Woodlands Historic Park – Page 2 – Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST

Woodswallows on the wing

January 1, 2014January 1, 2014Posted in Dusky WoodswallowsTagged Dusky Woodswallows, Woodlands, Woodlands Historic Park4 Comments

We were pondering what to do for new years eve. Not being the standing around with glass in hand yelling at someone over loud music sort of folk, nor having the need to declare some new resolution, such as “Take more photos in 2014” or drunkenly exclaim, “I’ll photograph every species in Australia, in 2014”, we decided on a quiet evening. Besides, I’ve seen a few new years come and go now, and apart from ripping down the old ‘last year’ calendar and gleefully putting up the new one, not much changes.

We in the end picked on a picnic in the forest with Karen, Jimmy and Ginger (recently named as the story will show).

There is also the family of Dusky Woodswallows, and while EE settled in with the Robins, I went a looking for the Woodswallows. To be honest, I thought they’d be on the wing by now, and it was a pleasant surprise to find that the three chicks were still in the nest, or should that be very over crowded nest. Much preening wing polishing and down removal was going on. The parents kept up a steady supply of food, and in the end I thought it was just another day in Woodswallow land.

Till one of the parents dropped in on the top of the post, and the largest of the chicks proceeded to climb up the shard of wood to meet it. After much begging and wing fluttering, the adult flew away, calling softly as it went. The young one attained the top of the stump, and did a couple of quick wing flaps, and a few more straighten up those feathers, flapped once, and … was gone!

So much so that I’d taken the shot of it wings extended, and when the mirror on the camera came down, there was not bird to see!

The other two looked on in amazement, then decided there was so much more room in the nest and settled down to have a nap. The parents had other ideas and more food arrived, more cleaning and flapping and eventually the second one flapped to the top of the stump, and simply jumped. Oh, flap, flap, flap, and it sort of sailed down to the ground, then hopped from branch to branch on the ground trying to figure out what to do. More food was the parental response.

Meanwhile back at the nest. No way was the third one moving. Much discussion ensued with the parents, and they got a lot of cheek for their trouble. Mostly I suspect in Woodswallow for “You don’ t image for one moment that I’m going to leave the security of this nest!”.

Try as they might it remained stubbornly in the nest. But in the end, of course, the need for food became greater and it reluctantly took its place on the top of the stump. And waited. So did I. And after what seemed hours, (it was probably only 5 minutes), it too made its first journey on the wing. To the delight no doubt of the parents.

They of course had now created a new problem for themselves. Three young birds with no navigation skills spread out over 100m of the forest and they still needed constant attention and food. When I left, they were doing the rounds with supplies.

Not that they were hard to find, the young put up quite a wail when they were on their own.

Another day in Woodswallow Land. Three sitting pretty at the nest

Where'd he go. Magic. — Where’d he go. Magic.

Now we've got plenty of room again let's settle down for a nice nap. — Now we’ve got plenty of room again let’s settle down for a nice nap.

Let's discuss this mum! I stay here you bring the food ok? — Let’s discuss this mum! I stay here you bring the food ok?

On the cusp of adventure, but just not ready to make that leap of faith.

Out of the nest and ready to explore the world

Better than fireworks, and we watched the evening sunset and finished of the picnic (which really means a couple of nice cups of Earl of Grey.)

Eastern Yellow Robin: Portrait Session

December 12, 2012December 12, 2012Posted in Eastern Yellow RobinTagged Eastern Yellow Robin, Woodlands Historic Park2 Comments

Today was going to be hot. So we ventured out early, only wanted to look at one pair of Eastern Yellow Robins, Dorothy has named them “Jack” and “Jill”, so now we have it.

The hot wind was racing through the trees even early in the morning, and the gums gave patches of cool or hot depending on the shade in the area, the hot sun being captured in the open areas along the track.

Jill is still hard at work on the nest, we don’t go there by mutual arrangement. Jack on the other hand was obviously trying his best to fill her up, while it was relatively cool and steamed back and forth to the nest area.

After about an hour or so he must have been exhausted, I saw him take a really big grub, and he flew over my shoulder and landed on the tree behind, then gulped the grub down, preened a bit, and sat. Then I noticed his eye lid come down and I think he had a little nap.

The branch he was on was in the shade but the highwinds in the canopy opened up areas among the leaves for the light to come down. And I had a portrait session on my hands. Light on the background, light on the top of the bird, the side, balanced evenly between foreground and background.
For once the D2x and the 500 mm lens agreed on something and held the focus the entire time.

Here are a few selections just to show the lighting effects.

Jack then moved to another branch in more shade, settled down on his haunches and took a well earned break from his modelling session. Such a great bird.

I also did a bit of scouting around further on, and to my delight found a another pair of birds. I think these might have been the helpers in the earlier nest attempts. They seem to have settled down on their own, and he was feeding her, so I suspect a nest is going in there too. Time will tell.

Let's work with the front lights on and the background subdued. — Let’s work with the front lights on and the background subdued.

How about we take out the bright front light and darken down the background

Let's try moody front light and a little extra light on the background for effect. — Let’s try moody front light and a little extra light on the background for effect.

Ok, head up a little turn to your right, that's it. Now its dramatic. — Ok, head up a little turn to your right, that’s it. Now its dramatic.

Hmm what about a shot for the corporate board room or the year book? Little light from the Right Hand side bring down the background lighting half a stop. No wonder I used to love doing outdoor portraits. — Hmm what about a shot for the corporate board room or the year book? Little light from the Right Hand side bring down the background lighting half a stop.
No wonder I used to love doing outdoor portraits.

What about a cute one for the folks back home. Chin down a bit, tilt your head, ah. That's the one. We'll add a bit of top lighting to give it some drama. — What about a cute one for the folks back home. Chin down a bit, tilt your head, ah. That’s the one. We’ll add a bit of top lighting to give it some drama.

Being a super model and a hard working dad is just plain exhausting.

Just wait for the family portrait with Jill and the Kids.

With Henny and Penny in the Nursery. Woodlands is alive with the sounds of new life

December 9, 2012December 9, 2012Posted in Redcapped RobinTagged Red-capped Robin, Woodlands Historic Park2 Comments

Neither of us was too excited about getting out of bed early this morning. We’ve had a week of days out with the birds, and just the thought of one more early morning was getting to be a bit much, so when the alarm clock ‘quacked’ into life (what else do you think I’d choose for alarms?), I hit the ‘off’ button rather than the snooze.

We figured some nice afternoon light would be good and ventured out to the back paddock. (formerly Bandicoot Big Brother House), and went down to sit in the area where two robins Henny and Penny had been working last year. Luckily enough they turned up after what can only be described as a long wait. (About two Cuppa’s worth of wait).
Spotted the Little Eagles taking the young ones, (at least two) out for a test flight, with much calling and zooming up and down in the lovely aftertnoon breeze. As I had the camera all set up for close up robin pics, but the time I got it pointed in the right direction, then I realised, the 1.7 TC was on, and I couldn’t get a bird in the frame, then I figured the focus activation was incorrect and had to fix that, then sort out the autofocus points, and by all this time, the Eagles, had gotten tired of waiting and had gone off for a coffee or something.

When Henny did turn up in his lovely red attire, it was obvious he was feeding young and a little bit of waiting, eg, another cuppa, I discovered he’d buried the young one among the leaves in the top canopy of a nearby gum tree. It was swaying back and forth in the breeze, but really well hidden, and so no photos there.
Penny, she of the lovely orange chest feathers, also put in an appearance. She was feeding a second and third fledgling and I managed to track down one of them. Her technique was quite different. She had one ensconced in a tree about my head height among a lot of thin spindly branches. It didn’t have the same wind problem, and seemed quite content to nod off between feeding session. She seemed to feed it for about 10 minutes and then leave it for 15-20 minutes, presumably to feed its sibling, and to have a bit of a rest. The other eluded me, although I could hear its calls for dinner.

At first they were a bit concerned about us, but Penny dropped into a tree about a metre from me, and after a few seconds decided I was either no harm or no interest and flew off to resume her duties.

So it looks as though she has managed a clutch of at least three. And the threeways birds have a couple, and no doubt now that Lockie and Primrose, where ever they are, have had a clutch, so the numbers are starting to mount up. There is still enough season for them to get another clutch in before February.
Just to make life interesting, on the way back to the car, Will.I.am. O’Scarlet came by and gave a good demonstration of his hunting skills, and I suspect therefore his family may be increasing.

Not a bad day’s work and a sleep in too!

Penny with a nice big bug to keep her little one happy. — Pennywith a nice big bug to keep her little one happy.

Thanks Mum!Penny delivers the goods — Thanks Mum!
Penny delivers the goods

Henny the male Red-cap looking for food.

This will do nicely to keep the youngun's happy — This will do nicely to keep the youngun’s happy

Penny inbetween feeding time, taking a break in the sunshine.

Red-capped Robin mystery solved

September 27, 2012September 28, 2012Posted in Redcapped RobinTagged Redcapped Robin, Woodlands Historic ParkLeave a comment

With an really nice burst of weather, I decided on a whim, to go to the park early. Only had about an hour, so I decided to see if I could locate the missing Lochie.

In his “secret hiding’ place, I waited about 10 minutes and along came Will ‘o Scarlet. He was pretty vocal, but very approachable. And a few minutes later, looking all fresh in the morning Primrose also made her way through the trees, but with a few clicks and D’reet calls as she went. Next in line was a female Scarlet, so it was looking to be an interesting morning.
Then the familiar calls of Lockie rolled around the openings among the trees. He was there. How great.

But the Will was having none of it, and a quick fly around trees battle began, with the little bloke getting the worst of it I am afraid. The Scarlet is quite a bit larger, and much much faster and more aerobatic so it was pretty much a one sided battle. But plucky little thing, Lochie retreated, and then snuck through the tree tops to dive bomb on the Scarlet. Then he retreated and repeated the performance, before landing away, and giving a cheeky location call. All this lead to the Scarlet taking revenge, and more tree flying and chest bumping, and wing clicking took place. A bit of David and Goliath ensued, and a couple more forays through the trees and a few more dive bombing missions kept Lochie in the game.

The Scarlet retreated to the other side of the clearing and Lockie went on to feed and encourage Primrose in her current nest building attempt.

This is a pic I took of him earlier in the season, but just hadn’t gotten around to posting it here.

The wonderful arrangement of bird and web backlit really works well for me.

DWJ001 — Lockie and Spider web combination

Red-caps and Flame Robins

August 19, 2012September 24, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped RobinTagged Flame Robin, Red, Woodlands Historic Park2 Comments

Redcap 106, a photo by birdsaspoetry on Flickr.

The weather is certainly not co-operating for bird photographers. We have been out about 6 times and only one of them has had any sunshine, and when it did, the birds were no where to be found.
After looking at the gloomy weather in the morning, it was already time to call it quits, but I had changed cameras due to a technical glitch with one of them. (Technical glitch is tech speak for the #@$$% shutter packed it in and it will have to take a trip to camera hospital, and most likely the outcome will be, “Cheaper to buy a new camera mate”, always said with a smile.
So to try out the old system, we loaded up, and headed on out.
It is so late in the season now, that the Flames are not likely to be seen as a flock, in fact, my guess is that another week and they will be gone.
Found Lockie and Primrose, both very busy with the business of breakfast. She captured a great big moth, and spent a few seconds tendering it up on a brach, before gulping it down and looking very pleased with herself.
We also found a small hunting family of Flame Robins and they were very furtive. One landed in a tree and gave me a few seconds to get a peekaboo shot through the leaves.
Also saw a pair a of Scarlet Robins. We are both hoping that they will setup a territory. He is most vocal and travels about the canopy displaying as he goes. Time I guess will tell.

Via Flickr:
This little male was hunting in the early morning rain, and took to working from a stump about 6 metres from me. He filled the frame on the 500m +TC2.0, and when he dropped on to the ground to feed he was beyond the closest focus of the lens, but I had a really good view of him that close. DOF is so small that its legs and eyes, cap and chest iin focus, everything else is out of focus.

These images I’ve posted directly. Cannot figure out how to get them out of Flickr as a set.

Flame Robin female — This bird landed in a small growth tree and proceeded to play peekaboo through the leaves at me. The TC20 on the 500mm lens made autofocus a real nightmare. But. The result was worth the persistence.
Sometimes images make me smile and this one does.

Red-capped Robin Female — This female has already built at least one nest, and is starting to show the egg patch in her chest feathers. Perhaps with a few days of warmer weather she might be ready to lay.

Flame Robin Male — This is one of two males in a small hunting party. They are moving so quickly through the scrub now as they bulk up for their soon coming journey to the high country. He landed just near my camera position but was gone without stopping to feed. Obviously looking for the best stuff now.

Woodlands and Red-capped Robins

August 6, 2012August 6, 2012Posted in Redcapped Robin, Scarlet RobinTagged Redcapped Robin, Scarlet Robin, Woodlands Historic Park3 Comments

I might have mentioned in the previous post that timing is everything. And it is, so is getting close.
We never ever seem to have a short distance between our lens and the birds we love. We sneak up, we sit and wait, we drive about hoping to find a bird that is inquisitive enough to come-look-see, and we buy expensive, long focal length lenses when it becomes apparent that aside from patience, not much else works. (Luck of course being the factor that most other people have. I was once a member of a junior football club, the coach began by explaining, “We’ve been having a run of luck lately. …… Long pause….. “All bad.”

So I’ve been haunting the camera stores, pouring over pages on ebay, all hoping that I could find that magic lens at an even more magic price. Not that my AF-S 500m F/4 is a slacker. Just want it to be longer. So after a bit of soul-searching, (most would tell you that wouldn’t take long in my case), I decided to get Nikon’s new TC20eIII televerter. Now the websites will tell you it won’t focus, won’t work, isn’t sharp, won’t put the cat out at night, and makes appalling coffee, but I’ve learned to ignore most of that.

Truth be told it does focus. Somewhat erratically on my D700, well on my D200. The problem is the little elves inside get tired of trying and give up. So the lens sometimes locks, or it loses focus and then goes all the way from one end of the range to the other, hopefully stopping at the right spot on the way back. Sometimes. Sometimes the elves get distracted by the light coming through the trees, or the highlights on a leaf. But, hey its 1000mm and if it was an old manual focus lens, I would have to rock back and forward over the focus point anyway. For those young’ns who don’t understand that sentence, back in the days before autofocus we used to manually- by hand and eye- focus the lens. Strange but there you have it.

So here I am in the forest. 2x on board.

And up pops Primrose. For a bit of a chat. The first image is full frame. She was that close. 7 metres it says. The second image is also close to full frame. just cropped a bit of the top. 5 metres it says. Couldn’t get all of her in the frame. Just in case anyone is guessing, according to the book she stands 10-11 cm tall. And she kept on coming closer. In the end the focus just gave up, and I had a minute or so of a very tiny bird hunting on the roadway alongside my knee. Who said birding is hard?

But all this is about Check the sharpness. Just a little pre-sharpening using Nik Presharpener 2.0 The image has heaps of feather detail, has kept colour and contrast and all in all if I’d have sprung the zillion dollars for the 800mm Nikon, it wouldn’t be that much better and twice as heavy to get into the bush anyway.

Also found the most beautiful Scarlet Robin female, who also posed nicely, but not quite as close. All in all a good day, and a good start to my relationship with the 2x converter.

Red-capped Robin — How close can you get? Now turn to the right, work it, work it.

Female Scarlet Robin — Found this beautiful Scarlet Robin in the sun on a side track. She waited long enough for me to get organised

Just for a bit of fun.
The photographer is the big ugly dude on the right with all the hardware. The bird, subject of said photographer, is the little tiny smudge on the lefthand side. Sort of puts it all in perspective really.

Woodlands Historic Park robin season

July 24, 2012July 25, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin, Scarlet RobinTagged Flame Robin, Red-capped Robin, Scarlet Robin, Woodlands Historic Park1 Comment

With the ongoing closure of the Backpaddock at Woodlands, the opportunities for following Flame Robin families has been greatly diminished. I have to admit defeat at this stage, as here we are getting close to the end of the winter over season, and I really only have a few images that I am satisfied with. Problem is of course not being able to follow the birds as they move across the light Grey Box scrub along the ridge lines in the Backpaddock.
Not that it is doom and gloom as a few parties come out on raiding sessions into the area outside the park, but it’s impossible to predict where and when, so it is pretty much hit and miss.

Also not being able to track the Red-capped Robins movements, it will slow me down a bit when they go to nest, as I don’t have any idea where they are in the territory, and they certainly aren’t going to put up flags. (Not that I am tracking nests, but rather where it is all happening so I can prepare for shots of the fledged young. I try not to disturb the nesting birds as she will get anxious and abandon a nest at any stage. I think her main concern is Cuckoos, but Ravens made havoc of several nests sites last year.)

So here is a compilation of the work from about the past two weeks. Weather has not been kind either.

The female is Primrose, and she has a territory that is outside the backpaddock. She is currently being courted by two males, but I think she seems to favour Lockie, so things will be as previous. I do hope the younger male finds a mate as he seems most capable of defending himself. With all the young that were produced in the area past season, it is a ponder as to where they all go.

The Flame males were beginning to call with their territory call the last few days. They usually are gone in a fortnight or so after that. They go early, and then the females follow about a week or so later. But, I haven’t seen very many females, and am assuming they are up on the grey box ridges.

*** The images in the blog are now part of a gallery. As such if you click on an image it will open them all up in a slide show. That way you can advance through the photos rather then see them one by one and have to come back to this page for a new pic. I think it’s more elegant, and I wish I had figured it out earlier in the blog.

Hope you like it.

Primrose on the fence line near the cemetery

A male Flame Robin who came on a hunting expedition from the closed off Backpaddock area. Usually there would be a number of birds, but he was pretty much on his own.

Interestingly marked young Flame Robin. It must be a juvenile moulting through into its adult colours.

Red-capped Robin Female. This is Primrose, (see the lovely apricot wash on her chest) overseeing a territorial dispute between Lockie, and a would be suitor.

Female Scarlet Robin enjoying a long squishy worm. It gets a good belting on the branch to soften it up. Nice to see both of the Scarlets are still in the area. I’m hoping they stay for the nesting season.

Looking for Flame Robins

June 25, 2012July 9, 2012Posted in Flame RobinTagged Flame Robin, Woodlands Historic Park1 Comment

Monday dawned all nice and bright. No rain, little wind, a good day for a stroll along Moonee Ponds Creek at Woodlands to look for Flame Robins.

But, by the time I’d arrived and walked into the paddock, the weather turned a dismal shade of grey. So back to the car, put on the Driazabone (they really are!), and put in the wet weather covers for the cameras. Thank you Mr Aqua-shield.

As it turned out, I had only arrived down at the creek, when the first of a number of Flame Robins began hunting in the area near me. In between showers, I managed to find 5 birds, and all of them seemed to be young males in state of moulting through. I didn’t spy any males nor single females.

But the rain set in. Down by the Billabongs is a lovely place, lots of wonderful Red Gums and plenty of shelter from the rain, so I headed there. So did a large and significant sized flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills, together with their tame, pet Willie Wagtail and a flotilla of Silver-eyes. So we all sat in the shelter of the Red Gums. I had chosen a particularly large tree with a dry side, and plenty of shelter from the wind. I think the birds chose it at as an alternative feeding area.

The rain eased and I took the time to walk around to near the Cumberland homestead site. I could hear the “Mip, Mip” of a Black-shouldered Kite and through the mist eventually I spotted one on a tree, and then another further down the range. They both flew when the rain eased and one came down to a tree near me, but the rain was simply toomuch to pursue the issue any further.

Heading back up the hill toward the old Church site, I spotted the Flame Robins at work in the paddock.

Here is a male who posed long enough for me to get organised.

dwj08 — Young Flame Robin in moult. He is hunting down along the Moonee Ponds Creek, near the Billabongs area at Woodlands.

Just little wanders

June 24, 2012June 24, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin, Scarlet RobinTagged Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin, Scarlet Robin, Woodlands Historic ParkLeave a comment

Had a wander over the weekend with the organised Beginners Group of Bird LIfe Asutralia (Melbourne Group). Titles get so long these days, and the acronyms are dreadful, but by the time I get it all typed I’ve forgotten what it was I was going to ramble on about.
Oh, yeah, we went with the beginners group to Woodlands. Now as the National Parks people are on strike, the gate at Somerton Road is closed. Which in some way s me thinks is a good thing. But with nearly twenty cars parked along the road it did look to say the least a bit dangerous. And as Somerton Road is apparently the extension of some race track or other, speeds along the road are simply overwhelming at times, with some of the best passing manoeuvres that would do credit to Mark Webber at Albert Park F1, are taken with out much concern for the narrowness of the roadway. Anyway I digress.

The weather was pleasant if just a bit overcast and after a stroll around the Moonee Ponds Creek tracks, – Note: the river was in a flood, probably 1 1/2 meters or more deep.- we decided to move around to the Providence Road carpark and spot Robins. And on this day, the resident Tawny Frogmouths had moved to a new tree and were not to be found. I was pretty much accused of climbing up in the morning and moving them. <ggg>

The gate to the Backpaddock is now closed, so we made do by following the kangaroo tracks down toward the Dam area. Now the robins were pretty much on strike too, it seems. However I broke away from the main group and with a little bushcraft, and determined perseverance and highly developed robin finding skills. And let’s face it. LUCK, I found the pair, Lockie and Primrose. They were taking a bit of a stroll down toward the dam as there were some nice wet patches of run-off water from the previous couple of days. Next, call up the group, so some thirty birdwatchers descend on 10 square metres of robin feeding territory and the fun begins. “There on the tree just on the left of the other tree, near the branch sticking out behind the wattle, near the laid over stump, about a metre off the ground, oh, never mind it’s flown away.” Much too much fun.

Some of the beginners did however manage to get a good views of Lochie and another male, and Primrose seemed completely unpreturbed by it all and just continued to feed. So after about twenty hectic minutes with the binoculars and pointing just about everybody had seen some good robin views.

We then moved back to the cars and had another great view of several of the Flame and Scarlet robins in the paddock near the cemetery. Enough for all, so lunch was at the Woodlands Homestead. Then a bit of a walk around Woodlands Hill, but no raptors were up.

Dorothy and I went back for another look in the pm, and found some Flame Robins and Lochie and Primrose again. Here he is in the sunshine.

dwj10 — Here he is again with a nicer background. He is my second most favourite of the Red-caps because he is very relaxed with me most of the time.

Foggy Morning with Robins

June 4, 2012June 4, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped RobinTagged Flame Robin, Red, Woodlands Historic Park2 Comments

The lack of posts here has little to do with enthusiasm and much to do with the weather. When its been good weather, I have been elsewhere, and when I’m all set to go to the paddocks, the weather turns viral.

But I loaded up the Driazabone (and they are which is why they are so good), and headed out. The weather went from inclement to downright foggy. I had trouble seeing cars coming along the track to the forest.

And it really didn’t get much better. However a good trusty tripod is such a good thing, even if its a bit heavy. Or gets left behind in the marshes and requires a return trip just to retrieve the missing tripod in the middle of the night. (Don’t ask, just put it down to old timers forgetfulness).

I’ve taken of late to shooting from the tripod with it very low to the ground, legs stretched out and laying behind it. It gives the feeding birds an interesting perspective and makes the depth-of-field, both a challenge and an opportunity. Harder to nail focus on small birds, but when it does the soft backgrounds don’t get in the way. The robins on the moss beds are standing on a very narrow sharp area and everything else is out of focus. Old bones do creak a bit when I get up to move but.

The wonderful thing about mist for a photographer is soft delicate light that comes from it all, and the lovely moody effects it adds to landscapes. It’s a bit tough through when the bird is about 8 metres away and the mist makes the image all soft and fuzzy.

But as a photographer mate says, “The light now melds over everything it touches”, and he’s right. No harsh shadows, no contrasts, soft muted colours and light that edges its way around three dimensionally. Super.

The robins have indeed become conspicuously absent the past few times. The much anticipated flock hasn’t eventuated and its really small isolated families that move rapidly from place to place. But there are a few gems among them.

redcap 07 — Male Red-cap in the soggy grass. He is a bit wet from hunting about, and very wary of me.

flamerobin — Another “Fatboy”. This male was on his own. He found a super big purple worm, but took off with it before I had a chance to get some eating shots. I found him on a branch looking decidedly overweight.

redcap 06 — Another Red-capped Male. I had to walk a long way in to find him and again he was very wary of me. But the light just enveloped him.

Young Miss Heartbreaker

May 28, 2012May 28, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped RobinTagged Redcapped Robin, Woodlands Historic ParkLeave a comment

After a busy weekend away from birding we were both looking forward to going back out to Woodlands today. The weather didn’t promise much and didn’t deliver much either. But on the upside we didn’t get any showers so that helped.

Once we were inside the Backpaddock a family of Flame Robins came by, but quickly disappeared and we lost them. Mr Mighty made an appearance but for some reason we didn’t get close enough for much worthwhile photography. After waiting fruitlessly for some other action we toured about the pathways and I found Little Miss Red red-capped Robin. Perhaps she should be called Little Red-riding Hood.

The sun graciously shone through some cloud and a little bit of extra light helped on the moss beds. She seemed to be unattached today and was with a small family of female and juvenile Flame Robins.

But as always at the moment, the Thornbill flock flew in, and then out and everyone was gone. There is plenty of activity, just not sufficient time to get some great photos.

redcapped Robin1 — How does she look. Red-riding Hood, with her little red-breast feathers and her brilliant orange red cap.

Flame Robin1 — Female Flame Robin. She seemed to be calling to the family group because they took too flight and followed her departure.

Guess who’s turning all the boy’s heads?

May 24, 2012May 24, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped RobinTagged Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin, Woodlands Historic ParkLeave a comment

This little miss, has turned up over the past week or so, we spotted her in the rain, and all remarked about the ‘redness’ of her cap.

The last few days there have been a three male suitors down in the same area. Very territorial and each of them, trying to drive off the other two. Today, one of them seemed to at least have the dominance and after a few verbal battles and some branch dancing, he moved her up the paddock away from the other two males. Nothing left for them, so they squabbled amongst themselves.

After about five minutes a little grey/brown streak zoomed down the forest and back out among the boys. With some suitable tail-wagging and some scolding tic tics, she got them all going again. One seemed to win out and again two males were left to themselves.

Something new going on all the time.

Mr Mighty and his lady are back feeding in their old quarters from last year. He doesn’t seem to take part in the domestic worries across the forest.

An unattached female who seems to have all the local males interested

Mr Mighty feeding in a moss bed, very early in the morning, the sun is just starting to advance through the tree line

Young Flame Robin, part of a family of 5 birds.

One of the “Brothers” three males who seem to hunt as an independent group.

Robin Flock at Woodlands

May 21, 2012May 21, 2012Posted in Flame Robin, Redcapped RobinTagged Flame Robin, Red-capped Robin, Woodlands Historic Park4 Comments

Seems like forever since I opened up the WordPress files, but as life does, other things have been getting in the way from getting out to the park.

The past weekend was a washout. Literally. We went with the Birdlife Melbourne Photography group on just the wettest day. It poured, showered, drizzled and did just about everything except give up a bit of light and relief for the photographers. Andrew came along to lend a hand as a guide and that gave us a bit of flexibility about where to look, but in the end, the cameras mostly stayed in the cars and the rain jackets did their job.

Not to say we didn’t find anything with the highlight being a Yellow-tufted Honeyeater and several White-naped Honeyeaters.

Not one to be put off by a few minutes disappointment, I went back out this morning in the super sunshine. A few of the Flame families were feeding together and several other smaller parties were around the usual spots.

This Red-capped Robin was one of several from the morning, but I liked the backlighting and the good show on his chest feathers.

Second bird is from a small number of independent females that don’t seem to socialise with the other flocks.

Red-capped Robin Male — This male is on a low branch. I am working on a very low tripod and laying on the ground to get a lower perspective. Get wetter, and muddier, but you see much more from the bird’s point of view.

Female Flame Robin — Hunting in the early morning sunshine on a moss bed. I was laying on the ground, camera on a low tripod, just to get a separation from the background.

Sunday at Woodlands

May 6, 2012May 6, 2012Posted in Brown-headed Honeyeater, Flame Robin, Redcapped Robin, Scarlet RobinTagged Flame Robin, Red-capped Robin, Scarlet Robin, Woodlands Historic ParkLeave a comment

Dorothy and I looked out of the window early in the morning, and decided it was just too nice a morning to sit at home and worry about getting ‘stuff’ done.
So we packed a picnic and took off to see what the Robins were up to. And they certainly were. We found the cemetery pair within a few minutes. The female must be the hardest working bird in the forest. She had at least 4 clutches this summer, and I counted 9 young that she had gotten off. Given that she lost at least one nest to Ravens, she really didn’t have a moment to spare. But she looks quite relaxed and in good nick at the moment. Her male, is sporting a cute little white feather or two around his beak, giving him a little moustache appearance.

We settled into a favourite spot in the fenced off area and while we waited Andrew and Adrienne turned up, so we had a lovely morning with the birds and some great company. The weather couldn’t make up its mind but sunshine probably dominated. The birds are not in a flock yet, each little family group seems to be moving independently. The three males, “The Brothers” are still together, and it was good to be able to find one, and then quickly find the other two in quick succession. Mr Cooper-top is sporting his lovely brown feathers.

The Brown-headed Honeyeater trapeze troupe dropped by, and we also were entertained by the four Grey-shrike Thrush as they worked the trees, bushes and ground litter.

By the time we had arrived home it was too cold to work in the garden so we compared pictures from the day’s effort. Dorothy is about to get a new Nikon 1 V1, the super little mirrorless camera, which just happens to have an adaptor that can attach the DSLR lenses, and that will give her some new opportunities.