Asides from the Big Weekend

 We have just concluded a very successful Big Birding Weekend at Mallacoota.  I'll be doing a more formal report on the event later but thought some commentary on associated 'stuff' might be useful (or at least give some context to the event.

Somehow or another Janine found the Nankeen Night Heron which used to roost beside the Bakery.  It is now across the road in a Pittosporum.  Apart from being difficult to spot, I am intrigued that it clambered in there.

A conga line of birders in Shady Gully.

Peering in forest at the entrance to Mullet Creek we found a mini-colony of about 20 Grey-headed Flying Foxes.

A highlight of our Lake cruise on the Loch Ard was interacting with the Sea Eagles.  They start off in the trees watching the boat ...

... and then come and take the chunks of chook (photo by Rob Bilson).

Walking on the Cemetery Track, where the forest was unburnt, some of the Banksia serrata (Old Man Banksia) were coming in to flower.

There were some very big, very old, trees along there!

Here is the Loch Ard at 0700 hours with folk getting on board for transfer to Howe Flat.

The conga line shifts to the boardwalk at Howe Flat.  This was a very very birdy 4 km walk from the jetty art which we were dropped off.

The track after the board walk was completely dry and had been mown.  However the dried scum in the mown area shows that water had been up to the base of the taller reeds - it would have several inches deep in the middle of the path.

A female spider in her web over the track.  Some of her much smaller male consorts are also visible.

On the coastal dune the Banksia integrifolia was flowering.

Although the track was dry some members needed to cool their feet.  The ocean was up to the job.

As I walked back I saw an Eastern Bristlebird fly across the track and watched it for about 15 seconds as I fumbled for my camera.  Which I got in position after 16 seconds.

I came back a different way to remove some pink tapes.  The vehicle access was still damp.  I didn't need to put on the heavy wellingtons I had schlepped on the walk.

On Monday we went to Bastion Point.  There was very strong runout of the mouth.

Red-necked Stint.

Double-banded Plover (non-breeding plumage).

Comparison image for Double-banded and Red-capped plovers.

The tideline in this image shows how the waves had been breaking over the dune earlier in the weekend. No wonder the pelagic trips were cancelled (again).