A month flying between the river and the swamp.

Willie Wagtail - 1

Osprey - nil

I'm going fishing.

Outstanding pics Margaret!

haha. That's so funny how the WW perches where the osprey was.

beautiful in flight shot Margaret.

Agree, beautiful flight shot! I'm surprised the Osprey doesn't have a go at the WW, I like the 'shove off' one, looks just like it's saying that!

Thanks Pelle, Nanny, Mrs Ed and Wallaby. It's been so fascinating watching all of this. It really is the type of experience you want to share. I even found myself gasping aloud a couple of times. I have to go to work tomorrow, but I'm going to have to arrange to start late, so I can drop by here and see what's happening.

Wallaby, would I be right in assuming you are familiar with the Willie Wagtails from your time in Victor Harbor?

Only vaguely familiar with the WW Margaret, I was a mere teenage kid then, but yes they do have character! No Ospreys around though!

Wow Marg, those are great pix!

Really enjoying your thread, the Ospreys the chicks and the marvelous Willy wag tails. We have cheeky fantails that look the shape of your willy wags,they are brave, but I don't think super brave like your WWT
looking forward to more.

I had to check out all the pics again Margaret...patiently waiting for an update!! What a treat!

Do the Osprey actually leave the nest unprotected? Seems to me the Bald Eagles I have seen nesting always make sure one adult is with the babies at all times. Great pics though!

Stunningly beautiful.

Thank you Kim, Boots, Rose and burn.

GP, as you've observed with the Bald Eagles, I've never seen the nest unattended since the first "action" took place several weeks ago.

My SIL was just telling me that the of the winner of a local newspaper photo competition won with his or her pictures of a Willie Wagtail hopping all over a lion at the Perth Zoo. I'll have to see if I can find the winning photo.

This shot was taken about two hours ago.

Here's the only semi decent shot I got of the chicks this morning. Very heavily cropped for detail.

Now I'm heading off to the swamp to see what's happening down there.

Love watching this thread, Margaret. You are so fortunate to be able to see this up close. Thanks so much for including us!

GP, I'm so pleased you're enjoying it. I'm having a ball sharing some of our birds with you.

I had a great afternoon at the swamp and will share some pics with you all.

The Nankeen Night Heron was standing as still as a statue until a golf ball from the course that abuts the swamp lobbed right by him. Talk about a delayed reaction, though. It was probably a full ten seconds before he realized that his peace had been shattered. This shot shows his elongated feather.

This cracks me up. When he turned around, he looked at me as if I'd been the one who'd hit the golf ball at him. He had a bill full of grassy stuff and adopted the most peculiar stance.

I was really pleased to get this shot of an Australasian Little Grebe. Normally they duck under water and swim off several metres as soon as they see you.

Little Corella. These birds gather in quite large groups, even in the metropolitan area. In the country, they drive farmers mad because they not only eat everything, they chew on what's left over, be it silos, machinery, or other farming equipment. They are really funny to watch. Very fun loving and mischievous.

This is a lousy picture because there was such contrast, but this one was whizzing round and round on one of the flags on the putting green. There were several others standing around egging him on.

This is one of the baby Coots from a couple of weeks ago. Now quite independent, it and its sibling were standing right next to the path that runs along one side of the swamp. They were absolutely unconcerned by my presence.

A few metres along the path, this duck that I can never remember the name of was sitting right on the waters edge in the afternoon sun. I'm uncertain if she's actually on a nest. Bit hard to tell.

Then, just a little farther along the path were two Ibis. I think this one's a White Ibis.

The Australian White Ibis was strolling along with this Straw Necked Ibis. Pity I wasn't able to get a shot of them together.

Another one of this really splendid bird - but what a coarse sound it makes!

I've never been able to get as close to a Straw Necked Ibis before. The colours are magnificent.

You can really see where it gets its name from. "Straw Necked"

Kim, you would love these Pink Eared Ducks. They are such unusual birds. Five babies this time. Unfortunately the survival rate is pretty poor.

This shot shows the bill and it's unusual shape. It looks like there is a relatively normal shaped (although very large) bill, with flexible rubbery flanges towards the front.

Last shot of the day. All five babies are there. The leading one can't be seen as it's behind the parent's tail. Thanks for letting me share another wonderful day with you.

Outstanding shots Margaret, those Ibis are superb, and oh those ducklings!

It must be immensely rewarding to see (and get pics of) all those birds, wish I could be there too! But you are doing a great job of making us feel like we could be there, thank you for taking the trouble!

We had Ibis occasionally on the farm, after looking at your first one I was thinking "now what were they" and Straw Necked came to me, then you posted pics of that too! All I saw from a distance was black and white though. The maps shows them on Fleurieu peninsula.

http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=193

The baby coots might have got used to you being around, next it will be Aunty Coot! So funny the Corella flying around the flag!

Those Pink Eared babies are Soooo cute.

Wow that straw neck is so unique!!

That Straw Necked is cool!

I too, like the Iridescent colors in the Straw Necked Ibis. Great shot of the Pink Ear Duck and duckling.

This is not the bird that harasses the Ospreys, but another Willie Wagtail taken at the swamp earlier this month.

Grrrrr. I just wrote a response to everyone's comments and once again I must have been a bit long winded (unusual for me) and lost the lot. Well, in summary, thanks everyone and I'm glad you're all still enjoying the photos.

Pink Eared Ducks from this afternoon. The female on the right was sitting on the ducklings.

Here's another Pink Eared Duck sitting on a nest. The nest was unattended when I first got there and looking through the zoom lens, there was a big bundle of fluff. I don't know if I was looking at ducklings or just down to cover either eggs or ducklings. Time will tell.

MargaretK, loved the posting of both birds. This morning with the temps. here at 0C I look as pouting as the pink eared duck. Lee