Michael's Big Year 2022

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michaelrt71_1
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Sue and Dale; I can assure you all window shots were G-rated and anyway... the heron started it!

michaelrt71_1
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Canberra last weekend I managed a quick morning race around Jerrabomberra Wetlands. First time visiting, and I will definitely return for a longer slower effort. Lots to see, just have to time it with joggers and cyclists.

70 Red-rumped parrot

71 White-cheeked Honeyeater - new this year, haven't photographed before.

72 White-plumed honeyeater - new this year, ditto.

73 Hardhead - common for most, but a lifer for me. I kept seeing this species as a possible sighting at many water spots, but I was thrilled to see one at last.

also upgrade of the reed warbler (29) from Jerrabomberra

dwatsonbb
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Fantastic Micheal. Love the Red-rumpled parrot, but the others are great photos to. Another spot to add to my evergrowing list of places to go.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

AbbyGrace
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Love your Hardhead shot Michael. Another great set of photos! Thanks for sharing.

sue818
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Beautiful shot of the Hardhead, Michael and well done on a lifer. Jerrabomberra wetlands are known for great birds so I also plan to visit sometime.

michaelrt71_1
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Morning drop-ins before work at the lagoon and local beach to begin with. Then some unfortunate, but hopefully identifiable, EBC shots of more local birds. 

74 Shining bronze-cuckoo

75 Little pied cormorant

76 Black-faced cuckoo-shrike

77 Crested pigeon

78 Sooty oystercatcher - MM beach

79 Magpie lark male and female (just worked out there is a difference)

80 Little black cormorant

81 Australian Raven - Port Kembla breakwall

Jerrara Dam

82 Brown gerygone

83 Grey fantail

84 Brown cuckoo-dove

85 Grey cuckoo-shrike

Stafford Trail 

86 Eastern whipbird - youngun'

87 Yellow-throated scrubwren

3 Willie wagtail replacement

sue818
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Well done, Michael... your area is so rich in birds. Love the Little Pied Cormorant and impressed that you got the Yellow-throated Scrubwren and n Eastern Whipbird. They both lurk in dark shady places.

dwatsonbb
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Great to see some more which would be new to me. Love them all.You have some great photos there. Thank you.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

michaelrt71_1
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sue818 wrote:

Well done, Michael... your area is so rich in birds. Love the Little Pied Cormorant and impressed that you got the Yellow-throated Scrubwren and n Eastern Whipbird. They both lurk in dark shady places.

It was indeed dark and murky; I did not expect usable shots at all, especially as the setting was two stops down. I was sitting down and using a monopod, so that must have saved them.

Alex Rogers
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Some great birds and good catches Michael. Whipbird is always a good one to get, they are SO hard to photograph. I've never seen a Yellow-throated Scrubwren, nice!

Alex Rogers
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Some great birds and good catches Michael. Whipbird is always a good one to get, they are SO hard to photograph. I've never seen a Yellow-throated Scrubwren, nice!

dannyka6
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Lovely photos Michael, love the Crested Shrike-Tit and the Grebe; hope you didn't get bitten getting that shot!! Lovely King-Parrots but too bad about your tomatoes...very striking New Holland Honeyeater shot, and I'd love to get that Diamond Firetail!! Nice work!

AbbyGrace
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Nice set of birds Michael. Love your Yellow-throated Scrubwren shots. Love seeing birds I haven't seen before.

michaelrt71_1
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Quiet on the birding front here at the moment, but still working on the task! Between busier work and steady rain I have snuck in a couple of new ones and some updates for fun.

Lake Illawarra

(13. update) Little Egret dancing around stirring up the fish in the shallows. A rainy, dull set, but a fun 10 minutes on the way to work.

Then this guy shot past...

88. Brown goshawk

89. White-headed pigeons - soggy, but counts. Out the car window on the way home.

michaelrt71_1
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Yesterday morning, in the first dry hour so far this March, I got to my local Mt Robertson trail. 

90. Striated Thornbill

(34. Satin bowerbird - purple winged stick insect for breakfast)

(7. Golden whistler - very generous pose from this chap. Just the update I was hoping for)

Good to get out again, despite bringing 3 leeches home.

dwatsonbb
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Cool Michael, love the egret and the Golden Whistler. Great photos, thank you.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

dannyka6
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Well done on those Little Egrets, so much fun looking at them dancing around! Feel for you up there with all the rain...hope it stops soon!

sue818
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Love the Litle Egret with that wonderful reflection and the Golden Whistler was incredibly obliging. Terrific shot!

AbbyGrace
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Nice shots Michael! Love your Golden Whistler shots.

Alex Rogers
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You managed to get some lovely photos of the egret in the rain, nice! And the whistler is a cracker!

TommyGee
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That's a great shot of the Hardhead, nice way to get a lifer :) the reflection is pretty much perfect.

michaelrt71_1
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Had forgotten the classic cockatoo for 2022.

91. Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Western shore of lake Illawarra, going a different way to work and found about 10 golden plovers together.

92. pacific golden plover

While watching the plovers, a batch of 10 white ibis took off, with a straw-necked ibis in their midst. A lifer for me!

93. Straw-necked ibis

michaelrt71_1
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South to Basin View for a weekend away, still waiting for the whistling kite to show itself, but I missed it again.

94. White-winged chough

95. Yellow-faced honeyeater - a reliable local at the basin.

After mowing the lawns, I sat for a drink and noticed this guy fishing off the jetty.

96. Striated Heron

michaelrt71_1
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Recent Barren Grounds trip was worth the muddy shoes and squelchy socks.

On the road in.

97. Long-billed Corella

Along the 8km loop walk

98. Fan-tailed cuckoo

99. Southern emuwren - kind of EBC

Got to watch this new bird bounce around on the track down to the stone-bridge. A lifer for me! And rare for Barren grounds, so quite exciting.

100. Olive whistler - nice one for 100.

101. Yellow-tailed black cockatoo - I waited for a while thinking they would fly off in my direction, but they droppped to the ground and disappeared instead. Hopeful for an upgrade.

Lastly, a bonus spider, as orb-weavers are 'on trend', at the moment. This one hadn't quite packed up from thre night before.

Garden orb-weaver (Broker's nose trail)

(Sue; I 'think' I saw and heard the bristlebird this time, but I don't believe my photo even qualifies as EBC. Getting closer though...)

Extra bonus: male gang-gang (52), better light than earlier this year.

dwatsonbb
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Oh wow Michael some fabulous shots there. Congrats on your century. Love the Yellow-faced Honeyeater, but they are all great.

Don't be hard on yourself, that Emu-wren is way better than EBC photo, and you got both female and male, a difficult bird to photograph. It is a bird I have only had a fleeting glimpse of, but no photo yet.

Enjoying your photos, so please try and keep them coming.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

sue818
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Gorgeous  set of birds, Michael. Quite envious of the Golden Plover but how cool to get an Olive Whistler at Barren Grounds! I agree with Dale, well done getting a pair of Southern Emu-wrens and not bad shots as they can be really difficul to get clear of brush. I like Barren Grounds but those Bristlebirdsare elusive... I did get a Pilotbird instead one day.  Also love the Gang Gang and Long-billed Corella.

I think that Alex and I need to plan a meet-up down your way sometime.

AbbyGrace
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Nice shots Michael. Love the colour on that plover! And they are good shots of the Southern-Emu Wren, as they are very hard to get!!

Love your spider shot too.

TommyGee
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Love the Striated Heron, that's a new one for me. And your Gang-gang has a kind of rockabilly vibe going on, if you ask me! Very cool, the colours are fabulous.

Gotta agree about the Emu-Wren, I'd be more than happy with those shots.

karentwemlow
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Congrats on your century! And I agree with Dale, I love the Southern Emu-wren pics, I would be stoked just to see one. Love the Striated Heron about to take a dive.... 

dannyka6
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Love the Golden Plover, and the Southern Emu-wren...I'm still hoping to see one not through the bushes one day...and that's cool that you got an Olive Whistler! Have only ever seen one, not sure where to go to repeat that! Nice birds that you're picking up, loving it. Always good to have some cockatoos posing and having fun :) 

michaelrt71_1
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Thanks for the ongoing encouragement folks. Still getting out there depsite not getting to travel out of my locale for a while. Maybe in April...

Again back at Koona Bay, Lake Illawarra, before work. During a wet week so colours are drab and skies mostly dull

102.Pied Stilt - young and adults.

103.Cattle egrets - not perfect, but BIF improving.

104. Great Egret - waiting for blue skies and glassy water to improve this shot.

105. Royal spoonbill

106. Pied currawong  - showing off to a brown goshawk (who looks over it)

Also update on (2) little corella, with this gorgeous couple.

michaelrt71_1
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Some fun chasing crested tern in flight at the Port breakwall.

Also found some chillin' fur seal on the safe side of the wall.

107. Galah - how could I forget this local!?

dwatsonbb
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Sorry I missed your 100, well done.

Another great set, love the Stilt and the fur seal, but they are all fantastic.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

sue818
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More great birds,Michael... I especially love the Little Corellas and the seal.

michaelrt71_1
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Travels into ACT and Vic these last two weeks, catching up with family. Some bonus birds among bushwalks and drives. In retrospect, it seems a 'common', incidental list.

ACT first.

108. Common Blackbird

109. Eurasian Coot

110. Common Starling

I am willing to pull over at 110km/hr to photograph an eagle, but not for a toilet break en route to Melbourne...apparently.

111. Wedge-tailed Eagle

112. Common Bronzewing - drinking/swimming in a horse trough in farmland near Emerald, Vic.

113. Eastern Rosella - elusive so far in the Illawarra, so happy to get this in the Dandenongs.

114. Australian Wood Duck - Dandenongs

115. Grey Butcherbird - Dandenongs (just starting to make some noise at home now, too)

Classic little pied cormorant (75) pose for an upgrade.

sue818
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Another nice group, Michael. Nothing like getting to somewhere else for a few different birds. I can understand pulling over for the Wedge-tailed Eagle but I do also stop for the loo when the other half needs one (as he offers to stop for a bird). Love the Bronzewing shot as I though it was peeking over something at you.

dannyka6
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Haha that's funny about pulling over for birds, but not the toilets! Glad to see you have your priorities in order lol!

I like the composition of the Common Blackbird, they have a lot of character and its cool to see it top of the trees! I also love the action shot of the Currawong telling the Goshawk who's boss! I caught a similar interaction between a Currawong and a Cockatoo up at Hall's Gap, but unfortunately the photos didn't come out that well because of the foliage they kept ducking behind. 

And it was totally worth pulling over for the wedgie!! Great shot. Love the Cattle Egret and Royal Spoonbill BIF shots. Hope you got a bit of time in the Dandenongs, they're so beautiful!

dwatsonbb
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Wedgies are my nemesis bird, I can never get a decent photo of the dot far away in the sky, and lose too much detail. We had 5, yes 5 circling our house last Thursday (all at once, a family of 3 and a 2nd pair I think) but the distance and crappy light prevent anything worth sharing being achieve.

You need to plan your trips around good birding spots, with toilets close at hand - win/win, and why not take the thermos, so you can have a cuppa and a snack (that equals more birding time).

Loving all your photos, the Wedgie will be my fave, you have captured the underwing pattern beautifully.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

michaelrt71_1
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Cheers, Sue! 

Re: the toilet stops - I think a maximum number needs to be agreed upon before the journey begins... :-)

116. Australasian Gannet - fun watching this turn and plunge; looks to be immature. North Durras

117. White-necked Heron - seen but never photographed before. There were 5 of these enjoying all the 'new' wetlands (usually farmland) just south of Shoalhaven Heads. So many new stands of water and stretches of mud have created plenty of extra habitat for the waterbirds.

michaelrt71_1
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dwatsonbb wrote:

Wedgies are my nemesis bird, I can never get a decent photo of the dot far away in the sky, and lose too much detail. We had 5, yes 5 circling our house last Thursday (all at once, a family of 3 and a 2nd pair I think) but the distance and crappy light prevent anything worth sharing being achieve.

You need to plan your trips around good birding spots, with toilets close at hand - win/win, and why not take the thermos, so you can have a cuppa and a snack (that equals more birding time).

Loving all your photos, the Wedgie will be my fave, you have captured the underwing pattern beautifully.

Cheers, Dale

We are recent empty-nesters - both kids left this year :-(  and interstate, so I can't quite organise trips around birds yet... but I'm working on it! 

Sounds like the wedge-tails are taunting you, Dale.

michaelrt71_1
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Yes, Danika, we had four nights around the Dandenongs and Warburton area; cool, beautiful forests. Even got some quiet times despite Easter long weekend. Snuck into Birdsland Reserve early one morning; lots of birds and some good shots, but nothing new for the BYC.

sue818
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Good luck with that rule, Michael! We just agree to stop every 2-3 hours of driving... and I go birding at the stops.

Nice shots of these last three birds. The Gannet looks to be preparing for a dive!

Helmeted Guineafowl are very photogenic and that is a great shot. However, I think these are escapees (at some time) as the only accepted wild population is up in Queensland around Chillagoe if you check your bird guide. I saw them in Tassie but did not count them. Over to the 'howling mob' to adjudicate but I doubt it will make much difference to the stats if included... 

  • Every Bird Counts (EBC) - as long as it is clearly identifiable. Except - birds must be 'in the wild' so no birds in zoos etc and domestic fowl
  • Rule adjudi cation by popular vote / howling mob (and admin stepping in where needed!)

​​​​​​​I like your enthusiasm.​​​​​​​

dannyka6
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Glad you got a good look around the Dandenongs and Warburton, beautiful spots! Birdsland is a great spot, lovely for a wander and great for water birds. There are sometimes some interesting things up the back where it verges into Lysterfield Park, but you can do a lot of walking and not see much.

sue818
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Apologies, Michael. I did not mean for you to delete the post. Leave it up but just don't count it. Some wonderful places out there to visit!

AbbyGrace
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Nice shots Michael. Love your Wedgie shot! Sounds like a nice time away.

michaelrt71_1
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All birding has been before work for me here in the Illawarra, some gorgeous Autumn mornings, with and without rain. I have found a nice spot to watch the water birds take-off and land at Koona Bay; so all shots, including updates are from there.

Only two new birds to report, though, and one of those a possible lifer, so I am not 100% sure of the ID - help required, please.

Black swans (38) - one of the first clear mornings in months.

Lewin's Honeyeater (63) - sat and posed for quite a while.

Eastern Great Egret (104) - that neck!

Cattle egret (103) 

Royal spoonbill fun (105)

118 Caspian Tern - doing laps quite close in.

119 Australian Hobby - hopefully anyway (lifer). Seems to have the grey of eye and beak, higher buff 'bib' (not white like Peregrine) and less white on underparts. EBC on maximum cropping. Whaddyareckon?

dwatsonbb
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Great set there Michael, reckon your on the money with the Hobby, nice flight shots. Also love the Lewins Honeyeater, but they are all great.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

sue818
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Lovely set, Michael and wonderful reflections. Agree with Dale, clearly a Hobby, well done getting a lifer.

AbbyGrace
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That looks like an amazing spot Michael. Like your shot of the Lewin's Honeyeater. All of them are great though.

dannyka6
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Terrific shots, that Great Egret is hilarious stretching out its long neck! Love the Lewin's HE and the cattle egrets too, but the Hobby doesn't come along often, very cool!!

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