Day 37: Port Campbell to Melbourne
Tuesday 18 February 2014
88 °F
Today my family and I traveled from Port Campbell National Park to Melbourne, Australia's second largest city. It was our warmest day of 2014 so far, with the high temperature of the day being 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Before today, the warmest day was in northern New Zealand, specifically Paihia, when the temperature went up to 82.
True to our daily routine, before we left in the car, I watched Pearl at a local playground and managed to see this female SUPERB FAIRY-WREN:
Our first three stops were at various coastal geological features along the last stretch of the Great Ocean Road we will be traveling on this year:
"The Arch"
This is the view from our lookout at the second vantage point:
"London Bridge"
The only birding stop of the drive was at a large mudflat area in Port Cambell National Park. Here is a sampling of what I saw:
AUSTRALIAN WHITE PELICANS
AUSTRALIAN PIED OYSTERCATCHER and GREY TEAL
RED-CAPPED DOTTERELS (these are extremely tiny birds, about the size of hummingbirds!)
After we arrived at our nice penthouse suite in Melbourne, my family and I took a walk around the city. The first stop was at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. I saw some interesting birds there, including the following:
MAGPIE-LARK
MASKED DOTTEREL
Female AUSTRALIAN WOOD DUCK
Male AUSTRALIAN WOOD DUCK
DUSKY MOORHEN
Here is a picture of my mom, dad, and my little sister, Pearl, posing in the gardens:
At our final stop on the walk, Federation Square, I found this beautiful RAINBOW LORIKEET:
Also seen but not photographed was a LITTLE WATTLEBIRD.
A tram tour around the city and a delicious pizza dinner comprised the rest of the night. The bird-of-the-day award will once again be shared, this time by the Australian White Pelican, Red-capped Dotterel, Dusky Moorhen, and Rainbow Lorikeet. Stay tuned, because the next two days will be spent in Melbourne.
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 562 Species (5 life birds today)
This lorakeet is beautiful! Is this the same as a parakeet?
I think the Ausie Wood duck is cute but the American Wood duck is beyond the pale! My second favorite bird! I would love to see a wood duck chick float down from its nest to swim for the first time...Maybe this year.
Looking forward to my first cry of the loon this year-- winter and snow will be long gone by then! We go to Point Pelee in early May. This is always a fun trip! Take care, AM
by Mary Jahangir