I saw a creature in long shaded grass
Apparently brown and moving fast
It turned and twisted while trying to pass
Through slender grain of yellow cast
I looked some time at its bobbing head
At its swinging tail strange pointed red
The smooth curved back came round again
Fluidly rodent it looked up at me then
To my surprise it turned out to be
Not a snake or rodent looking at me
But of avian descent with full head to see
A juvenile rosella stared knowingly
Who’d have thought such bright disguise
Could cloud the vision of observer eyes
On the ground coloured plumage denied
Flashy brilliance so vivid in the sky
Tag Archives: bird watching
Port Campbell Discovery Walk
Here is a link to the latest walk I have published on VictoriaWalks walkingmaps https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/5483
Australian Pipit



A common Australian terrestrial bird that spends most of its time on the ground for foraging and breeding. Prefers semi to open habitats. I often see them on rural tracks running the wheel ruts.
Falling birds
All those birds falling from the sky Some birds live More birds die So consider Why oh why? We poison food chains and nature deny We pave We divert We scrape the sky We take too much don’t comply heat the planet watch it dry Then only crocodile tears do we cry As our legacy becomes the worlds biggest lie That we care action says we deny
The Reed Warbler

That clamorous reed warbler
With the protracted breeding song
Passages of enamouring power
Designed to bring along
A partner for the season
With whom to court and spark
To share nesting in long reeds
At the edges of the lake
I do not know the words
Of this loud and spirited song
Launched from this small bird’s throat
Into the gathered avian throng
In the early morning,
at the end of each long day
Persistent and single minded
Seeking a mate to hold in sway
But the message is clear and proud
I am the one for you
Come to me my darling
Let’s see what two can do
Superb Blue Wren

Reedy Lake
Trail Checklist
Name:
Reedy Lake Wildlife Reserve, Kirwan’s Bridge
- At present Reedy Lake is empty of water.
Responsible Authority:
- Parks Vic
Community
- None known
Acceptable modes of transit:
- Walk, cycle, horse, mountain bike, dirt bike, 4WD
Distance & duration
- 4km wide Reedy Lake Rd has four approx. 1-2km access tracks into the lake
GPS coordinates & map
36°43’31.4″S 145°07’13.8″E
-36.725397, 145.120493
Grading (using the Parks Vic Track and Trail Grading Manual):
No common walking trails were found. The tracks to and around the lake are 4WD and dirt bike, heavily rutted and boggy when wet. Many peripheral tracks are being created. Controlled access along engineered dirt roads would improve this situation.
Amenities:
- Camping
- 4WD
- Dirt bikes
- Horses
- Water activities when water is present
- Highly significant Aboriginal cultural place
- Significant birdwatching site
- Diverse ecological vegetation classes within Reserve (flora)
Hazards
Snakes, tree and limb falls, slippery surfaces, getting bogged, dumped rubbish, uncontrolled camping, uncontrolled tracks and trails
Restrictions
- Take your rubbish with you
- No potable water
- No toilets
Trailhead sign & Informational Signs
- Only a one board naming sign seen
Directional signs / bollards or trail markers
- None
Brochure
- None
Conclusion
At the present time, this location appears to be dominated by 4WD and dirt bikes. Tracks were impassable by other means. Dry weather would change this. No established trails for non-mechanised use were evident. Litter and dumping of rubbish was evident. Reports mention an uncontrolled camping site. This was not seen. One concrete grated wood bbq was found near one entry point. However, it did not appear to have been used and evidence of other open fires nearby suggested camping occurs in this location at random. Reedy Lake can be enjoyed by a diverse range of recreational users, particularly when water is present in the lake. However, it is also subject to abuse. Ideally, this would be corrected by planning for improvements in multi-purpose access and oversight by Parks Vic.
Encounter with a Brown Falcon
Gallery
Winter forager
Image

Photographed at the edge of the Tableland in a stand of flowering manna gums, this acrobatic female white-naped honeyeater was one of dozens foraging for nectar. Nowhere near as colouful as her male counterpart, she was just as noisy with her husky throated sqwawk and musical whistle. When her beak wasn’t deeply inserted into one of the thousands of bright yellow sprays of bloom it was furtively seeking insects.