I try to visit the Mallacoota Waster Water Treatment Plant at least once a month as there are a few species which are usually found there but nowhere else in the District. This probably reflects the ponds being the largest - and only reliable - body of fresh water in the District (at least where I go!)
Before getting to the Pits I came across a flock of Australian King Parrots which have been hanging around Angophora Drive for the last two weeks. Today they were in the upper reaches of the street.
It appears to me that they are juveniles: certainly I couldn't pick out any males.
On getting to the pits this is the route I followed. The numbers reflect the order in which water (etc) flows through the system.
My core target today, for my Bird A Day challenge - which is getting down to the pointy end of proceedings - was Hardhead. They are usually common here, but did join the aquatic exodus to the flooded West for a few months. It was good to see a few on pond 2 (which is actually the first I visit).
There were two large flocks of this species on pond 4, getting the total for this species to 79 birds. The image includes a bonus Welcome Swallow and a Hoary-headed Grebe.
Here is a wide view of Pond 4.
In the corner of Pond 2 a pipe allow the water-plus from pond 1 to flow in. As the waterfowl are very interested in the nutritious 'plus' component they often gather here. The flock had dispersed somewhat, and the pipe was under water, but here we have some Eurasian Coots and 2 Grey Teal.
Here are some Australian Shelduck on the bank between ponds 1 and 2. I counted 23 of these very large fowl on the various ponds today. Also some Australian Wood Ducks.
It was nice to capture a Whistling Kite flying past a perched White-bellied Sea-Eagle.
I have adjusted the exposure of a second image of this pair to show the colour of the Sea-Eagle. The comparison of size of the two is also a bit surprising to me, as I think of the Kites as a large bird, but it was dwarfed by the Sea-Eagle.
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