Well, are you feeling lucky Punk? Go ahead make my day!
Author: David Jenkins
Natural History Photographic Essayist
On a wing and a….
Enjoying the early sunshine at the Western Treatment Plant
Werribee Wagtails Visit Melton: Our May Newsletter
Been a bit quite, and I’ve been working on the newsletter. Should be enough errors to keep the average proof-reader happy.
Enjoy.
Kept it low res to keep the weight down
Oh, its just a simple Silver Gull
I guess we all see so many of them, and its hard to get enthused about just one more Silver Gull. But they, I have to concede are the masters of the air.
Werribee Wagtails at Melton on a weather challenged day
2015: The boys are back in town
I used that heading a couple of years back to announce the arrival in the Woodlands Backpaddock of a family group of Flame Robins with three males that hunted closely together. They have been over the past 4 or 5 years very consistent in their wintering over at Woodlands.
So much so that I’ve named them collectively, “The Three Brothers”
Well, they are are back. Roll the Thin Lizzy, Boys are Back in Town, sound track. (Play it loud).
We passed through the hallowed gates today and within about 5 minutes had located a fast moving flock. Perhaps 8-10 birds, a good number of Thornbills, and a Golden Whistler pair, and the usual fantails and wagtail outriders.
Here is Mr Red-slash. He has a particularly long red bib, goes much further up his neckline that normal.
Not the best image I’ve ever made of him, but given the degree of difficulty I’m pretty happy. More to follow I expect.
I think, if it works that way, that he is the dominant male. The others always seem to take cue from him.
Just when I thought I’d seen it all
This Black Kite is such a confident aviator, that it can preen as it flies.
Bored from following a tractor in the field, it decided a little cleanup time was in order.
What staggers me is the amount of brain power going on to keep the right side up, going in the correct direction, finding the feathers in the breeze and figuring it all out ‘on the fly’.
The second shot – the headless one- shows if you look closely out from the top wing rhs a feather that has been discarded.
Definitely don’t try this at home.
Five of the most exciting moments of my life!
Well not really, but pretty heart stopping anyway.
Found three White-bellied Sea-eagles on the coast engaged in a bit of aerial one-up-manship.
I said it the other day on Flickr, but its easy to just accept that the big raptors, just lazily take their time, and sail along on the breeze. But, they can if needed, turn on speed, zig-zag across the sky and reverse direction, just as easily as smaller birds do.
These ones spent quite a few minutes within good viewing before lazily heading back down the coast in a tight formation.
I don’t shot multi-burst, but if I did, I’d have filled the memory card.
Awesome
Woodlands Historic Park on a wet day
Red-capped Robin, male. Just in case you begin to think I’m a one bird wonder.
I think I’ve got Grey Box forest sap running in my veins. Spent a bleak rainy morning at Woodlands Backpaddock. Enjoyed every bit of it. Here is Peter the Prince.
Flame Robin, male. Point Cook
Starting to build up a bit of a theme for April blogs. Here is a very relaxed male that came over to see what I was doing. 
Flame Robin, male. Wintering over at Eynesbury
Werribee Wag Tales April 2015
Formerly called Werribee Wagtails, Birdlife Werribee had a day at the Western Treatment Plant. Stories about that event and a few others are available in the Werribee Wag Tales Newsletter for download here, or from the Wagtails tab on the front page.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 