Pacific Gull – Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER

An easy day out

October 28, 2016October 28, 2016Posted in Birdsaspoetry, Crested Pigeon, Pacific Gull, Point Cook, Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-tailed Black CockatooTagged Crested Pigeon, Magpie-lark, Point Cook Coastal Park, Sacred Kingfisher4 Comments

Friend of mine once said in conversation as we chatted about my time in the bush, “Bird photography is pretty easy, you just sit in a deckchair and photograph any birds that happen to come by.” And today, for once, he was right. Thanks for the advice John.

Mr An Onymous had looked at the weather maps, the weather forecasts, the icon ladies and I guess in the end, just plain looked out the window, and declared we should take a trip to Point Cook Coastal Park on Friday. Sounded good as we’d not been out that way since the end of the Flame Robin season, most of the birds were well on their way back by mid of September.

Meet you down there, and so we did.

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Visiting Friends A day along the Beach at Point Cook

May 13, 2016May 13, 2016Posted in Black Kite, Black Swan, Brown Falcon, Flame Robin, Little Pied Cormorant, Pacific Gull, Point Cook, Whistling KiteTagged Brown Falcon, Flame Robin, PIed Cormorant, Point Cook, Whistling Kite3 Comments

Was chatting with a birder friend, and I mentioned the Point Cook Coastal Park, and he said, that he didn’t plan to go there much as most of the birds were pretty common, and only occasionally was a Plover or a Pratincole enough to take the trip down there.

When we relocated home a couple of years back, Point Cook was on the top of my list as a suitable place, and to be honest, it was second, third and a close run fourth on the list. And of course the logic was it was but a few minutes from the Coastal Park of the same name, and it would be neat to roll out of bed, and stroll on down to the park.

In the end, much wiser heads than mine (EE as it turns out) found us the place that ‘we’ wanted and Tarneit took on our new home address.
But every so often when the light is right, and sometimes when its wrong we venture down to the Coastal Park. And surprisingly, many of the common birds down there have become a bit like friends.
So today we went, not to count, nor to get our lists up, nor necessarily to capture the best bird photos ever, but to visit some friends.

Our friend the Brown Falcon was in the carpark area, and we enjoyed some time with it, as it hunted quite casually from the fence line. Also found a number of Flame Robins that have made the park their winter beach residence.

And of course the usual Pied, Little Pied and Great Cormorants down on the old jetty. They gave us some pretty impressive flight displays while we sipped on a fine cuppa.

Then the local White-faced Heron, and the pair of Pacific Gulls cruised by hunting on the out-going tide. And to our amusement, a pair of Black Swans how have obviously just coupled up were making interesting subjects as they hunted together on the gentle rolling outgoing tide.

As we walked back to carpark, the air literally filled with raptors.

At one point we had all up at the same time, Little Eagle, Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby and Brown Goshawk. I was hoping that the resident Spotted Harrier would make an appearance, but we had to be satisfied with those six.

We stopped along the road to look at some Flame Robins bathing in a tiny pool in a paddock, and some ‘new friends’, came over to say ‘hello’. So we spent a few minutes becoming acquainted with several chesnut horses.

We might not have added any ‘new’ birds to our list, but we had as the Sans Bushman said, “Recognised some birds,and built a tiny connection with them, that is growing into a thread”

Enjoy.

Pied Cormorant on landing approach

Open water, easy landing.

Flame Robin, I suspect the colours suggest a first year male moulting in.

Is that another photographer pointing a lens at me?

Time to go

Brown Falcon. I thought it was going to sweep along the fence. But it simple jumped down to take a lizard

The couple that eats together stays together.

After you. Oh no I insist, after you.

The always dependable Pacific Gull

White-faced Heron, racing to shore so as not to lose its catch in the water.

Flame Robin.

Flame Robin about to pounce

Brown Falcon on a turn

Yellow-rumped Thornbill.

Just came by to say hello. One of several horses that welcomed a thoughtful touch. EE was ready to oblige.

Pacific Gull Hunting

August 13, 2015August 13, 2015Posted in Pacific Gull, Point CookTagged Pacific Gull, Point Cook, Point Cook Coastal ParkLeave a comment

Took an unexpected turn and ended up at the Point Cook Coastal Park. We had planned to have lunch at the Homestead Cafe. But. Its closed. Until further notice.

So we grabbed the cameras and headed for the beach.

Down by the pylons of the old jetty a Pacific Gull pair were stationed bobbing up and down in the waves. Then with a leap, they would duck under the water and emerge with a crab dinner.

These shots are not one sequence but the best from about 15 mins of watching them at work.

Well pleased as the squiggly bits go down.

Dull day at the beach

June 22, 2015June 23, 2015Posted in Pacific Gull, Point Cook, Whistling KiteTagged Pacific Gull, Point Cook Coastal Park, Whistling KiteLeave a comment

One look at the weather map was enough, didn’t need no icon waving, weather talkin, danger predicting tv dude to tell me. It was going to be cold, miserable, overcast and photographically crippling.

But.

We went anyway.

Mostly to see if the Flame Robins were at Point Cook, -yes. Was the Pink Robin(s) there. No. (well not that we could find) Were the pair of Black Kites any further advanced with the reproduction activity. Jury out on that.

After being blown down toward the beach, the tide was well out. Half blown out, I’d suggest. And there were a pair of Pacific Gulls resting in the lee of the rocks. And the shutter speed was on the never-never plan.

After awhile one of the gulls got up, flew to a rocky edge of the water and retrieved what I take to be a Sea Urchin. This hard shell creature is more than it can break open by hitting on a rock. But, the species has developed over the years a working technique. Take the prize up about 20m and drop it on the rocks. Smash. Or at least on the second attempt.
Waft down and enjoy the feast.

After performing this feat several times in front of us, it also attracted the usual scavengers and free loaders. So on the incredibly strong wind several Whistling Kites came to pay a visit to their new ‘best’ mate. However Pacific was having none of that and inspite of some clever wing work on the part of several attacking at once, the gull simply stood its ground. In the end, they moved on to look elsewhere and gull went back to its snack. And then moved down the beach with the next catch.