Fluffed Up

Little kookaburra on my verandah all fluffed up


Linking to:
Saturday's Critters
NF Winged

The incredible story of a black leopard...

This must be one of the most moving stories of a wild animal that I have ever seen... 

Rainbow Lorikeets

Rainbow lorikeets in my gum tree - for a brief moment.
These distinctive birds are found mainly along the northern and eastern seaboards of Australia.



Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Profiles of the Noisy Miner

Noisy miner, a native Australian bird, posing on my back verandah in the Dromana Hills, Mornington Peninsula.


Though of average size, these birds have been known to attack larger birds such as hawks and kookaburras in their bid to claim territory.


The noisy miner is also known as the mickey bird or soldier bird.
In Brisbane they have been recorded as attacking domestic cats and dogs in mobs.
See HERE.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Someone's Baby at Coolart

This little one was swimming around in the Coolart wetlands.
He seemed alone.
I have no idea whose baby this may be.
Any ideas?




Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Pukeko at Coolart

Pukeko or New Zealand swamp hen at Coolart wetlands in Somers.




Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Swallow at Coolart

I was delighted to capture this little character at Coolart wetlands.


I have never seen a swallow with this colouring before.




Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Straw-Necked Ibis at Coolart

If you wish to see a range of birds nesting, Spring is the best time to visit Coolart wetlands at Somers on the Mornington Peninsula.


The straw-necked ibis has fascinating feather colours that shine and change in the sunlight.




Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

A Tight Squeeze Can Be Fun

Great Cormorants at Coolart

These two Great Cormorants I sighted at Coolart Wetlands today on the Mornington Peninsula.


They spent quite some time together on this branch, just fluffing their wings.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Corellas in Action

Corellas in action on my roof and aerial.
Corellas are members of the cockatoo family.
They are fun to watch when they play, but their screech can be rather disturbing.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Crested Pigeons at Moorabbin

While wandering a park at Moorabbin and trying to dodge cold winds, I found this crested pigeon.


And then I saw his friends.

This crested pigeon is native to Australia
and has a peculiar whistling sound in flight.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

I'm Cold and Damp

It was a rainy, grey morning - not very enticing for wandering with a camera.
I was sitting in the car waiting for hubby.
Above, on the fence, beneath a palm, was this little fluffed up character.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Airing the Wings

Muscovy duck at Hillview Community Reserve wetlands, Dromana


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot
Weekend Reflections

Possum Magic

Little ring-tailed possum keeping an eye on me





Linking to:
Camera Critters

Little Blue Heron

The white faced or little blue heron is supposed to be the most commonly seen heron in Australia.
But this was the first - 2008 - and last time I have ever seen one.
Perhaps young - the legs are not very yellow
- I found this character wandering alone at Sorrento on Port Phillip Bay.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Bronzewing Beauty

A regular visitor to my peninsula world is the bronzewing -
related to the pigeon.
He is always alone.
And wherever he chooses to rest, he stays there for at least an hour.
This is the first time I have seen him on my roofline.
Usually he is tucked away on the ground beneath low hanging bushes.





Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

That Guinea Fowl!

I can't resist another photo of the "not-so-glamorous" guinea fowl.
He seems to taunt me at the Enchanted Maze Garden, Arthurs Seat.
Just as I am ready to take his photo, he moves.
On this occasion, in the early morning Winter light, he was not by the lake.
He was walking just ahead of me on one of the tracks.
As he turned around - CLICK!


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot
Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Galahs Love Conkers

Galah enjoying a conker from our liquidamber tree


Linking to:
Macro Monday 2

just enjoy your life...

just enjoy your life
and strike different poses
wise gems from Shadow


Linking to:
Camera Critters
Pets Forever
Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Gammy

Meet the guy we call Gammy.
He is a sulphur-crested cockatoo with a broken wing; it won't fold in to his body.
But still he flies and makes his presence loudly felt in the neighbourhood.
Definitely a character with the strength of a wild spirit.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

I have a sweet dream...

I have a sweet dream
that life slows to walking pace
wise gems from Shadow


Linking to:
Camera Critters
Pets Forever

Guinea Fowl

Guinea fowl by the lake (with the ducks)  at the Enchanted Maze Garden, Arthurs Seat on the Mornington Peninsula.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

my ledge for vegging...

the verandah's huge
but here's my personal ledge
wise gems from Shadow


Linking to:
Camera Critters
Pets Forever

Contortionist

Dove doing his "thing"!



Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Stand Off!

A rather heated discussion happening between a kookaburra and a magpie on my TV aerial!


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Wet Bronzewing

A rather wet, all ruffled bronzewing on my clothes line.
This bird is a large pigeon native to Australia.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Shadow Ignores the Camera

I have better things to see than a camera lens!
Anyhow! I never see the photos anyways!


I have my own world
I'm busy protecting it
Wise gems from Shadow


Linking to:
Camera Critters
Pets Forever

Am I being told something?...

Some characters at Coolart, Somers on the Mornington Peninsula.
Coolart features a wonderful old rambling homestead, wetlands and an assortment of animals.


Linking to:
Camera Critters

Young Butcher Bird

I just love taking photos of the little butcher bird!
Not sure why!
Admittedly, the butcher bird has a rather bad reputation for preying on small animals.
There are even stories that it will attack small caged birds - like budgerigars.
This photo is of a young grey butcher bird.
When it's an adult, the crown will be distinctly black and the hooked beak will be more pronounced.



Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Who would believe...

Who would believe...
Looking down from the back verandah
into my own Dromana Hills backyard,
early one March morning last year,
I saw a pair of eyes
staring right back at me...



Linking to:
Camera Critters

We're different but we're the same...

Characters hanging round the muddied sands near Hastings pier on the Mornington Peninsula.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Pukeko

Pukeko or Purple Swamp Hen at the Hillview Community Reserve wetlands in Dromana.
Even though they swim, they prefer to wander the edges of water!
The tail flicks quickly as it walks revealing this burst of white.


The legs seem rather long and thick for the size of the bird.
In flight, these legs trail behind.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

The rabbit was where?.....

I was on the way to a physio appointment in Dromana one afternoon when I saw a rabbit.
The rabbit was all alone, munching away on grass in the small garden area round St Mark's Anglican Church.
The church is near the local shopping centre and carpark.
How did it wander there?
I had to have a photo.
After the physio appointment, I looked again.
No rabbit.
Hmmmmm....


Linking to:
Camera Critters

Crested Pigeon

Crested pigeon keeping a very close eye on me at Stony Point, Westernport Bay, Mornington Peninsula.
I rarely see this bird, though it is supposed to be found throughout Australia.
In flight, its wings create a whistling sound.


Linking to:
NatureFootstep Winged
Wild Bird Wednesday
Bird D'Pot

Beauty of a Goanna

Goanna at the Moonlit Sanctuary, Pearcedale


Goannas can stay in one position - motionless - for a long time.


A special feature of the Moonlit Sanctuary is the evening tour for appreciating nocturnal animals.

Linking to:
Camera Critters