Eagle View, Goolwa, Goolwa Barrage and Victor Harbour area, South Australia.

A morning birding before we had lunch with friends.

Australia, Day Seventy Two.

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) adult and chick.

Deb, Ian and I did a few bits around the farm and then headed Strathalbyn where to look around some garage sales, on the way we saw Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Black-tailed Nativehen (Tribonyx ventralis), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Purple-crowned Lorikeet (Parvipsitta porphyrocephala), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Hare (Lepus europaeus occidentalis), Common Brown (Heteronympha merope) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) chick.

We didn't pick up much from the sales so we headed south towards Goolwa and the drove east along the main channel seeing Little Pied (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and it's chicks, Caspian (Hydroprogne caspia) and Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida), Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) and New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus).

Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus).

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata).

We turned around and drove down the road to the Goolwa Barrage and then to the Beacon 19 Boat Ram, just passed the barrage we made the first stop where we saw a very large number of Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus) for the area, Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) and a little further along the road we could see Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) so we drove up to get a better view.

Great White Egret (Ardea alba) breeding.

Great White Egret (Ardea alba) non-breeding.

Great White Egret (Ardea alba) non-breeding.

Great White Egret (Ardea alba) Breeding adult being chased by non-breeding bird.

At the second spot we soon realised there were more Sharpies there than we guessed from further back and in the end we counted around 200 birds.

Waders.

Sharp-tailed (Calidris acuminata) and Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea) and Red-necked Stints (Calidris ruficollis),

Mud flats with the Barrage in the distance.

Other species seen here and at the Boat Ram included Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis), Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris),  Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis), Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and as we were leaving the area we had a Rock Parrot (Neophema petrophila) fly over the road in front of us. 

Yellow Thornbill (Acanthiza nana).

Yellow Thornbill (Acanthiza nana).

Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata).

We then headed around Victor Habour to friend's Cath and Graham's where we were going to be having lunch and a few drinks, whilst we sat in their garden we picked up Yellow (Acanthiza nana) and Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata), Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), New Holland and White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), Red Wattlebird and Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor).

The Beans.

We had  a very nice afternoon eating and drinking but we had to head off as Deb had to be back, on the way back we quickly checked the rocks on the beach on the Norther side of the Bluff where we had good views of a very smart Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra) along with Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) and Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus).

Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra).

Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra).

Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra).

Once back at the farm I spent a while on the Laptop and watched a Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) hunting in amongst the rows of fruit bushes.

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae).

 

Belair Conservation Park and Parra Winna Area, South Australia.

Back out monitoring the beautiful Square-tailed Kites with Deb.

Australia, Day Seventy One.

Square-tailed Kites (Lophoictinia isura) female left.

We got off early to head to the first nest site at Belair CP, on the way we picked up Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Hardhead (Aythya australis), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) and Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca). 

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Once we reached the monitoring point we started the records for the two Square-tailed Kites (Lophoictinia isura), unfortunately it looks like this pair are again not going to breed this year, even though the female is still collecting twigs and leaves to line the nest it is likely too late in the season.

Grey Teal (Anas gracilis).

Grey Teal (Anas gracilis).

Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa).

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra).

Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa).

As with our last visits a third bird, a female, possibly from the successful season in 2021 when two birds were raised, we watched and recorded the activates until around 11.00, other species seen included Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Rainbow (Trichoglossus moluccanus) and Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna), Crimson (Platycercus elegans) and Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Australian Magpie, Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris), Red Wattlebird, Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) and Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris).

Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla).

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

During the time there I popped down to a nearby lake for a stretch of the legs and picked up Hardhead, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal (Anas gracilis), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Little Pied (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Common Brown (Heteronympha merope) and Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

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We finished and walked back to the car and then headed off to the second site which is on private land near the Parra Winna CP, on the way we saw Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus), Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) and Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis).

Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

We arrived at the second site, parked and walked out to the viewing point and watched the nest for the next 4 hours, we could easily see all three youngsters were doing well and the male was bringing in food for them and the female who remained at the nest for our whole visit.

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) male.

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) female.

Other birds seen during the period included many of the species seen at Belair but we added Purple-crowned Lorikeet (Parvipsitta porphyrocephala), Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus), Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor), White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos), Buff-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides), White-plumed (Ptilotula penicillata) and Brown-headed Honeyeater (Melithreptus brevirostris), Australian Ibis, Magpie-lark, Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang), Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida) and Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) as well as Caper (Belenois aurota) and Small White (Pieris rapae) and Common Brown.

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) Two youngest and Mom.

Square-tailed Kites (Lophoictinia isura)the three kids, youngest to the left and Oldest in the Middle.

Eagle View, South Australia.

A day around the farm catching up with some bits after being away again.

Australia, Day Seventy.

We got back from our SE trip yesterday and as the weather was not so good I decided to spend the day catching up with a bit of Laptop work.

Apart from venturing out to give Ian a hand a couple of times I sat and worked at the screen and birded out of the window seeing Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Little (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae).

In the end I did head out to Strath with Ian and had a walk around the town whilst Ian went to the Doc's, on the way down and back I picked up European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) and Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica).

Back at the farm later several Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus) flew through and down the valley into the Pines.

Port Macdonnell, French Point, Stoney Point, Blue Lake in Mt Gambia, Telford Scrub CP, Penola CP and Eagle View, South Australia.

Traveling back North, birding on the way.

Australia, Day Sixty Nine.

Ebird List for Telford Scrub.

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva).

As usual we were up and out quite early and soon down at French Point looking for waders, on the way we picked up Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus). 

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva).

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva).

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva).

Just along the coast French point was even quieter than last time but we did find Silver and Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus), Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii), Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus), Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis) and Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae).

White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).

Our next stop was just along the road at Stony Point which was much more interesting with good numbers of Pacific Golden (Pluvialis fulva) and Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus), Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis), Sharp-tailed (Calidris acuminata) and Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Caspian (Hydroprogne caspia), Whiskered (Chlidonias hybrida) and Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Little (Egretta garzetta) and Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis), Striated Fieldwren (Calamanthus fuliginosus) and Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa).

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres).

We started to make our way back north towards the farm, on the way we called in at the Blue Lake, a nice spot where we saw and heard  European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus) before moving on towards Telford Scrub CP, on the way there we added Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

The Blue Lake which was still quite Blue even on a dull day.

Blue Lake.

We parked and went for a walk around one of the trails at Telford Scrub / Dismal Swamp (great name), by the entrance we had Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis) and White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea), as we continued in we picked up Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), White-browed Scrubwren, Superb Fairywren, White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus), Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) and then the first of two surprises when a Painted Buttonquail (Turnix varius) stepped out onto the track from the Bracken and stayed there for a few seconds before flying, we had a second bird later which flushed straight away from cover.

Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).

Still needs a name.

The second even bigger surprise was when a raptor flew in under canopy height and snatched a dead branch from a nearby tree, immediately we recognized the bird as a Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) which was doing the same thing we have been watching the female bird at Belair do for several visits.

European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).

Other species included Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor), Small White (Pieris rapae), Common Brown (Heteronympha merope), a dragonfly which still needs a name and nest boxes full of European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa).

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa).

Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris).

Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis).

We again moved on North and made a stop at Penola CP where we were looking for but dipped on White-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina papuensis), we did however see Yellow-faced (Caligavis chrysops) and New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), 2 more Painted Buttonquail, Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Golden (Pachycephala pectoralis) and Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Spotted (Pardalotus punctatus) and Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), Australian Magpie, Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis) and down in the swamp area 9x White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) and a Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax).

Also seen were 

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) female.

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) female.

Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and Australian Emperor (Anax papuensis).

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax).

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax).

As we went on further North we picked up Whistling (Haliastur sphenurus) and Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) before we reached the farm.