Nice weather for ducks?

["martin butterfield" <>]

Feeling like some exercise and not wanting to run in the rain I took my MTB for a ride to Plains Road, Hoskintown, to see what waterfowl were around.  While I didn't ride the entire length of the road the first large dams which usually have a good selection of ducks were totally devoid of avifauna.  They were full of water, and the causeway was about 35cm deep. 

 

To my surprise there was still a very large flock of magpies at the corner of Plains and Briars-Sharrow Roads.  I didn't count them this time but it looked to be about the same size as previously reported > 100.  Three flame robins perched on fences and three black-fronted plovers were investigating the banks of the creek beside the road.

 

Thus far my rain gauge has recorded approximately 40mm and it looks as though the rain is stopping.  Since the winds have been coming up from the coast perhaps we'll get some birds from there instead of the vagrants from the West.  Tawny-crowned honeyeater?

 

Martin