Callum Brae Nature Reserve is always worth a visit. There were a number of small dams so I was in my element of being beside a small pond or dam on a cold Sunday morning. I had not been to the reserve for a while, so this morning was a nice opportunity to return. I walked along the firetrail to where it met a dried water course, which I then followed south-easterly towards the dams. The water course had little puddles of water but was far-off being even a small creek. Interestingly, despite the dampness in the water course the dams were still drying out. I did not photograph the usual dam I have used to show the effects of the dry weather but I am sure it was looking like it had even less water in it compared to my previous visits. As always, there were a number of different parrot species as well as a number of Australian Wood Ducks. I always enjoy a walk around Callum Brae and I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
There was a small group of juvenile Australian King-parrots (Alisterus scapularis) in the northern part of the reserve. They were staying high in the trees but constantly calling before moving to another tree.
Three juvenile Australian King-parrots
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/800 SEC])
There were a number of Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata) across the reserve. At the first dam I visited there were three ducks, two females and a male on the dam embankment. They moved away from the dam while I was watching, heading east on the grass. A male and a female were spooked when a magpie landed near them but there was no interaction between the two species. I did not follow those three birds as I wanted to head to the dam. While I was at the dam, a male and female landed on the water despite my presence. That pair is in the bottom photograph. They stayed on the water for a while then went ashore on the far side of the dam. When I visited the second dam, there was a lone male on the bank. He stayed on the far side away from me. The dam had some ice on it so I am not sure if that was why he did not move to the water when I appeared. While I was walking around the reserve I could hear female wood ducks and occasionally a pair of ducks would fly past.
Two of the first group of three Australian Wood Ducks near the dam
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A pair of Australian Wood Ducks who flew onto the surface of the dam while I was photographing
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A pair of Magpie-larks (Grallina cyanoleuca) also flew to the dam while I was watching. They arrived while the wood ducks were around but there were no issues. The male went into the water and appeared to be looking for food in the water while the female remained further up the bank.
A pair of Magpie-larks move along the bank of the dam
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Two Eastern Rosellas (Platycercus eximius) also came to the dam while I was there. I thought they came for a drink but they did not go to the water while I was watching them. The pair included one juvenile who was clearly identifiable because of the washed-out colours and the blotchy plumage. They moved along the bank, possibly eating some of the small vegetation there.
Two Eastern Rosellas at the small dam, adult in the front and juvenile behind
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Three or four Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) flew in from the north-west. I could hear them coming and I thought they were going to land further away. Their calls were so loud that I thought I was still a distance from them when I saw the birds not far from the second dam. The first bird I saw was low to the ground, on a fallen down branch, pulling the bark away from it; the first photo below. I then noticed some more birds around. There were three birds in one area, with two on a branch chewing away at the bark. At one stage there was a male on the right of the branch, he was identifiable by the pink around his eyes. He was pushed away from his location by either a female or a juvenile, it was not clear to me.
A Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo low to the ground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
The two cockatoos on the fallen branch show hoe capable these birds are of stripping bark
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])
Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) are always prevalent at Callum Brae, although this was the first time I saw a mob out on the grass. Usually they seem to be in the wooded areas of the reserve.
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 164mm, f/7.1 and 1/250 SEC])