Casuarina Sands Reserve may technically be across the river from where I actually was on this Sunday but it is a good of enough landmark to show where my location. In previous times at Casuarina Sands I have looked across the Murrumbidgee River to wonder what the other bank had to offer. So on this very foggy Sunday I thought it would be worth having a look. Like Casuarina Sands Reserve it was very accessible. Unfortunately, the weather was not great but the potential was definitely there. I had another close encounter with a lyrebird but I could not get a photograph. This lyrebird was a magnificent vocalist. It was making some amazing sounds, including mimicking a number of other birds. I saw it a few times through some shrubs but I could never get close enough to take a photograph. Still it was nice to see the bird and to hear it. I was able to photograph some other birds but the fog made photography very challenging. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
An interesting stump in a quiet backwater of the Murrumbidgee River
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 400, 31mm, f/8.0 and 1/60 SEC])
Looking at the stump from a different angle
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 400, 30mm, f/7.1 and 1/60 SEC])
Two New Holland Honeyeaters (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) were flying between trees on this bank of the Murrumbidgee River. There were a few other small birds but these were the only two birds I was able to photograph. They did not stay in the tree long before flying off. This bird was named very early when Europeans arrived in Australia in 1788, although its European name was first published in 1790. Other English language names revolved around its yellow wing colour or the white of the bird.
Two New Holland Honeyeaters in a tree
(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])
An Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) initially flew from the west bank of the Murrumbidgee across to the east bank, high in the sky and kept going towards the high ground. I took some photographs but they were from behind the bird. A little while later a raven, possibly the same one came flying in the reverse direction before landing in the trees along the higher ground towards the west of the river. I could not see where it landed. In looking at the photographs there appeared to be an egg-shaped object in its beak. If it was an egg, I am not sure where it came from as the object was not small. Potentially it was a chicken egg from one of the farms nearby, as these birds are known to take poultry eggs. If it was the same bird I saw both times I wondered if it had flown to the source of the egg knowing it would obtain an egg there. Then had returned to a roosting location to consume the egg.
An Australian Raven flying with what appears to be an egg in its beak
(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])
There was at least one Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata) in an acacia, although there were other small birds around. The thornbill was probably looking for food.
A Striated Thornbill looking for food
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/400 SEC])
Three Satin Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) were high in the deciduous trees lining the picnic area. They were calling, and there may have been more around form the calls coming from other locations. Two of the birds flew off leaving the remaining bird in the tree alone. I expected the third bird to depart but it stayed in the tree.
Two Satin Bowerbirds in a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 360mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Four Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) were in the grassy area between the eating shelters and the river. These were possibly two pairs. The pairs had a different response to my presence. Two of them, who were very near the eating shelter located on top of an embankment, started to move down the embankment further away from me as I approached. The other two were already moving up the embankment, and despite my presence, they kept coming. One of them circled around me but beyond that was not too concerned by my presence. It was not even bothered when I crouched down to get a more eye-level photograph. I wondered if the duck pair that moved towards me were accustomed to humans and were hoping I would provide some food to them.
Pacific Black Duck
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 227mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
There was an obvious Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) burrow just down from where the road crossed the single lane bridge. The disturbed dirt and wombat faeces were indications of habitation. Unfortunately, I did see a dead wombat very nearby but I am not sure if the wombat was from this burrow. The dead wombat did not look like it had been struck by a car so I am not sure how it died, although I hope it was a natural death and not caused by human action.
A wombat burrow that is probably still in use
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM [ISO 320, 18mm, f/6.3 and 1/100 SEC])