Immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle

While monitoring small terns (Fairy and Little), beach nesting birds and breeding Australian Pelicans by boat on the Gippsland Lakes near Crescent Island in late September we came upon an immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle perched in a dead tree near the Pelican rookery. 

Please click on photos to enlarge.

This bird had been observed in the area in recent weeks feeding on cygnets – there are a significant number of Black Swans nesting in the area with many parents with cygnets on the water and some still at their nests.

A young Sea-Eagle (1) such as this one still learning to hunt, would find the cygnets an easy target. Ravens – possibly Little and if not Forest – are also feasting on the cygnets in this area.

As we approached the young Sea-Eagle I knew it was going to fly, so I took the opportunity to capture some photos of this beautiful raptor as we motored slowly by.

NOTE (1) This bird’s feather colours indicate it is likely to be from last year’s breeding season – May-August 2021.

Brown Treecreeper

On our recent visit to six National Parks in south west outback Queensland we had Brown Treecreepers for company at all of our camp sites on rivers and billabongs. Often the camp sites were surrounded by near treeless plains so being tree dependent foragers it was natural that Brown Treecreepers would be found along the riparian strips where redgum, coolabah and Yapunyah (E ochrophloia) grow. 

Brown Treecreepers spend about half their time foraging on tree trunks and half on the ground. They are very active birds and can be quite confiding, coming into camps to forage and coming very close at times, so they are easy to observe and are endearing birds due to their apparent trusting nature. They are often found in small groups of up to six birds which are the breeding male/female pair and retained male young from previous breeding seasons. They were breeding at the time of our visit so activity was particularly busy with independent young from previous years helping to feed the incubating females and chicks.

It was relatively easy to obtain some photos while sitting in my camp chair at happy-hour when the light was good and the birds were still actively foraging ahead of the approaching sunset. 

Please click on photos to enlarge.