Banded Lapwing, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Banded Lapwing, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Many Australians are familiar with the Masked Lapwing (Spur-winged Plover) as they are very common around parks, ovals, school grounds and farmlands. I get many comments on these birds on my birding site when they are breeding; the birds can be very noisy and very aggressive when protecting the nest or their young.
Many people however, would not be aware of their quieter cousins, the Banded Lapwing shown in the photos on this post. This species is found throughout much of Australia in suitable habitat, except for the far north. Their preferred habitat is bare or ploughed paddocks, areas with short grass, near swamps and plains.
The photo above of a captive bird was taken recently in the Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney.
Further reading:
Banded Lapwings, Murray-Sunset National Park
Striped Honeyeater, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Striped Honeyeater, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Australia has many dozens of different honeyeaters. In my home town of Murray Bridge we have at least 12 different species, most of them resident year round.
The Striped Honeyeater is one of them, but it is a breeding migrant in this area, arriving in the spring and leaving late summer. Only on one occasion over the last 26 years has it actually nested in our garden.
The bird shown in the photo above was in an aviary at Taronga Park Zoo where we visited on a holiday earlier this year.
Rainbow Lorikeets welcome us to Taronga Park Zoo
Rainbow Lorikeets, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
When we went to Sydney earlier this year we went with our son and grandson to Taronga Park Zoo. We had just entered the gates when we were welcomed by these two Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on some scraps of bread left on the walkway by someone.
I guess whoever left them the bread didn’t realise that bread is absolutely no good for feeding birds. Not only has it no nutritional value whatsoever for a bird, it can also swell up in the intestines causing blockages.
Pittwater as seen from West Head Lookout, Sydney
Pittwater as seen from West Head Lookout, Sydney
On our trip to Sydney earlier this year we had a brief visit to West Head Lookout in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park north of the city. The morning had been cold and wet but after lunch it cleared enough for us to get out of the house for a few hours.
It had been nearly ten years since my last visit here. The photographic opportunities were limited due to the haze from the wind and rain earlier in the day. Still, I did manage a few nice shots, even if they are on the hazy side.
Pittwater as seen from West Head Lookout, Sydney
Pittwater as seen from West Head Lookout, Sydney
West Head Lookout, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park
Barrenjoey Head from West Head Lookout
On our trip to Sydney earlier this year to visit family we spent an afternoon in the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. We stopped for quite a while at the West Head Lookout where we took in the extensive sights over the Hawkesbury River, Broken Bay, Barrenjoey Head and Pittwater.
We later took a short walk on one of the walking trails but ran out of daylight which is a shame as this is undoubtedly a beautiful part of the greater Sydney area. In fact, where I took these photos is less than an hour by car from the CBD of Sydney.
Click on any photo to enlarge the image.
Broken Bay from West Head Lookout
Broken Bay from West Head Lookout