made it difficult to photograph much

Australian Shelduck, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

Small waders, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1600

but there was nothing larger or different from what I had seen this morning so I headed for the Reedy Lakes Ibis Rookery to see what I could find before returning here for one last attempt later this afternoon.