Had a great early morning bird photography session with a friend out at Pitt
Town Lagoon yesterday. There were at least two groups of grebes one of about
twenty or so Australasian near the egret roost off the first little island
across, which I think is directly across from the bird watching mound and
the other behind a grass island, (Hoary-headed) which I only noted once I
slowly crouched my way around to the back of the biggest center island in
the icy waters. Ambient temp about five degrees C and water about 15 at best
if that.
Around 30 Cattle Egrets on the northern side, at least five Black-fronted
Dotterels and a lonely Black-winged Stilt were foraging in the shallows along
the property fence lines. Two White-faced Herons flew right by me at one
point, as well as a lone Great Egret that had arrived at around 8am-ish.
It?s the first time I have been here since January and noted the absence
of Pacific Heron (which I saw at least two or three of) and Great and Little
Egret until the lonely GE arrived.
Dozens and dozens of Pacific Black Ducks cruised the waters on the east side
and about 30 or so Eurasian Coots too. Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen were
also picking up food in among the reeds and along the edges of water. The
Golden-headed Cisticolas were perpetually calling as were the Willy Wagtail
along the fences. Overhead, a flock of 25-plus Straw-necked Ibis were heading
to greener pastures and just after nine one of the resident Swamp Harrier
made the appearance along the same flight path that I have seen him/her take
many times in the spring and summer months. This timing is rather uncanny,
as I remember seeing them at around 10 o?clock, which is 9am in winter time.
Always the northern reed beds.
White-plumed Honeyeaters were feeding in the trees in Church Street and the
Superb Fairy-wren made lovely vocal and physical displays too.
Then we headed off to the Pitt Town Bottoms Road loop and saw an Australian
Hobby, a pair of BS Kites hunting next to the road, which we couldn?t photograph
due to the tall thickets and trees blocking our views, and many Australian
Kestrels. When we returned to Pitt Town, we headed home and saw a gorgeous
BS Kite on the powerline just past Lagoon Rd, so we pulled up and started
photographing it too. Luckily, it was perched about 5m above the road, and
we could get a less steep angle. Then about one kilometer further I pulled
up as I saw a pair of little flycatcher-type birds, black and white, and
we rattled about 50 frames off on them. They were Restless Flycatcher ? a
first for me.
See these links for some of our images from yesterday morning. 
My friend Craig?s
http://australasiaforum.net/australasia/index.php/topic,2239.new.html#new
Mine:
http://australasiaforum.net/australasia/index.php/topic,2237.new.html#new
http://australasiaforum.net/australasia/index.php/topic,2236.0.html
Some of my images hosted in Europe of all places:
http://www.fotovilag.hu/kepforum/myimage.php?menu_id=78
Kind regards
?kos L. 
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