Some mainly birdy stuff

Following a post by Gary Backhouse about sightings of members of the family Rallidae (Rails and Crakes) at the Broome St Lagoon I took myself off there on 15 July.  The first time was mid morning when the water level was quite high (and didn't have my good camera or telescope) so I took a couple of snaps ...

I returned about mid-afternoon. As soon as I got onto the Boardwalk I saw a small dark shape scuttling around on a nearby patch of mud.  A peer through my binoculars revealed it to be the hoped-for Australian Spotted Crake!  Of course by the time I had organised my camera it had disappeared.  

So I set up my telescope and scanned the more distant patches of mud.  A Lewin's Rail strolled by.  Of course by the time I had organised my camera it had disappeared.  

Of course there other things to photograph as I waited, over the next hour, for the birds to reappear.  The resident Royal Spoonbills were dozing ...

... although one did decide to give me a chance to test my flight-photography skills.

An Australian White Ibis (aka Bin Chook) was patrolling closer to the Boardwalk.

A member of the Rallidae finally hopped on to the mudbank.

A small Grebe paddled by, causing me a little surprise that it was an Australasian Grebe rather than the expected Hoary-headed.

As is usually the case these days the sunset was pretty spiffy.

On the morning of the 16th I went to explore the area around the airstrip, which was quite well-endowed with birds.  (I have been here  - with a friend from Canberra - and scoured the area for an hour without finding a single bird of any species.  I took a few photos of the more obliging birds.

Male Flame Robin.

Female Flame Robin

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (there were at least 4 of this species around being very vocal).

Grey Shrikethrush.  Quite a common bird but it posed so nicely.