Check my birding map for specific location.
I ventured onto the Bellarine Peninsula, east of Geelong, to look for Black-faced Cormorant. At Point Henry, a very odd, seemingly abandoned salt plant, I found young Pacific Gull. These birds have such a huge bill, it almost looks unnatural.
Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus)
It was very quiet otherwise so I continued along the coast to Portarlington. The shorefront was very pleasant. In fact the whole area was lovely. I was surprised at how rural it was. I expected it to be very built up but the townships were small and surrounded by pastoral fields. Portarlington itself had a wide pier that led out to the sea wall which you could also walk on. There were cormorants in and around the sea wall but not the black-faced. However, as I drove down the esplanade I spotted some more and there it was. A single Black-faced Cormorant, surrounded by Pied Cormorants. Not the greatest shot but a lifer nonetheless.
Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens)
Next stop was Begola Wetlands, inland and south towards the coast. I had been there in 2019 and loved it. It is a small oasis in a sea of houses (mixing my metaphors, I know). A perfect illustration of this was a kestrel sitting on a TV arial on the edge of the reserve.
Australian Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)
As I turned away from the houses and towards the lake I saw a flurry of activity and associated squeaks. I hovered around until I found the Brown Thornbill. They are such lovely little birds.
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
By far the noisest birds here were the wattlebirds. 2 species and they zoomed around, arguing and chasing each other. Technically, they are honeyeaters but they really are in a class of their own.
Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)
Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera)
Back to West Geelong, where I am house sitting (a welcome relief after 9 months in the van) and in the garden the lorikeet were making a noisy visit. Cannot resist these incredible birds.
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
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