About a week or so ago, I got an email asking if I was going to the WTP and would I take a passenger. No worries, a chance to go to the WTP and have company was too much to pass up.
My new friend LynnTse (Lindsay to his Aussie mates!), turned up at the station, and we set off in what can only be described as great weather.
LynneTse is from Singapore and has a page over on Flickr
So I took the job of car driver, and tour guide and we soon found ourselves with birds to the left and the right, as you do down along the WTP tracks.
I spent most of the time working out where to position the car for him to get worthwhile pics, Dorothy played Spotter (and she is quite adept at said skill), and Lindsay, well he just burned his way through memory cards.
In the end we had Black Falcons, Spotted Harrier, Swamp Harriers, more Swamp Harriers, a family of Whistling Kites, Brown Falcons, more Swamp Harriers, Black-shouldered Kite -young and old, Swamp Harriers and wide range of waders. (didn’t find the elusive Broadbilled Sandpiper).
Needless to say it’s hard to do the driving and pointing thing, and take photos, so I amused myself by filling in some gaps on the more usual suspects.
Once again we all agreed over coffee at the Highway Lounge at Werribee that the WTP is for bird watchers and photographers, and those who like to escape once in awhile to a quiet spot, ” A truly magical place”.
The morning had some beaut soft rain, to cool things down, and we abandoned any idea of going to the park. But by midmorning the rain had cleared and we decided to go, and worry about lunch on the way home.
So down to the Eastern Yellow Robins, he is still hard at work, and she is still sitting tight on the nest. I’d have thought by now that we’d be able to get a glimpse of hatchlings, but she seems as determined as ever to sit.
Also came across a pair of wagtails hard at work with feeding their hungry little mouths.
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Not to be outdone the Red-capped Robins were also hard at work, and Henny and Penny were a little less stressed today, so I eventually found one of the young. Now well grown, with a nicely developed tail, it is still being kept in the higher branches and came out for a few minutes to be feed.
Then Henny did some hunting across the old downed trees, and sat for a few minutes with the wind blowing his feathers. They are black under all that red.
Probably the most impressive of the day however were a pair of Eastern Shrike-tits that came hunting through the trees, pulling bark and poking about in all sorts of crevices. It’s not too often that I get a glimpse, let alone an opportunity for a shot out in the open, but my luck held long enough for the focus to grab.
Then to top it all off, we saw a White-throated Treecreeper across the open ground heading up one tree and then moving to the base and up another, much to far to photograph. But I was happy as my mate Ray has been wondering about the whereabouts of the Treecreepers and we hadn’t seen them since before the dreaded Banicoot Big Brother house was locked off. That did indeed put a smile on my face, and hopefully she’s not on her own and maybe has young somewhere in there. More to see.
It could be a tale that verges on the Burke and Wills. We’d been checking out the Yellow Robins, and I’d taken down the tripod and on the way back we decided on a late lunch at the shopping plaza.
As we climbed through and over the fence area to the car, I leaned the tripod against a fence post to hold the fence wire for Dorothy to slip under. Then I got over, we loaded the gear into the car, and went for lunch, and then home.
Meanwhile of course, the poor old tripod was bemoaning its fate at having been left behind.
A couple on a red Landcruiser, passed by and then backed up and picked up the said tripod. Realising some fool had left it behind they left a little note on the fence to call.
By the time, I’d unpacked the car and worked out my error they had taken tripod home hoping that someone would call.
When I went back of course, the fence post didn’t have a friend leaning against it. But as I was looking for a tripod, I didn’t notice the notice about the where-about of poor tripod. It was a bit like the “DIG” tree. Burke and Wills would have been proud of my double ineptitude.
Dismayed, I went on my way, chatted to a couple of ranger types and some council cleanup guys, but No they hadn’t seen it, and yep, things disappear around here very quickly. More downcast and forlorn looks from me.
The following day, while shopping we bumped into Andrew’s, (he of the great blog and Flickr sets), wife and explained I’d misplaced it, but didn’t give any details for by now I was beyond hope of ever recovering it.
Andrew was taking a walk on Thursday down the same area, and as he crossed the fence, found a note taped to a fence post, which said “found item, phone.”
He rightly put two and a tripod together and dropped me a note with the number.
Phone call, instant happiness, and a quick trip retrieved my very wayward tripod. Overjoyed at being reunited it probably purred all the way home.
Thank you to some lovely folk who had the foresight to leave the note, and to give my poor old tripod a bed and breakfast for a couple of nights, and to eagle eyed Andrew whose actions retrieved the phone number for me.
An all’s well that ends well story.
Here’s the fence post note.
Did a run down to the Treatment Plant in the late afternoon. Concept was simple. FInd a spot where the birds might be active on dusk and wait. While it was a bit of fun, the score card was pretty low, but we had a picnic, Peek-nic on the seaside and listened to waves, and the birds and felt the light breeze on our brows, so what’s not to like.
On the way to the location we had a look at the screechy falcon, and she didn’t disappoint. But she managed to upset a Willie Wagtail by landing in the same tree as said Willie had a nest, and a battle ensued.
In the end the Falcon gave in, which is more to the credit of the wagtails perseverance than the Falcon’s desire to move.
Just to add to her misery, a pair of Black-shouldered Kites have nested in the same area, and the male came by to give the poor old Falcon a bit more of a hurry on. Being stooped by a Black-shouldered Kite was just to much for her dignity and she retreated down the roadway to a safe tree, to be harassed by some Welcome Swallows who soon lost interest in the game. She sat in the tree and complained to her young. The nest is one she’s used in a previous season, and without getting too close (See reference to Bird Photographers Code of Practice and best OHS management in a previous ramble), we think that the nest contains Two young. Which would be really nice. They both seemed quite large, (the little tiny bit of each we could see from a distance) so probably be on the wing in the next couple of weeks. Then perhaps she’ll calm down again.
As the sun set, I turned my hand to landscape photography, and sort of remembered how much fun that used to be. Might even give it a bit of a revival.
I’ve told you before stay out of my patch.Wagtail agitating on the back of the Falcon
At last the falcon gives in and the wagtail is victorious. Til next time.
WTP Pumphouse. RIght on sunset, the cloud parted just as the sun set and a beautiful shaft of orange light skidded across the paddocks.
No doubt about it, you have to have a sense of humour to attempt to photograph birds.
We’ve been working with this pair now for about three weeks. The male has become particularly confident around me.
Today, he dropped by for a quick once over, and then went back to his feeding duties.
He dropped onto a tree quite close, in fact closer then the lens can focus. Normally the technique is to move the camera-tripod-photographer back a bit, but the scrub prevented that happening. But give the camera credit, if found something to focus on. His Tail!
Thought I’d share it, as it amuses me no end. Enjoy.
She on the other hand is quite happily setting on her brood. She has about another 8 days to go before hatching, and I think this is her third attempt. Hope she’s successful this time.
We don’t go near the nest, or try to take great close ups of her at work, the bird photo police will come round and revoke our license or the ground will open up, I’m not sure which.
We do recognise the Bird Photographers Code of Ethics and Best Practice and leave nesting sites alone.
However there is much to be said for a shot of him feeding her, on the nest, and they are both confident around us. Only thing is of course the consequence of predators following our scent.
I think the code of ethics thing is great. I used to judge national and international photo competitions in the 1970/80s, the number of bird on nest photos was obscene. What was even more pornographic was the damage that was done removing boughs, twigs, digging into nests, and other damage. The worst one was a shot of a nesting Scarlet Robin, and the main protective branch showed hatchet marks where the outer cover had been removed.
In those days, the ‘nature’ photographer, would set up and then go to a motel and let the motion detector take the pics.
No wonder we have a code of ethics.
Via Flickr:
Focus
Focus Focus. This bird is so close that the lens coulnd’t get focus, but did manage to get the tail sharp. Less than 4.5 metres. He has become confident with me.
This post is sort of a anniversary edition. It is just on twelve months ago that I got fair dinkum about finding a replacement for the old Mac Mobile Me website. After playing around a bit I settled on using WordPress as the home for Birds as Poetry.
Thanks to all those who have looked, commented, sent me a note or simply said they read what goes on. Hopefully I’ll find enough bird images to get me through 2013.
After nearly six months exile on the Backpaddock area i journeyed out there in the strong windy/showery conditions.
I was looking for any sign of Red-capped Robins in the area near the gate and also the now somewhat elusive White-throated Treecreeper.
Not much to report from about the gate area, and I took a walk over the hill and down into the dry creek that runs from Gellibrand Hill. There are some real purple patches along there and today was no exception.
A beautiful female Rufous Whistler was looking for food for her young and eventually found a big grey bug, and sped away to deliver the goods.
I heard and then saw three male Redcaps in areas along the creek-line down to the little dam near the Police Paddock fence line, and then across to the four ways junction and a small family of Grey Fantails.
After a fruitless search along the ridge line, I cut back toward the three-way junction and there found a male Red-cap hard at work feeding a fledgling. By the look it has been out of the nest for a week or more. He ensconced it in some fallen branches and then disappeared. He almost certainly has one or two others “planted” in the general area. Perhaps he keeps them apart for insurance or protection, loosing one doesn’t mean they are all gone. Anyway I waited and after about 30 minutes, he was obviously not in a hurry to return, so I moved on.
On the way back, Will O’Scarlett came out to see what I was doing, and then sped off across the paddock so I lost him completely. No sign of any young and he didn’t seem to be hunting.
So there are still things happening in the Backpaddock, the robins have been fortunate in getting some young off, and she will probably have another attempt in a few weeks, might even get a third one in before the season ends. All very interesting.
Female Rufous Whistler The light through the trees has been softly filtered and gives good detail to the bird.A hard working Dad looking after one of his recently fledged batch.Waiting for Dad. This young bird is propped waiting for Dad to return from looking after its siblings.
Today, we kitted up for an evening down by the dam, the thermos and a few edibles to make a nice picnic in the cool of the evening.
Went via the access road down from the carpark, and to our surprise noted that the chain and lock were off the Backpaddock Gate. Definition of Backpaddock – Bandicoot Big Brother House, or Bandicoot Hilton.
Pretty excited were we. And we tentatively opened the gate and tip toed in. Don’t want to wake a sleeping Bandicoot we thought.
No sign of said beasties, nor any robins for that matter. It was still a bit too hot for hunting, so we had a quick look about and then resumed our course down to the dam.
But the park is open. Well done all.
We did note a number of Pallid Cuckoos, which any other time would have caused concern but today we liked the idea, as it meant that there must be some birds in there for the cuckoos to bother. They’d not be hanging around where there was no chance of popping in an egg or two.
The dam as it turned out, was a bit of a let down, so we returned via the Goshawk Mansion and had a look at the quadruplets. All looking very dashing in their new feathers. Not long to go and they’ll be on the branches and then look out world.
Saw one of the parent birds make a number of quite high passes over the dam area and up toward the Sugar Gums, mind with that many mouths to feed they are probably working all day.
All the young in the Goshawk Mansion. I just couldn’t get all four looking in the same direction. Notice the lovely brown colouring and the super looking chevrons on the chests.
Pallid Cuckoo in the Backpaddock – formerly Bandicoot Hilton.
When I first peaked out the window, the day looked decidedly overcast. Pity, ’cause I’d wanted to get out early in the morning to see the Tawny Frogmouth chicks, and to get a few frames of the ever expanding Brown Goshawk family.
Once the sun had risen it looked like it might burn off the clouds, and that was all I needed to load the car, and depart.
I love the bush in the early morning, and I love the way the light plays through the trees so already I was happy. But, when I got to the park, NO frogmouths. Not even a feather! They had flown that morning it seems. Try as I might I couldn’t find them among the several trees in the area. So down to the Goshawk Nursery.
Its a difficult sighted nest for a photographer. No matter where you stand there is always a few small leaves and twigs or great big trees in the way. Clever Goshawk. I found a reasonable spot, set up the camera and then taking the radio remote, I moved back along the track. Just got settled when Neil A turned up and setup as well. So we had a bit of a discussion on birds, photography and lighting and other cool photo stuff. Neil has been monitoring them almost from get go, so he knew when things would happen, and right on cue at about 10 am, the four young birds emerged, stretched, preened and enjoyed the sunshine. Mum was somewhere near as she kept up a constant call.
Andrew had been to the park that morning, saw the Tawnies and called Andrienne to go and have a look, so she turned up too.
In the middle of all that, I heard a call from a red-capped robin. Yes, a red-capped robin. So off I went to investigate, and lo and behold, up popped Lockie. He was busy feeding someone, but didn’t stop to chat, nor did he give away the nest location, but further discussion with him shall follow.
We were packing up to get home in time for our various duties when along the track came Ray. Now he and I haven’t seen one-another for quite a few months, so we had another great discussion on the state of the birds in Woodlands and birds in general. What a great morning. He then let me in on the secret location of the Frogmouths, so, back to look, and sure enough the one tree I had ignored, out in the sunshine all four. Mum, Dad, and the two little’uns. They gave us a brief introduction to their flying and branch hopping skills.
So all in all a good morning some great conversation and some super bird activity. Needless to say I was pretty late home and had to postpone a couple of other activities until tomorrow. Sad ah?
I’m breaking in a D2x at the moment, old technology, but really a pleasure to use. Fast on focus and super fast on speed. But like all this stuff the buttons and dials are just not where they were on the other kit. But hey, its all learning.
Lining up for a turn at wing flapping. The feathers are just starting to develop.Another family portrait. The movement of the young’uns eventually caused Mum and Dad to move to another branch.
This mornings weather can only be described as ‘Windy’, too much to go to the bush, so went shopping instead. In that age old tradition of ‘If the going gets tough, the tough go shopping’.
On the way back in the afternoon, the weather had cleared and lovely evening light, that landscape photographers drool over was ours for the asking, so we took a swing around on the way home and went to the Providence Rd carpark, just to see how Dad and the kids were doing. Dad apparently sits by day, and Mum by night.
To our delight, not only was Dad there, with the two little bundles of fluff, but Mum, was putting in an appearance on a branch just below the nest. I’d been looking for her over the paddocks for the past few weeks, but to no avail. So nice to have her on the ‘family’ tree.
Just too far back on the branch to get everybody in focus, but hey, most of the good gear was safely at home.
The evening light was a lovely contrast to the morning. Then when I got home I received and email from Neil A saying he’d been out in the afternoon and seen all four. Great.
They’ve got Dad’s eyes!Family Portrait in the evening sunshine
Found a pair of Willie Wagtails dressing down a Kookaburra that had slipped into their nest territory. Managed a few nice shots of the encounter, one with the Kooka’s bill wide open, and the wagtail just out of reach. In the end, the Kookaburra had other things to do and took off with both wagtails on hot pursuit.
This is more a Silhouette than anything else, but it was the last pic I took before the pair flew directly toward the sun. The 300mm f/4 lens has no flare, and the sun is only just out of picture angle, so I am pretty pleased with all that. The 300mm f/4 has been one of the better things I have put to use in the bird photo business. The pic is also taken with the old- outdated- technology My faithful and useful Nikon D200. I must admit when I want a bird to be focused on fast, then I can always rely on the smaller number of focus points in the D200 to not spend a lot time discussing the merits of this part, or that part of the subject. Oh, it’s in the centre. Bang. Dead on.
A Willie Wagtail in hot pursuit of a wayward Kookaburra. The plucky little bird has no qualms about diving directly into the bigger bird. They must have a nest close by to become so agitated. Although sometimes I think they do it for the sport.
Mr An Onymous and I were taking a bit of a tour through the Snow Gums at Woodlands on friday morning and a gentle but persistent ‘peep, peep, peep’ greeted us from among the lower tree leaves. A bit of a look about and we discovered a Spotted Pardalote had spotted us.
We came to the conclusion because of its persistence that there is probably a nest nearby. But it let us get quite close with the long lenses, the big cameras, the heavy duty tripods, and just peeped at us. Kind.
I think it is the brown rumped variety, An’s picture shows a definite dark brown colour, but I didn’t get any with its bum on display.
Such a tiny little bird. It couldn’t be any bigger than my thumb. Book claims as little as 8gm. Such an elegant tiny creature. Such a pleasure to photograph.
Hope we can find it again under similar circumstances.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 