Wildlife Spotting at Lunch – 20th August 2013

During my lunch break I decided to again sit by the lake and eat my lunch and then head off for a walk around the lake. Today I also spotted a variety of wildlife, including four water dragons (two large dragons and two small, including one lying on a branch near the water’s edge), swamp hens, moorhens, pelicans and a Little Pied Cormorant

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Wildlife Spotting At Lunch – 19th August 2013

Yesterday during my lunch break I decided to sit near the complex of lakes in the grounds of the university I work at. I spotted an Australian Water Dragon sunning itself on my walk to the lakes. I eat my lunch, observing a flock of Corellas perched in a tree and a Noisy Minor and moorhen scavenging for scraps near my feet. Then I took a walk around the bigger lake and spotted two Little Pied Cormorants, three Little Black Cormorants, pelicans, moorhens, Swamphens, ducks and two turtles perched on rocks poking out of the lake waters.

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Black Cormorant & Little Pied Cormorant Observed – 23rd July 2013

On my morning walk to work I observed both a Black Cormorant and a Little Pied Cormorant. I first saw the Black Cormorant on the grassy bank next to one of lakes in the lake complex, flapping its wings. By the time I had walked close, the bird had flown to the water and was gliding across the lake surface. Next, I observed the Little Pied Cormorant perched on a low hanging branch on the edge of an adjacent lake. I watched as the bird flapped its wings, turned around and then stretched its wing, drying them.

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Little Pied Cormorant Observed – 19th July 2013

Little Pied Cormorant spotted and photographed last Friday on my walk to work (in the rain).

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Flock of Little Black Cormorants

Yesterday morning walking to work I observed a ‘flock’ of Little Black Cormorants swimming and ducking and diving on one of the lakes. I have observed a ‘flock’ of these black birds a number of times on or around the lake. Prior to observing this ‘flock’ I thought cormorants were solitary birds. I am going to look into this.

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Cormorant / Oriental Darter

On Monday on my walk past the lakes, I observed an Oriental Darter or Cormorant (it was a little hard to tell what species the bird observed was – I think it may have been an Oriental Darter due to the slim long beak) with its wings spread to dry in the sun, perched on a rock at the waters edge. As I’ve mentioned numerous times before, I am fascinated by cormorants and darters – members of the Phalacrocoracidae family.

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Pied Cormorant

One morning last week I had the opportunity to observed a Pied Cormorant perched on an inlet pipe covered with mesh / wire in one of the lakes at the university I work at. Being able to observe a Pied Cormorant in close proximity, demonstrated just how much bigger this species is compared to the Little Pied Cormorant.

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Pelicans and Cormorants

Last week while walking past the lakes on my way to work, I had the opportunity to observe and photograph two pelicans in the process of sticking their heads into the lake waters and foraging for food. The birds dulled their inflated beaks from the water, raised their heads skywards and swallowed. It was a fascinating sight to see.

Close to the lake edge, in the shallow water, I observed a Little Pied Cormorant ducking, diving and swimming under the water. I watch the bird, surface, swallow perhaps a fish or small crayfish (I have previously seen Little Pied Cormorants emerging from the lake waters with a small grey crayfish or yabbie like animal in their beaks) and quickly dive back underneath the water. The water was not too murky, and I was able to see the cormorant underwater swimming amongst the water lilies.

As I walked further around the lake I also observed two Little Pied Cormorant perched on rocks lining the lake shore. One bird perched with it’s wings out spread and drying in the sun, the other perched on the rocks and appeared to be redding to take flight.

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Turtles, Eels and Cormorants / Darters

Yesterday on my lunch break I took a walk past the lakes at the university I work at. It was a glorious day and the sun was rather warm. I walked across a small wooden bridge and looked down at the murky water beneath. I was thrilled to not only spot one, but two other turtles, and about three eels swimming past. The animals became more visible as they passed from the darkened waters beneath my shadow into the sunlit water. I observed one particular turtle that surfaced beneath my shadow and poked its head out of the water (with eyes clearly visible) as if looking at me – maybe the turtle thought I was going to throw some food in. I also observed two turtles swimming together. The eels as they swam past moved gracefully. They are fascinating animals I thought.

Further on my walk to the other side of the lake, I observed a Little Pied Cormorant perched on a tree branch over hanging the lake and also later one in the water (it may have been the same individual that I observed). And I was also lucky to observed and photograph what I think was an Oriental Darter (due to the bird’s long neck) perched on a submerged branch/log. I watch the bird clean its feather with its bill and then open its beak and squark. This was the first time I had heard an Oriental Darter make a sound.

And along with these animals, I observed a myriad of water birds (Moorhens, Swamphens, White Ibis and duck) on or around the lakes.

What an awesome way to spend your lunch break – observing wildlife!

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Flock of Little Black Cormorants Observed

Last friday morning while walking to work, I observed a flock of Little Black Cormorants flying, landing on the waters of the lake, and ducking and diving to find found. I counted approximately twenty birds. I have previously observed a flock of Little Black Cormorants on and around the lake area, and I wondered if this is the same flock.

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