First Day of Winter
And its a wet one...
Today is the coldest and wettest that it has been for quite a while. We certainly know that Winter has arrived.
But that doesn’t stop me from going for a walk. Our house faces on to Lake Esmond and there are always birds to be seen.
Yesterday, two new arrivals came to visit. Black Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata var. domestica). It has been many years since one of these has been sighted at Lake Esmond, and that one was mostly white. Today, the pair were still here, but in addition, another with less black. These are domestic ducks that have made it into the wild. Not sure where they originated.
Another irregular visitor is the White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae). We see these grey birds every so often, usually as singles.
Most of the usual array of waterbirds were present - Coots, Moorhens, Swamphens, the White Duck that has been hanging around for quite a while, and the Pacific Black Duck. Other birds sighted included crows, Pied Currawongs, and “Plovers” (Masked Lapwing).
Lots of fungi around at the moment, some of them quite large!
Good on you Steve for getting out in that weather. Been very cold with occasional heavy showers here too... watching the birdlife from indoors! :-))