Lake Gwelup Nankeen Night Heron

These birds frequent many of the lakes around Perth. Despite the name, Nankeen Night Heron, they are often seen during the day. This one held its pose while I zoomed in for a close-up. Thanks Heron.

Lake Gwelup Tawny Frogmouth

At Lake Gwelup today there were two Tawny frogmouths, one sitting on a nest and this one perched close by.
 

More of the Sacred Kingfisher

This is the last picture of our visiting Sacred Kingfisher in the bird bath. He hasn't been around for a few weeks now. But it's interesting to note that groups of kingfishers have been spotted recently at Lake Claremont. I wonder if the kingfishers are gathering, ready to fly north?
 

Again the Sacred Kingfisher

 

Sacred kingfisher visits our garden

 

Sacred Kingfishers are no longer as common in Perth as they once were. In the 1980s I used to see them at Lake Gwelup. More recently I've heard them calling from the Karrinyup Lakes Golf Course. This week a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher visited our garden, ate a few insects, and perched for some time in the Grevillea until being chased away by a Red Wattlebird.

Pink-eared ducks at Lake Claremont

Pink-eared ducks

The Pink-eared duck gets its name from the pink patch behind the eye. They have become a sort of emblem for Lake Claremont in Perth's western suburbs. They are reasonably common there and easy to photograph.

Australian white ibis

Australian white ibis at Lake Gwelup

Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) never used to be seen in Perth. Apparently, they turned up here in the 1950s. I can recall being very excited when seeing them for the first time soaring high over South Perth near the Zoo. This was in the 1980s. Later, I travelled to Sydney and was horrified to find a White ibis picking through a rubbish bin in a city park, the Domain. These days they are common all around Perth and gather in large flocks, gazing on open parklands.

At dusk you can see them returning to their roosts, flying in a characteristic V-shaped formation, much like the Canada geese.

Their normal food is invertebrates, such as locusts or mollusks. Unfortunately, the ibis has taken a liking to human scraps.


There are three ibis species in Perth

The White ibis  also known as the Sacred ibis

Another large ibis common around the city, the Straw-necked ibis

The Glossy ibis, a smaller ibis, which is less common in Perth

Ospreys are back at Whitfords

two adults on the nest

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Despite yesterdays punishing winds, with gust of 90kmph recorded in the vicinity of this nest, the ospreys survived. This years two adult birds have been present on the same nest as last year. I'll be keeping an eye on progress and posting reports as the story unfolds. Last year they raised one juvenile.

Kookaburra sits ...

Kookaburra sitting in an old gum tree at Star Swamp, Perth

These birds were introduced to Perth over 100 years ago and because of that are still somewhat maligned by many bird watchers. However, I think after 100 years it should be time to embrace them and consider them locals. There are always a few kookaburras around in any Perth bush or parkland where you have tall gum trees. The WA kookaburras were originally released from the Perth Zoo and gradually expanded their territory to include most of Western Australia's South West.

The kookaburra is from the kingfisher family and  the largest kingfisher in the world. They prey on mice, insects, lizards and small reptiles. Although a kingfisher this bird doesn't  tend to go for fish, unless you have an pond with some juicy goldfish swimming around!

Red wattlebird, juvenile

Red wattle birds breed most years in our neighbourhood. This photo of a juvenile was taken a few years ago.

Rainbow Bee-eaters at Lake Gwelup

Reed warblers at Lake Monger

Australian Reed Warbler

There are plenty of reed-warblers calling loudly at Lake Monger at this time of year, but getting a photograph is another matter. They move very quickly in and out of the reeds, so you just have to keep snapping and hope for the best. This turned out better than I expected but I had several photos of just reeds!

Reed warblers are found on most Perth lakes.

This photo was taken today on a BirdLife WA excursion at Lake Monger from the bird viewing platform at the north side of the lake.

Butcherbirds in the bird bath

We frequently see and hear a couple of Grey butcherbirds around the neighbourhood.

They come and go over the seasons and often sit on the fence and entertain us with their beautiful caroling. Very occasionally in summer they come into the bird baths.

This photo was taken a few summers ago.

Join the Aussie Backyard Bird Count

It's on again. Join the Aussie Backyard Bird Count for one week from 17 to 23 October. It takes just 20 minutes a day. Register here

Last year my most common bird in the Perth Karrinyup region was the introduced Rainbow lorrikeet .
Check the 2015 Aussie Backyard Bird Count results.

Tawny frogmouth at Star Swamp in Perth

No wonder we find it hard to spot these guys. As I said in my previous post on Tawnies they are masters of disguise. This one was pointed out to me on a BirdLife Western Australia walk through Star swamp today. I took several photos and this is probably the best. Shame he didn't have an eye open, but you can't have everything.

Bookbook on campus

The Southern bookbook owl (also known as the Mopoke owl) is reasonably common around Perth and you are most likely to hear and see them in spring.

One sure indication that an owl is around can be the commotion made by other birds in the vicinity, registering their protests at the perceived intruder.

A few years ago I was walking around Karrinyup when I heard vigorous squawking coming from a gang of Wattlebirds in a tree. I looked up and there were three baby Bookbook owls sitting quietly in a row on a branch of a gum tree, trying to ignore the Wattlebirds. They were being "creched" there by the parent owls. When baby owls have fledged, but not yet able to feed themselves, the adult owls leave them in a "creche" during the day, while they go off to find food. This group of three were in the creche when they were discovered by the Wattlebirds.

This Bookbook owl below was photographed a few years ago on Mount Lawley Campus of Edith Cowan University.

Lake Gwelup on a cold May morning

On May 8th 2016, the photography group of BirdLife Western Australia had an early morning excursion to Lake Gwelup. I didn't manage to get any fabulous bird photos, but this scene of reflections in the water, swans dipping their heads, and the mist rising from Lake Gwelup, captures the morning I hope.

 

Osprey nests around Perth and the Swan River

Birdlife Western Australia is interested in knowing about osprey nests around the Swan River and at other spots along the Perth coast.

 

Known osprey nest sites around the Swan River are: 

1. Salter Point, Mt Henry, Aquinas

2. Claremont Peppermint Grove, Devil’s Elbow

3. Old Swan Brewery, Riverside Drive

4. Radio mast, Garrett Road Bridge, Ascot Waters

5. Ron Courtney Island, Garvey Park, Ascot

6. Alfred Cove

7. Pelican Point, Nedlands

8. Comer Street overpass, Como

If you know of any other sites please contact Marcus Singor at msingor at bigpond.com

Here are photos of a nest I found on top of a mobile phone tower at Whitford Nodes Beach Park, north of Hillarys Boat Harbour. 

The telltale signs that there are ospreys around are the sticks and of course you can see the osprey in the top photo.

Eggs are generally laid from mid August to late October. Incubation takes 36 days and the nestling period around 50 days.

Ospreys were nesting at this site last year too. I will be keeping an eye on this nest over the next few months

All puffed up, Singing honeyeater

In April 2016 in Perth, still hot. A singing honeyeater enjoys a bath.

Variegated fairywrens in suburban Perth garden

I'm catching up on posting about some exciting new sightings.

On an extremely hot day in March 2016, my eye was attracted to some movement in one of the outdoor birdbaths. Imagine my surprise when my focus of the binoculars revealed a pair of variegated fairywrens.

I  quickly reached for my brand new Panasonic Lumix DMC Z200 and these photos of the male were  taken through the glass window.

At this time of year the birds are in eclipse non- breeding plumage and the male has just a bare suggestion of azure blue around the head, blue tail and chestnut shoulder patch.

You can see the normal breeding plumage of the male in the photos of Graham Chapman

The birds stayed around for about 20 minutes, jumping in and out of the water, and haven't been seen since.