It says something about the whole day in general when, we set out to find some Flame Robins at Point Cook Coastal Park, and end up spending half an hour with a single Pink-eared Duck.
The plan was to have a look around the old homestead area and see if we could locate any Flame Robins that usually turn up for their winter holiday at the beach. And if we were really lucky, perhaps a Pink Robin, or two—that would be nice.
We met Bernie the ranger on the way in, and he (of the sharp eye), said he’d not seen the usual suspects so far this season.
It was one of those mornings when I looked out the window when I got out of bed and it looked clear. No Wind.
Bonus. Didn’t take long to work out what to do. Check again, just in case. Yep, no sun up yet. Crisp twinkling stars set against a perfect black velvet setting. Good to be alive.
Mind, most of the apprehension of the morning was based on dire predictions of Noahic proportion winds and rain from the weather prognosticators on the telly the previous evening. But most times they leave me amazed at the amount of descriptive words that can be used to create fear and despair among the masses, when it comes to describing the following day’s weather.
Ahh, dear reader. Bet you didn’t expect so soon an update 🙂
Chatting, as I usually do with my current mentor, and it was suggested, that the challenge of writing a full page blog with scintillating patter that is both cogent and helpful may only be causing the blog, well, to blog down. Err bog down.
So welcome to a new addition to the world of blogging at Birds as Poetry. Snapshots
Snapshots will be a quick collection of shots from a given event or location. Not a lot of pretty patter, but rather just the images to do the talking. After all that is what I really do best.
That leaves, Postcards to be a bit more in-depth on either an event, or more likely an encounter with one or two birds.
Then Studiowerkz will carry on doing the in-depth photographic detail from a shoot. Kind of the ‘Day Book’ of photography of yore. Interestingly enough we concluded that a photo might get a boost in Snapshots, the pop up in Postcards, and finally make an appearance in Studiowerks with info on the whole studio-like encounter.
Then there will be those times when verbal virtuosity takes hold of me and the muse connects with the spirit of the universe and the words literally write themselves and I can wax lyrical about happenings of all sorts of birding activity. Expect to see Sea-eagle pics in that one.
Well we’ll see.
So here is Snapshots.
And an important one it is.
EE and I did a trip to “The Office” this afternoon. Had a particular Australasian Darter and a probable nest site as our goal.
But when we arrived in the carpark, the first thing we noted were Flame Robins!
I’m getting tired of starting each post with,”Its been quite awhile since I uploaded a new page.” And even if I wasted half a page explaining the ins and outs of the delays, let’s face it, like apathy, no one cares. 🙂
The problem for me with a blog like this is if I don’t get the time on the day, then several go by, and a new project has emerged and the blog is left in the dust.
So, just as well I decided to send postcards!
EE and I took advantage of the early morning sunshine and headed to the You Yangs. Couple of things stood out for us. We’d been discussing the fact that neither of us had made any reasonable shots of Scarlet Robins for quite a long while. Not just because we were spending time in the wrong areas, but well, the birds had been around either.
So you might well imagine, (if you will), our delight, surprise and excitement when we pulled into the carparking area and had to shoo a pair of Scarlets out of the way so we could park the vehicle. Gotta think a day when the birds meet you in the carpark is going to be a good day.
****** If you have an aversion to Silver Gulls, or stories about Silver Gulls, then ClickAway NOW. You have been warned.**********
We have just returned from a few days ‘holiday’ down the coast. Accommodation within walking distance of the beach, in the company of some friends from our village.
The smell of sea air, the splash of the waves, all very rejuvenating. These days I’m not a great swimmer, would have once, thought it just the best way to spend a holiday, tearing up and down the beach, rolling in the waves, getting sand in between my toes, and going home with a dripping towel. And an ice-cream. Let’s be practical, a great day out.
But these days, I’m much more inclined to watch it all happen.
As it turned out the bay we were staying near was quite wide, and very shallow for much of the day. The waves must run in from both points and wash the sand into the middle of their force, and a lovely inverted “Y” sand bar has formed between the forces. I went down to look.
The tide was at low-level, and there was only a few centimeters, (inches) of water washing over the bar. It ranged in width from a few metres close in, to around 15 or more further out, then tapered down again at the end of the bar.
The enclosed part of the “Y”, of course was closed in by the beach proper, and the water in the pool of the “Y”, was only being replenished by the gentle wash of the wavelets over the sandbar, and was being warmed by the sunshine.
Too much fun. So off came the shoes and socks, up rolled the trousers and wading into the luke warm water was, I must admit, enjoyable.
One of the more visited areas at the Western Treatment Plant is the “T-Section”. Among its notable areas is the aptly named, “Crake Pool”, it’s not unusual on any given trip down there, to find at least one, sometimes more, vehicles pulled up in the open areas near the pool, hoping to catch a glimpse of the many crakes that inhabit the area.
Just a little further along the road and a small pile of rocks in the middle of the pond usually has a share of waterbirds, or waders loafing in the sunshine.
So you might well imagine our suprise the other day to see a pair of enterprising Black Swan had taken over the rocks, and built what can only be thought of as Swan Hilton, securely among the rocks.
Hope you survived the little tirade in the last post. All is forgiven.
EE and I thought, based on the last couple of adventures to The Office, that we needed to make a quick looksee if the Black-shouldered Kites had settled.
Many will remember Kitty and Kalev (The Brave), and their nesting attempts over the last couple of seasons.
They are fairly tolerant, and as she makes some of the best, most secretive nests, the chances of interrupting her on nest are pretty slim. And he has no problems about bringing mice in for her virtually above our sit spot.
So it was with a bit of an expectant parent looksee, that we turned up on a mostly cloudy day and looked around the carpark. And there they were, clever pair, way down the range, and out of camera reach.
“Perhaps he’ll come over to hunt along the river edge,” says she. So we meandered on along the river bank.
Not much of a subject really in a bird blog. Is it?
For quite awhile I’ve had a disclaimer on this blog of our birding practice(s).
I’ve been challenged, (accused is too strong a word-but you have to sit in my seat to appreciate the difference), that we (EE and I) take ‘liberties’ with the birds we photograph.
Here is the summary of what I’ve said previously.
Addendum: Just to be very clear. These birds are not baited, called in, or in anyway interfered with. We don’t use: hides, camo gear nor setup stations. We mostly sit, and work for acceptance. We are simply recording the activities of a very relaxed and completely confident bird. We strive for connection and if a bird exhibits any ‘stress’, we leave it in peace. No photo is worth stressing the bird.
Now you know!
Long term readers will be familiar with my quotes from Jon Young’s “What the Robin Knows!”. Short version Jon Young strives for and encourages “Connectedness”. “One day I will see a bird and a thin thread will form between me and the bird. If I just see it and don’t recognise it, no thread is formed. If I go again and again, the thread is strengthened each time. It will eventually grow in to a string, then a cord, then a rope. This is what it means to be a Bushman, we make ropes of connection to all aspects of the creation” Introduction, page xxv.
We strive to keep that connectedness, in some very special instances the birds respond in a most enchanting way. For those, we are able to raise great stories.
Brad Hill, is a Canadian photographer, and I follow his work regularly.
Oh, and here is a bird that had developed connectedness with me.
Her name was Primrose. A lovely female Red-capped Robin at Woodlands. Most days as we walked past, she would deliberately come out for a visit.
How close can you get? Now turn to the right, work it, work it.
The header photo is from the Kestrel Series and there are several blog posts back a year or two about that extended moment. Her name was Elizabeth— Jane Austin fans will understand.
Flow with whatever may happen
and let your mind be free.
Stay centered by accepting
whatever you are doing.
This is the ultimate.
Chuang Tzu
We’d been sitting quietly for awhile. Infact long enough to enjoy at least one cuppa and think longingly for the Thermos for a second.
It’s the You Yangs. Near the old, now unused, Duckponds School building. We were making one last session at finding the Jacky Winter pair and to see what the Eastern Yellow Robins were up to.
And.
To tell all the truth. Not much. Yep, that’s it. Little, a void, devoid, uninhabited. Departed, moved on, relocated.
And its been like that for quite awhiles. Many of the more productive spots we’ve been visiting, have been, well, decidedly UNproductive.
I knew there were White-winged Choughs on the other side of the main road, as their calls were quite clear.
“Forget the years, forget distinctions.
Leap into the boundless and make it your home!”
― Zhuangzi
Here’s a quick one as I’m still smiling after watching it happen
Take two Purple-crowned Lorikeets in preening mode. Have one of them decide that its more fun on the other side of the branch.
Imagine (if you will), it can fly across to the new spot.
But.
Our hero of the moment takes a much more direct approach. Had I but known this would have been so much more fun to see in video.
Enjoy
Nothing like a preen and a wingstretch to build a pair bond
Given our somewhat fling of success the previous evening, EE decided that an early morning start to have a look and see if we could locate the Nankeen Night-herons and Sacred Kingfishers would be a good use of our time. And as my poor old foot had survived the first outing, it might be good of course, to well, test it a bit further. Thanks. Such is the medical profession. Of which EE is not one. 🙂
It did seem quite bright sunshine and blue sky as we loaded Sir Perceval, and head out. But as soon as we were past the halfway point, the clouds rolled in, and was that rain I detected on the windscreen. “Oh, Jane said on the telly news that it wouldn’t rain today”, she confidently replies.
Oh! Good!
It seems to me, and I might of course be speaking out of turn, but the weather tv folk must always be talking about a specific house in a specific (unspecified of course) neighborhood, and the rest of us can just take pot luck. I’m also of the opinion, and I could of course be speaking out of turn again, but it seems to me, that said weather spruikers are probably less accurate than the other dudes who do the ‘Your day by the Stars’, readings— Just sayin’.
Highlight of the day was two Wedge-tailed Eagles either in dispute or play. Regrettably little sunshine and too far far away. But an amazing sight. Continue reading “Office Addendum”→
"The oftener one sees,
the better one knows;
the better one knows,
the more one loves."
Charles Kingsley
We’ve been up to the family acres for the annual family pilgrimage. Somehow or other the January time frame suits this sojourn and regardless of the weather we journey up.
Swan Hill is the destination and of late we’ve been staying across the river (That would be the Murray River for the geographically embarrassed), at the Murray Downs Golf Resort.
When I was but a mere broth of a lad, the area was mostly salt bush and mud flat, but good old ingenuity, and the application of many hundreds of thousands of dollars has transformed the area to a fine golfclub resort. And the side benefit for the average birder is that the many water features and trees has provided a suitable haven for many of the birds of area. But, more of that on another blog methinks.
A few kilometres down the road from Swan Hill is a small isolated patch of scrub, that is now incorporated into the “Goschen Roadside Reserve”.
And is wont of those in the Parks department it is now suitably fenced off to keep undesirables on the outside and protect that which is on the inside. Not that there is much to protect anymore.
And so begins the enigma. Goschen was to be a little township that happened after the first world war. (Yes, it should be in caps, but really does it deserve such honour?) Many such small communities were established. But, the one thing about Goschen is— Lack of Water (in caps because, well, it’s the singularly most important part of the enigma)
Drive just 5 more minutes down the road and you’ll come over a sandy rise and all is green before you. The result of irrigation. Water. And the rich farming area of grapes, stone fruit and citrus. Just 5 minutes. Had the water extended out to Goschen, then all would have been different and hopes and dreams would have turned to riches, instead of just being blown away like the dust.
To their credit, the early settlers and the government officials of the time, did try. A school, community hall, cricket field and tennis courts were all part of the scheme and were built. Now all that remains is a plaque for the school—and some of the old concrete flooring in the toilets—the community hall rapidly deteriorating as the fencing off has protected it somewhat from vandalism, and also meant it is ignored by the fence erectors. A search among the long grass to the east will also find the remains of the concrete cricket pitch.
The years past and the area, as often happened began to revert to its ordinary existence. And the area became a little haven for birds both local and migrants.
And another challenge. An area that can be an honeypot on occasions and frustratingly quiet on others. It’s not just a seasonal thing, nor a food thing. It’s Goschen.
This is a page from my photo book, “Morning in Goschen”.
But, seriously, it’s a bit of work in progress and thought the composite might look good on WordPress.
Long term readers will know of my fascination with all things Choughness.
White-winged Choughs can be both frustrating and rewarding to follow. Some families seem to have a high human tolerance and I’ve had them hunt around my feet and sit on the same log with me. Others. No matter how much time I spend, they just keep moving on.
They are not the world’s greatest aeronauts and I often think that if they can run to the next location that is their preferred method of locomotion.
They also have quite well established family rules. Which they understand, while I must guess what is going on. And at just about every encounter, I come away impressed by some new view of choughness.
One family we see regularly in the You Yangs have just managed to get a couple of young ones off the nest. Now comes the job of teaching these little ones all the rules of choughness. And its a big task. The young birds are quite clueless. And they have an average attention span of about 1 millisecond. “Is it food”, seems to be the total of their ability to reason. So the adults have to spend quite a bit of time working with young. And because of their lack of reason, they are easily enticed away by other families offering “bigger grubs”. Oh boy, I gotta go
Choughs need quite a large family size, at least six or seven adults to raise a young. Larger groups have more flexibility and its reported, more success.
Found the family at work around some rocks, and settled down for a sprinkle of choughness to add to my day.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 