Gang Gang Cockatoo

GANG GANG COCKATOO Callocephalon fimbriatum

 




We often hear Gang Gang Cockatoos flying over the bush and the golf curse in Kilmore. They do not often stop long so it difficult to catch a good glimpse of them.

This morning, it was very windy. This small group were sitting in trees adjacent to the cricket ground before flapping off to the bushy area around the Monument Hill.

 
When my children were young they called these cockatoos 'the rusty gate cockies' Their call is just that, the screech of rusty farm gates.








 Most of this group seem to be young male birds, their heads have not yet developed the deep red colour of the adult males and they have a noticeable red tinge to their grey chest feathers.

Surprises

WHEN ONE SITS STILL....

Young Black Wallaby

I heard a  very talented bird watcher and photographer say that the best thing about slow days in the bush is having to sit in an appropriate spot and then just wait for the birds to come to him.

Very sound advice. 

It was a very windy day today and it was a little cool when the sun moved behind the clouds.

With the wind blowing it was difficult to hear the birds as they called to each other,  and difficult to see them moving, against the waving of leaves and twigs.

Grey Fantail

 

So I just sat for a while.

Red-bellied Black Snake

A number of small honeyeaters arrived, some busy grey-fantails and two other visitors I have not  this summer, a mother and baby black wallaby and a sleepy red-bellied black snake.

The black snake was a little slow, the cooler weather today making him sluggish.

Yellow-Faced Honeyeater

 

I must make an effort to do a lot more sitting and watching..

Not Too Sure!!

JUST WHAT IS IT??

I am really guessing with this bird.

At first I thought it might be a common thrush. No, I know those from my own garden and I don't think that is what it is. The feet are the wrong colour.




Metallic starling? It could be but the eyes of this bird are quite brown whilst the starlings are more a reddish colour.






Grey streaked flycatcher? Wrong part of the country, far too south for this occasional visitor from the north.



Siberian thrush? No! the face of this bird is too grey, no speckles.

Bassian Thrush. No again, the head is too grey.



Pippit? Too large.







So what is left?




Olive Backed Orieol.

It could be a juvenile Rufous Whistler. Too small I think.

Perhaps it is a young Grey Shrike Thrush.













I am quite unsure.



If I have to make a choice I will go for the young Grey Shrike Thrush.

Kingfishers

SACRED KINGFISHER Todiramphus sanctus

 I saw several kingfishers this morning in the Goldie Nature Reserve towards Lancefield.


 It is a very dry area of land, thickly timbered with plenty of fallen trees, dry branches and brittle grass. There are a few birds in the area, the trees are probably a little dense for a larger variety.






I was surprised to see several of these kingfishers, because the area is very dry, no creeks or waterways nearby. Each of he birds would sit on a branch before dropping down to pick something to eat from amongst the twigs and sticks. I could not see what they were gathering but I did see a number of small lizards amongst the litter.










The birds were bigger than ones I have seen around the Kilmore Hospital Reservoir and with different markings. I think those smaller ones were Forest Kingfishers. These larger birds today I think are the Sacred Kingfisher.

 

 

Early Autumn

Very Quiet in Early Autumn

It was windy and a little cool this morning and the birds were scarce. I tried several of my usual haunts but other than a few heads from the bushes, there wasn't a lot to see.

There were a few little brown birds amongst the last of the blackberries but they were wary and moving quickly.

Even the swamp-hens were  very quick to get out of my way.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Kilmore East

Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Kilmore East

Australian White Ibis, Hospital Reservoir

Kookaburra, Hospital Reservoir

Purple Swamp Hen, Hospital Reservoir