So we're back in lockdown here in Melbourne! But luckily I was able to get out birding a bit while we were able, and actually had a pretty good month of birds.
First, there were some nice overwintering waders. During May a Whimbrel had been reported pretty consistently at Kororoit Creek mouth and then later a Grey Plover also turned up there. Whimbrels are not so common that close to the city and Grey Plover would be a state bird for me so I decided to go for a look.
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| the hide at Kororoit Creek Mouth |
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| lots of birds out there (also tyres) |
After setting up my scope I located the Grey Plover pretty quickly. And although it was about as far away as possible when I first spotted it, it took flight allowing good views of its black 'armpits' before it settled a little closer. Still not close enough for good phonescoping but I tried my best!
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| that is the Grey Plover with some stilts (well, kinda) |
The Whimbrel was a bit harder to find but I eventually spied it out to the left of the hide on the mud, and watched it make it's way around the sandbar. There were also several Bar-tailed Godwits, but again, quite far away. My phonescoped pics of those are also pretty terrible, so instead please enjoy these much bigger, much closer but more common birds:
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| Black Swan |
