Red Hill Nature Reserve started a bit overcast but then the sun came out lighting up everything. I did not travel far this morning because I was trying to find some of the small birds again I had seen previously. I am glad I did not go too far as I was rewarded by being caught between trees as a mixed flock of small birds flitted through the area. The low light made photography a challenge, especially with small birds. Later in the morning, when the light was better, I took some photos of two very common birds, a Pied Currawong and Galahs, because I really wanted to use the light cast on them. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
Some of the wattle blooming on Red Hill
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A male Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) was not the bird I was expecting when I saw a mixed flock of small birds. I could hear pardalotes and a Grey Fantail but not the distinctive call of the Golden Whistler. It seemed to be moving with the flock as it came through in the same trees as the other small birds and I was also able to photograph it across a small dry ravine where it was still in the same trees as the other small birds.
A dark photo of a male Golden Whistler
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
There were at least two Striated Pardalotes (Pardalotus striatus) in the mixed flock, possibly more. They appeared to be picking at wood and they sounded like their beaks were hammering at the wood. They also flew to living trees with plenty of leaves.
Two Striated Pardalotes on a dead tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
At least two Spotted Pardalotes (Pardalotus punctatus) were also in the mixed flock. They were also picking at the wood of a dead tree and also visiting living trees.
Spotted Pardalote in the same dead tree as its striated relatives
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
A group of White-winged Choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos) were grazing along the eastern part of the hill. They were mainly around some small trees although there were some of them about 20 metres away as well. They were moving the leaf litter aside with their beaks. There were regular disagreements with a pair of Australian Magpies, who would swoop the group but would then be forced a short distance away. The group also chased away a Pied Currawong several times.
This White-winged Chough found a bug for breakfast
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/125 SEC])
Galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus) are common birds and I saw two pairs during my walk. One pair was at a tree hollow. One bird moved towards the hollow, appearing to look at it, then moved away a little before a Galah emerged to fly to a nearby branch, where it commenced preening itself. The first bird then disappeared into the hollow.
Later, I saw a pair on the ground eating at grass not far off the track. They were not disturbed by people walking past.
A Galah emerging from a tree hollow
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC])
Two Galahs eating plants, female in the foreground
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
A lone Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) was looking for food in the parkland behind some houses. There are often Pied Currawongs in this area and they move between the park and the houses. There were other currawongs around on this morning, calling and occasionally flying at each other. This one remained unmolested, found an insect and later flew to the top of the fence in background, before flying into the house’s backyard.
Pied Currawong foraging for food near the back fence of a house
(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 small mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) were in a little clearing where the sun was striking. They were keeping a careful watch on people walking their dogs. There were a number of kangaroos moving around in the area, including some hopping at speed. A dog may have been off the leash or the kangaroos might have been edgy, either way something appeared to make all the kangaroos in the area very attentive to the situation.
A small mob of immature Eastern Grey Kangaroos being alert to something
(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])