Went to a business meeting this morning and discovered a wetland right behind the car park. So I just HAD to go for a quick 15 min walk before heading back home again. Here are some of the images I got. I'm not sure I have the IDs right as I couldn't find them all on the bird finder.
Hi Kathie, these are the wetlands I have been talking about last year. Remember when I campaigned to have it cleaned regularly? It now gets cleaned every 4 weeks. What was it like? Lots of rubbish? I haven't been there for a while. Will have a look tomorrow, if it is poluted I have a phone number to ring, Melbourne Water will come asp, they are very good. Not their fault so many idiots live in the area.
Beautiful photos. Was the Great Eagret there?
No5 is a Chestnut Teal, No2 his wife (?)
M-L
No1 is a Dusky Moorhen
M-L
Thanks for that M-L. There was a bit of rubbish but not a lot. Most of the water was clear and a beautiful blue thanks to the sky above. No, I didn't see an egret.
Not sure on #2. I actually have other photos that showed more of the colourings but I haven't uploaded them yet, will do that later and share them here.
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Here are two photos of female Chestnut Teals. The Freckled Duck has a more dish-shaped bill and a pointy head on the top, not round like the Chestnut Teal. But the main difference would be the eye, the Chestnut Teal has red eyes, but the Freckled Duck has brown eyes.
M-L
Yes, mine has red eyes. Thank you. I had no idea they would be a pair. I can go back and change my keywords now
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Owen explained it to me a while ago, when I thought the same as you, he also said that there aren't any freckled ducks around here. Those wetlands are also where the swans had young year after year, but they never survived, because bored and drunk young people, (I have also caught little boys doing it), throw stones and bottles at birds. The poor cygnets never made it for very long. Now the parents seem to have gone to a better place.
M-L
There are still swans there I believe. Not in the section where I was but a lady I met yesterday says she sees them regularly from the back of her place which is very nearby.
I don't understand why parents can't teach their children to respect nature.
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Perhaps the parents are modelling disrespectful behaviour towards the environment. We only have to look at our parliaments to see how prevalent such behaviour is. When many of our leaders support the destruction of the environment we can't expect our young folk to behave differently. Mind you, it's a great bonus when they do!
Means that people like us have a big job ahead of us. My husband was making comments about the GenY group and how they behave and I reminded him we have 4 daughters that fit into that group, and none of them behave that way.
So it begs the question what were their parents thinking or how were they brought up?
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Guess I won't go there tomorrow, at 4Pm this afternoon at the T-intersection Army Rd/ Pakenham Rd, I smashed my car. It was my fault too.I wasn't hurt, and neither was the other woman.
M-L
Oh, M-L, that's terrible. So glad you're ok though. How bad is the car?
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
very bad, because with new cars all that stupid technology sits in the front, it doesn't look staight anymore either. (my husband is not a happy man, and not very friendly either) See what the insurance says?
M-L
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Oh, no, Araminta!!!! The good news is that you & the other driver are alive & shaken but not stirred. The bad news is that your car is a mess. Still, as they used to say in Rome when they crashed their chariots: "Excreta eventuate!"
Sorry to read this M-L just before Christmas too - maybe you'll get a new car in the Christmas/New Year sales. At least the only damage was property and not a person. Here's a ((((hug)))) to say I'm glad you are okay!
Alison
~~~~~~
"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
Thanks everyone, I needed that ((((hug))) Alison.The tow truck will pick it up today.
M-L
What is that pink thing on the front of the teal?
- soakes
soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia
I think it to with breeding, I have seen this before , and as far as I remember Owen told me , only the breeding females have it.
Waiting for the experts to tell us.
M-L