I was fortunate to be able to visit North West Tasmania for the Christmas – New year period. I spent this time enjoying the hospitality of my sister at brother in law that live near Ulverstone, and also travelled down with my other sister and her husband. During the visit, I went on a number of daywalks and other outings which I will describe in separate blog posts. This post will feature mainly some of the birds I spotted in the Ulverstone area.
My sister and Brother in law that live in Tasmania live on a hill overlooking the coast near Goat Island Reserve between Ulverstone and Penguin. Their property and the nearby coast attract a lot of birds. Here are some –
Yellow Wattlebird
Tasmanian Native Hen
European Goldfinch
Here we are looking down at Goat Island –
At one corner of the property is a dam. I spent some time near it photographing the waterbirds and waiting for raptors to fly by. I think this may be a Swamp Harrier –
And this is one of three Wedge-tailed Eagles.
Here you can see three perched at the top of a distant tree.
Swamp Harrier
Superb Fairy-wren
Swamp Harrier
Pied Oystercatcher
Tasmanian Thornbill
Swamp Harrier
Superb fairy-wren
Grey Fantail
Yellow Wattlebird
Laughing Kookaburra
Black Swan
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos
Little Pied Cormorant
Swamp Harrier
This one was photographed at Brandons Lookout.
And this one back at the property.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Swamp Harrier
Brown Falcon
Crab
Pied Oystercatcher
Here, on the coast, you can see the wall of an Aboriginal fish trap, and the distant islands of the Three Sisters Nature Reserve.
Galahs
Pacific Gull
Goat Island
Sooty Oystercatcher
The Three Sisters –
Little Wattlebird
Tasmanian Native Hen
Little Pied Cormorant
Swamp Harrier – near Braddons Lookout.
Swamp Harrier
Pied Oystercatcher – see on a bike ride near Turners Beach.
White-faced Heron
I am not sure which species these ducks are (Forth River) –
Back at the property, some of the Native Hens were swimming in the dam.
Others were in the field.
So was this Hare –
Early one morning, I saw a Pacific Black Duck with three chicks.
I didn’t see them again. Perhaps the had been eaten by raptors or wee hiding?
Swamp Harrier
Silvereye with grub –
Tasmanian Thornbill with grub –
Spotted Pardalote
Tasmanian Thornbill
Swamp Harrier
Goat Island
Swamp Harrier
Rural Tasmania – view from Braddons Lookout –
Flying nearby was this Swamp Harrier –
And sadly, very common in Tasmania – some road kill.
Swamp Harrier
This one seems to have grabbed an egg –
Little Wattlebird
Welcome Swallow
Grey Fantail
Welcome Swallow
Swamp Harriers
Common Blackbird
Swamp Harriers – and a Forest Raven
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Hoary-headed Grebe
Eurasian Coot family
