Oh baby!

Well it is certainly that time of the year and having just hosted two kids' birthday parties I know how the various feathered denizens of the Barwon must feel!
Now that I can actually get back to the river without the need of walking aids, I've been able to cover a bit of ground - although not as far or as fast as I'd hoped during this morning's rather warm run. The most obvious seasonal change I've noticed is the explosion in the bird population which has resulted in a number of rather cute photo opportunities which are the justification for this post.
Firstly I noticed a couple of Dusky Moorhen chicks at Balyang Sanctuary a couple of weeks back, but headed back today to take some clearer shots:

Dusky Moorhen mother and chicks at Balyang Sanctuary

 There were several different pairs of birds, each with up to three chicks.
Next I came across a White-faced Heron chick and a pair of Pied Currawongs nesting not far from Barwon Valley Golf Course (photos of these are on the Birds Nests page).
During a ride last week-end I came across a family of Australian Wood Ducks beside - appropriately enough - the duckpond at Queen's Park.

Australian Wood Duck family

They weren't overly impressed by my arrival and rapidly headed for the opposite side of the pond. A few weeks earlier I saw an older brood who were paddling about opposite the boatsheds, however I haven't seen them of late.

More Australian Wood Ducks

This afternoon I also came across a number of impending parents including a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and a neighbouring pair of Long-billed Corellas who had each set up home in different branches of the same large eucalypt at Balyang Sanctuary (again, see the Birds Nests page). Actually, I was interested to see the cockatoo was present. During an earlier visit, at which time it was presumably looking to secure some spacious family accommodation, it appeared to be facing some stiff opposition from a scouting party of bees, who indeed may have felt they had some prior claim as this particular hole was used as a hive in a previous season. The cocky didn't seem too perturbed and just shook its head when the bees got too close or perhaps when the buzzing in its ears became too loud. Today there was not a bee in sight.
Not far away a pair Mudlarks was sharing adjacent branches with a couple of Willie Wagtails who predictably spent quite some time trying to convince me that their nest was nowhere nearby.

Willie Wagtail nesting on the Barwon at Balyang Sanctuary

Of course I have both seen and heard various other young birds over the last few weeks and have also seen a number of as yet unidentified nests. With any luck I'll be able to snap a few more pics and find out who's living in those nests!

Birds of a feather...

At the present point in time, I have so far managed to observe and photograph ninety-nine different species of birds along the length of the Barwon River. Today, being without a car for part of the day, I decided to take an extended walk from the James Harrison Bridge in town, upriver to Buckley Falls and around Mt Brandon Peninsula past Baum's Weir and back.
The weather was quite hot and windy with a storm brewing, so I was almost convinced that most of the bird population would have taken to their nests or disappeared to whatever place it is that birds seem to go when it's windy. That didn't appear to be the case today however, as the feathered population which lives along the banks of the Barwon was out in force allowing me to spot fifty of those ninety-nine species.
I didn't add to my tally of new bird discoveries during the course of the day, but I did snap quite a few shots so I thought I would use this post as an excuse to upload a few of the better ones.

Willie Wagtail nesting near Baum's Weir

The Willie Wagtail shot is one I've been taking versions of for a few days now that I know where the nest is. When I arrive, the bird usually leaves the nest to tell me in no uncertain terms to keep my distance. It then watches me for a couple of minutes before hopping onto the branch and back into the nest.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

This little guy near Queen's Park was helping himself (and yes, based on eye-colour I think it is a he) to seeds from the grass at the side of the track. He was not even vaguely concerned by my presence or that of the cyclist who passed just after I took this shot.

Male Hardhead Duck aka White-eyed Duck

This rather intense-looking male Hardhead Duck was paddling around in the midst of a bunch of

Pacific Black Ducks at Balyang Sanctuary and trying unsuccessfully to look like one of the gang.

Little Black Cormorant

Great Egret

The fishermen of the bird world seemed mostly to have exchanged the lower weir at Buckley Falls for Baum's Weir today, as the above egret and cormorant were accompanied by a Nankeen Night Heron who was also fishing off the edge of the weir. It would appear that no-one has seen fit to inform the "night" herons on the Barwon that they are supposed to feed at night as I have regularly seen them on the hunt during daylight hours of late.