Year Birds at WTP

In June I had a couple of days off and decided to spend a morning at the WTP catching up with some birds I hadn't seen for a while.  Australasian Bittern, Glossy Ibis, Black-tailed Native-hen, Lewin's Rail and White-bellied Sea-eagle had all been reported in the week or so before. So the plan was to rock up early and cruise around seeing all of them. Because that's how birding works.

Early morning at Paradise Rd.

The Bittern and Ibis had been seen along Paradise Road so I started there.  OK so I hadn't really been that optimistic about the Bittern but I couldn't find the Ibis either and they had apparently been quite reliable at that spot...

Ponds on Paradise Rd.

A distant grey shape on a tree in Lake Borrie did however turn into a White-bellied Sea-eagle through the scope - plan back on track!

Yeah, distant.

Then through Gate 8 to check the Little River ford for the Black-tailed Native-hen that had been hanging around there.  At first there was no sign of anything. Oh, except a Spotless Crake - bonus year bird!  But I looked around for a while and all seemed quiet after the Crake had disappeared again.

Little River Ford

Then suddenly a Black-tailed Native-hen was just there on the bank, standing on one leg, staring, totally still. I didn't see it appear and then it barely moved the whole time I watched it. It was kinda freaky but it did give me some of my best phonescoped images so far.

Black-tailed Native-hen

Just staring.

It was my first weekday visit to the Plant and the first time not seeing any other birders.  Lots of workers though. And a Melbourne Water employee who checked my permit at the Borrow Pits and told me that the hide was closed.  Boo - that's where the Lewin's Rails had been reported!  Oh well.

No hide today.

I thought I'd give the Glossy Ibis another chance on Paradise Rd and there they were in the first pond from the Gate 8 end - thank you, Ibis!  I watched the two birds preening and feeding along the opposite bank before they moved off.

Glossy Ibis

I also thought the WBSE was worth another try so did a lap of Lake Borrie.  As usual there were crazy amounts everything but the WBSE didn't seem to be around.

Cormorants, Teals and a background Pelican.

Then, as I was about to turn off to head out via Gate 4, huge flocks of ducks flushed and the WBSE flew in over my car to perch again on a dead tree.  Much better views this time!

White-bellied Sea-eagle

So the plan didn't go too badly.  Some great views of some great year birds, not to mention everything else I saw, and all in lovely sunny conditions.  It only started raining as I was leaving.