Yan Yean

I spent today with the Melbourne Birdlife Photography group around Yan Yean, on the NE rural fringe of Melbourne.

First stop was Yellow Gum Park, a small reserve surrounding a disused quarry within a bend of the Plenty River (see map). 

I arrived early enough to spot a few kangaroos still hanging around. These two were photographed from the car as there was very little cover to try and stalk them on foot.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Yellow Gum Park, Plenty, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1000

Many of the eucalypts were in flower and there seemed to be a lot of birds singing in the treetops and around the river but they remained aloof and elusive but I did manage to get a couple of shots (both from the car park).

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow Gum Park, Plenty, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1250

Little Raven, Yellow Gum Park, Plenty, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1250

Next stop was Laurimar Wetlands in Doreen, where there were plenty of waterbirds to be found and photographed. As one of our bunch quipped: "If there's nothing to be found in the bush, go to a shopping centre" (the wetland is right on the edge of the Doreen shopping centre).

Australian Pelican, Laurimar Wetlands, Doreen, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/2000

Australian Pelican, Laurimar Wetlands, Doreen, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/4000

Australian Pelican, Laurimar Wetlands, Doreen, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 800, f/4, 1/8000

Australian Wood Duck, Laurimar Wetlands, Doreen, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/640

Hardhead, Laurimar Wetlands, Doreen, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/2000

We then headed for the Yan Yean Reservoir Park for lunch and more birding in the afternoon. Several species of parrots were heard and seen, including Rainbow and Little Lorikeets, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs and Long-billed Corellas and one group found a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos. I only managed to photograph these Eastern Rosellas in a tree near the picnic ground.

Eastern Rosella, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/800

Eastern Rosella, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/640

The afternoon highlight, though, was the wetland between the dam wall and the road, which, among the usual ducks, grebes, moorhens and swamphens, provided sightings of two species of Crake. Two Baillon's Crake were foraging among the reeds and while easily spotted, they remained difficult to photograph as they were constantly on the move and views usually obstructed by reeds.

Baillon's Crake, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/640

Baillon's Crake, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/1000

A solo Spotless Crake was foraging along the far bank of the wetlands allowing good views, albeit in and out of shadows and a fair distance away but it's always good to see these secretive little birds.

Spotless Crake, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/320

Spotless Crake, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/1250

An Australian Reed-Warbler was calling loudly from among the reeds and many of us stopped to see if we could capture an image.  This is often the best you see of this species...

Australian Reed-Warbler, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/5000

...but with some persistence, you can eventually get some better views as these birds often start singing from low down among the reeds and then come up to the tops of the reeds to continue their calling.

Australian Reed-Warbler, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/3200

Australian Reed-Warbler, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/4000

Australian Reed-Warbler, Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/1000

I even managed to remember to switch over to video and capture the song (along with some other birds and Pobblebonk frogs in the background).

There was also almost no wind allowing some shots of damselflies and dragonflies.

Common Bluetail, (Damselfly), Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/500

Common Bluetail, (Damselfly), Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/160

Wandering Percher, (Dragonfly), Yan Yean Reservoir Park, Victoria
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x1.4 adapter), ISO 800, f/8, 1/3200

So, once again, the Melbourne Birdlife Photography group provided a brilliant day out and I managed to finally photograph two relatively common species (Eastern Rosella and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike) that had eluded me since starting this blog 5 years ago!

Jerringot Wetlands and Hospital Swamp

A quick trip out this morning to Jerringot Wetlands (in Belmont Common, Geelong) and Hospital Swamp in search of crakes and snipe.

The bird hide at Jerringot proved to be the "spot" for crakes with both Spotless and Australian Spotted Crakes present. They were really difficult to photograph with the backlighting and reeds but I got at least a few record shots:

Spotless Crake, Jerringot Wetlands

Australian Spotted Crake, Jerringot Wetlands

The ubiquitous Purple Swamphens were everywhere (as usual)

Purple Swamphen, Jerringot Wetlands

and a pair Pacific Black Ducks cruised about closeby, one pausing for a quick splash.

Pacific Black Duck, Jerringot Wetlands

Several small birds including Superb Fairy Wren and Australian Reed Warbler flitted about the reeds but the only one that I was able to capture was this Little Grassbird.

Little Grassbird, Jerringot Wetlands

Meanwhile, several White-faced Herons were playing musical chairs with the nesting boxes

White-faced Heron, Jerringot Wetlands

I did spot one Latham's Snipe (the main target for the morning), flushed from reeds close to the road when a cyclist stopped for a look but it disappeared back into the reeds so no photographs :-(

So, on to Hospital Swamp

Black-winged Stilts, Hospital Swamp

where the closest encounter I had was with a pair of Red-kneed Dotterels

Red-kneed Dotterel, Hospital Swamp

So, I dipped on the snipe but a good excuse to keep trying :-)

Waders and Waterfowl at the Western Treatment Plant

I spent the afternoon at the Western Treatment Plant. The waders are back in force and waterfowl are more numerous and active than I can remember.

I was lucky enough to get to the Bird Hide as the tide was just going out. There were hundreds of birds on the mudflats at the mouth of Little River. Red-necked Stint and Curlew Sandpiper were the most common

Waders, Western Treatment Plant

but there were also Australian Shelduck, Pacific Black Duck, Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eastern Great Egret, Little Egret and Common Tern.

Next stop was the Conservation Ponds. On the way there I spotted a pair of Brown Falcons so stopped to see if I could get close enough for a decent photograph from the car. As I put the camera out the window, they both flew away but, unusually, one flew towards me and I managed to catch it in flight just as it went past.

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant

It landed in a tree a few hundred metres along the road so I drove slowly towards it and it stayed in the tree very cooperatively - love the 4-wheel hide :-)

Brown Falcon, Western Treatment Plant

Highlight at the Conservation Ponds was the flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers feeding close to the bank.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant

A quick stop at the Borrow Pits to see if I could find and photograph the Banded Stilts that had been reported there earlier this week. Found them but too far away for any decent photographs. There was, however, a small flock of Black-tailed Native-hens running around (in their usual fashion) on the mud islands just near the 270S car park.

Black-tailed Native-hen, Western Treatment Plant

Last stop was the T-Section Lagoon 4 to try and find the Spotless Crake that had so far eluded me (see Crake Hunt Part 1 and Part 3). This is an amazing location for waterfowl, with 8 species of Rallids seen in 30 minutes: Eurasian Coot, Dusky Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Black-tailed Native-hen, Buff-banded Rail, Australian Spotted Crake, Baillon's Crake and (at last) Spotless Crake! Only Lewin's Rail was missing (from SE Australian Rallid species) but was reported as seen at the WTP today by others.

Spotless Crake, Western Treatment Plant

I was also treated to a Whiskered Tern, in full breeding plumage, standing on a rock in perfect portrait pose (albeit a bit far away for a great shot but happy to record this bird that is mostly seen airborne).

Whiskered Tern, Western Treatment Plant