LONG NECKS & LONG LEGS

A variety of long necked, long legged birds seen and photographed recently around the Sunshine Coast.

A morning outing at the Park Lakes Wetlands in Bli Bli allowed me to observe a large flock of Magpie Geese, quite a few of which were roosting high up in some nearby trees.

Magpie Goose

Magpie Geese

At the same location a solitary Great Egret shone brightly in the morning light.

Great Egret

As too a small contingent of Cattle Egrets resting safely in the middle of a pond.

Cattle Egrets

At Ewan Maddock Dam a Black-necked Stork treated me to a spectacular fly over. With it's 2.3 metre wingspan it is up there with the Brolga and Australian Pelican as our largest birds. 

Black-necked Stork

Low tide on the Mooloolah River at Parrearra allowed for some close views of these two feeding in their own particular manner.

Royal Spoonbill & White-faced Heron

Cheers & Happy Birding

BREWARRINA BIRDS

After our stay at Gundabooka it was off to Brewarrina, where we found a camp site next to the Barwon River about six kilometres from town. It was a lovely spot with the constant sounds of a variety of birds always evident in the background.

Restless Flycatcher

This flycatcher lived up to its name, constantly flitting over the water, snapping up insects in mid-air.

Restless Flycatcher

Stalking along the banks of the river was one of our larger species of water birds, along with a couple of others of the same family, all intent on a spot of fishing.

White-necked Heron

White-necked Heron, Great Egret & White-faced Heron

A soft trilling call in the trees near our van alerted me to the movements of this White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. It was a dark phase bird, the first time I had seen this form of a species I don't often find, probably because of its quiet and unassuming nature.   

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike 

Barwon River at sunset

In the waning light of the setting sun I was able to capture this kingfisher watching for that last bit of tucker before retiring for the evening.

Sacred Kingfisher

Large flocks of Cockatiels (or Quarrions, derived from the Aboriginal - guwarrayin) were ever present in the nearby croplands. I love seeing these elegant and smallest members of the cockatoo family wheeling through the air, with their plaintive calls of "weero" accompanying every flight.

Cockatiels

Cockatiels

The bird list for our camp site and the close surrounding area came to about fifty species including Barking Owl, which we heard but failed to locate.

Cheers & Happy Birding

COFFIN BAY TO CEDUNA

After our Port Lincoln visit it was onwards to Coffin Bay National Park on the other side of the Eyre Peninsula, in South Australia. After savouring a couple of dozen succulent oysters fresh from the farm we savoured some of the coastal scenery and birdlife in the area.  

First time oyster shucker

Yangie Bay

Point Avoid

Pied Currawong

Sooty Oystercatcher

Red-capped Plover

Pacific Gull

On our way to Ceduna we overnighted at Murphy's Haystacks, a type of granite rock formation known as inselbergs. They were mistaken for giant haystacks by a distant traveller early last century and were named after the properties owner.

Murphy's Haystacks

Ceduna - aboriginal name for "a place to sit down and rest," which we were looking forward to -

was our last stop before crossing the Nullarbor Plain. We walked the 368 metre long and nearly century old jetty in Murat bay. A lone Crested tern was using the railing as a perch to do a spot of fishing.

Crested Tern

Great Egret

Common Greenshank

Cheers and Happy Birding