Now that Melbourne has emerged from its fifth covid lockdown its time for the Doona Hermit to shed his old worn doona and venture out in to the real, (no definitions please) world.
#kneetoo and I had a little local journey planned, with a stop off along the way to look at a pair of Black-shouldered Kites and their young(?)
But as I pulled back said doona and checked the weather app, it looked like a beaut, clear, cold morning.
We had planned to do our quick visit and then be home by mid-morning for a relaxing morning tea, so I was not planning to load Earl of Grey into the thermos or grab a bikkie or two for the journey.
But.
On a whim, we decided that a morning driving around part of the Werribee Treatment Plant birding area would make the most of the weather, and who knows when if, ever, we’d have such a chance. Fix snacxks, load cameras, dress warmly and we were on the way.
As it turned out much of the area where we visited was pretty bereft of birds, but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in birds we’d not had the pleasure of seeing for quite awhile
Here’s a small selection.
The Little Egrets make such delicate moves as they follow the fish through the water
This one was in no hurry to move and in the end, a Whistling Kite approaching finally put it to air.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER - --doesn't mean I'm LOST 
The first image of the lone little egret is superb.
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Hi Nina, they were a bit like your Brolga. The small fish must have gotten into a little inlet at the Spit and the bird just chased them up and down the waterway for quite a long time. Each bird giving us a remarkable set of dancing moments
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A wonderful selection of images, David. Especially good to see the Blue-winged.
Interesting to see the white chested Brown too.
Worth the trip out from under the doona.
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Hi David, first Blue-winged we’ve seen in perhaps 4 years. They have been there, but we’ve missed them each time. Just a bit too far out on the saltbush areas for ease of work, but pretty exciting to see them anyways
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Wow, what a wonderful find David for you both, considering it looked bird bereft at first. Some beautiful variety and images. So good you took your morning tea and made a date of it, I am sure it was a treat for #kneetoo as well as yourself. We are bereft of just travelling 5 km from our home, which places all our birding spots outside our allowed area, so only our back yard birds at present. We have to wear a mask to even walk down a deserted street. Glad though you guys are back out and about, it looks like some time yet here as so many of particular groups of the community continue to break the rules to party and congregate spreading the virus around. Enjoy your weekend an bask in the warm winter sunshine while it lasts.:-)
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Hi Ashley, really sad that people can’t seem to get there is a corelation between their selfish actions, the number of infections and the government’s lockdown rules needing to be tightened.
Everybody has got an excuse.
It seems that Victorians might have at least learned the lessons of the previous year as the number are being well controlled. Well at least this week. 🙂
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Love your photographs as always and, wow, Blue-winged Parrots!!!
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Hello Derek, we were pretty stoked. They were out in the saltbush areas at The Spit and while they didn’t come close to the fence line, at least we had some good sightings.
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Such a stunning selection of birds and of course all very beautiful images. I now have a key for Werribee, and if we can stay out of lockdown and have a weekend with some reasonable weather, I hope to get over there before too much longer.
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Hello Eleanor, well done on the key, I know its been hard to get accredited with the lockdown. Looks like WTP management is going to change some of that and make the training an online thing.
I had the good fortune to be shown the ‘ropes’ of the plant by the amazing JB John Barkla.
We were siting in the sunshine having lunch, up at Ryans Swamp, with a pair of cackling Brown Falcons tearing across the sky.
John, in a moment of sage-like channelling, perhaps, I’ve often felt it was really the ground we were sitting on that spoke through him, paused and spoke out, “It is a Magic Place”.
A moment I’ve never forgotten and I’ll occasionally go sit on that same rock, thankful that we do indeed have access to one of the best birding spots in Australia.
May all your trips down there bring delight.
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Thank you – I’m looking forward to getting there again.
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