Damp spots around Bungendore

Needing to go to the Bungendore Cultural Centre, aka the tip (and drop some things off with a friend), I thought I would extend the trip with a squizz at the dam on lake Road.

However before getting to any of that good stuff I passed the last dam on Hoskinstown Road and counted 55 Australian Shelduck challenging the cattle for water rights.

As Mark Twain is alleged to have said "Whisky is for drinking, water is for fighting over."

Turning the corner into Trucking Yard Lane and a fair proportion of the dam there was covered in feathers.
I counted 110 Pacific Black Duck; 78 Grey Teal and 2 each of Chestnut Teal and Australian Wood Duck.  In the background 74 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and 40 Little Ravens were hanging out over the cattle feeding station.  Here is part of that noisy assemblage.
While at our friend's place we were pleased to see a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles soaring overhead.

Getting to Lake Road the water level in the Big Dam was way down on recent levels.
Waterfowl numbers were also well down. However among other species I did spot 1 Freckled Duck; 1 Pink-eared Duck; at least 4 Australasian Shovelers; 3 Black-fronted Dotterels and 3 Red-kneed Dotterels.

Comments

Denis Wilson said…
Looking good, Martin.
Nice photo of the flock, but I really like the zoom shot of the Red-kneed Dotterel.
Denis
6 May 2013 at 14:06:00 GMT+10
Swan Pond said…
So that rates as a successful trip to the tip then?
:-)
Megan
6 May 2013 at 20:03:00 GMT+10
Flabmeister said…
Thanks Denis and Megan.

The shot of the Dotterel possibly breaches a rule since one can actually see the red knees!

My usual metric for assessing trips to the tip is how much good stuff one finds there to bring home. However I should be flexible!

Martin
7 May 2013 at 05:09:00 GMT+10
Denis Wilson said…
Yes, Martin.
But I am now provoked by your last comment, to Verminate, and point out they are the Ankles, not the Knees which have that lovely pink colour.
.
Good that Megan has now joined the group.
Denis
7 May 2013 at 14:47:00 GMT+10
Flabmeister said…
Denis

Oh poop! Talk about a basic mistake: I have even checked my knees and they just don't bend that way!

Martin
7 May 2013 at 15:07:00 GMT+10
Denis Wilson said…
Don't take it personally.
You didn't name the bird.
Denis
7 May 2013 at 15:14:00 GMT+10
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