Platycercus elegans subadelaidae

April 18, 2005: Flagstaff Hill, Onkaparinga, South Australia

First spotted this Crimson Rosella subspecies in the yard of Mark and Vicky’s home.

Cacatua sanguinea

April 18, 2005: Subiaco Park, Subiaco, Western Australia

Spotted from the window of H & D’s home, on our last morning in town. I was happy to see these birds, having missed a flock of some sort of black-cockatoo only a few minutes earlier. The photos aren’t great, and I originally called them Western based on the size of the bill, but in retrospect (and trusting iNaturalist), I think they’re actually Little. Either way, YAY! I love cockatoos.

Spatula rhynchotis

April 17, 2005: Lake Monger Reserve, Western Australia

These are wonderfully colored birds, similar in profile to our NA shoveler, but completely different plumage. Very pretty.

Scientific name

Threskiornis spinicollis

April 17, 2005: Swan Valley, Western Australia

Spotted these birds from the car while we were driving around to visit wineries in Swan Valley (only Kevin and Helen were actually doing any wine tasting). Fortunately, I was able to hop out and get some decent photos. They almost look like the negative of the Sacred Ibis – dark bodies and light-colored necks. Very cool birds.

Falco cenchroides

April 17, 2005: Swan Valley, Western Australia

Spotted this bird while waiting outside one of the wineries. As with the kite, I never got a close look at this bird, but suspected it was a kestrel when it started kiting over the nearby field (from a high altitude). Again, my photos were good enough to make the ID, but I hope to see another at closer range.

Malacorhynchus membranaceus

April 17, 2005: Lake Monger Reserve, Western Australia

A very strange-looking duck. First spotted in a large flock flying out over the lake. Fortunately, later I saw a pair of them closer to shore and was able to get a decent photo. A shoveler, but even stranger in appearance than our North American variety. Sort of cool, though.

Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus

April 15, 2005: Perth, Western Australia

Spotted one of these beautiful birds while driving into King’s Park to have breakfast – a subspecies of the Australian Ringneck. A bit later I saw a couple more up in trees near the road. Very pretty! 

Setonix brachyurus

April 15, 2005: Rottnest Island, Western Australia

The primary reason we’d gone to the island was to see the wildlife: birds, of course, but also a tiny wallaby called the Quokka, which lives on Rottnest Island and almost nowhere else. It didn’t take us long to find our first one, browsing on some low-growing vegetation. So small and adorable! By the end of our visit, we’d seen four of them, including one that was wandering around the cafe where we ate lunch before taking the ferry back to the mainland. I really enjoyed these little friends, and it was well worth the trip to the island to see them.

Eolophus roseicapilla

April 15, 2005: Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia

I just caught a glimpse of these birds flying past the car, as we drove from the park to the train station. Need to get a better look!

Calidris ruficollis

April 15, 2005: Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Spotted several of these birds foraging along the edges of the lake. Very small, only about five inches long. They didn’t have a whole lot of color, so they were difficult to ID at first, but as I studied the photos later I did see some reddish color on a few of the birds. CUTE!

Petroica goodenovii

April 15, 2005: Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Spotted this bird near the road, and had no idea what it was at first. A female bird, and much less brightly colored than the male bird would have been, but after a minute with the field guide I figured it out. Adorable.

Todiramphus sanctus

April 15, 2005: Rottnest Island, Western Australia

I noticed a couple of people peering into a tree near the road, and then one of them pointed out the bird – one of the most beautiful birds I’ve ever seen! What gorgeous colors, and it was posing just perfectly. One of my favorite birds of the day! About half an hour later, I spotted a second one, also perched in a tree. 

Tadorna tadornoides

April 15, 2005: Rottnest Island, Cockburn, Western Australia

Spotted a male and female of these beautiful ducks near one of the lakes. Gorgeously colored.

Microcarbo melanoleucos melanoleucos

April 12, 2005: Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Wales

These birds were also present in the trees near the lake, although not as abundant as the little blacks. Not sure if these birds were nesting or not. They are beautiful cormorants.

Zanda funerea

April 21, 2005: Kangaroo Island, South Australia

While walking the Koala Walk at the place where we stopped for lunch, one of the others in our group spotted one of these birds, but I didn’t see it. Fortunately, a minute later we found two of them in the trees very near the path. I’d so wanted to see black cockatoos, and was very pleased to find these. Gorgeous, big birds. Lovely!

Anhinga novaehollandiae novaehollandiae

April 12, 2005: Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Wales

Just spotted one of these birds, flying by as I was walking along the path towards the Opera House. Still, such a pretty bird. Hopefully I’ll see others, as I’ve always enjoyed the anhingas in Florida.

Anas superciliosa

April 12, 2005 Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Wales

Spotted the first of these birds in a small stream near the gift shop, a few minutes later, found several more at the lake. Also saw at least one hybrid (Anas superciliosa x platyrhynchos).

Trichoglossus moluccanus moluccanus

April 11, 2005 Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales

OMG, what a thrill to see the flashes of red and green when these birds flew, and I realized that for the first time ever I was seeing psittacines in their natural habitat! And these are such beautiful birds – bright blue, green and red. They’re very active and noisy, flying about in smallish flocks (maybe up to 10 or so birds) while calling to one another. What fun! I just love these birds!

Cacatua galerita galerita

April 11, 2005: Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales

OMG! We were nearly through the park on the way back to the hotel when I spotted large white birds on the grass. When I realized what they were, I was SO excited. OMG! Cockatoos! Genuine, honest-to-goodness WILD cockatoos! It was almost unbelievable to me to see them there foraging on the ground for food and I’d half-convinced myself that they can’t possibly be wild – they must have been escaped pets. But no, the book says there are large flocks in the cities. OMG! SO INCREDIBLY COOL! They are really pretty and it’s funny to see a bird so familiar, and yet be seeing it for the first time. These two foraged for only a few minutes and then flew up into the tree making a rather horrible screeching noise, and began displaying their crests and raising their wings – trying to chase away a couple of ravens in the tree. It looked as though the ravens were interested in a nest, but I couldn’t tell for certain. The cockatoos made quite a fuss, as did a couple of Noisy Miners. I really loved seeing these birds!

Acridotheres tristis

April 11, 2005: Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales

First spotted one of these while waiting for the Sydney Explorer Bus at Darling Harbor, and it took me a while to find it in the book (these birds and the Noisy Miners stumped me at first, because I had no idea even what section to start with). I discovered that this is an introduced bird which has done well in big cities – unlike the Starling in the U.S., the Myna hasn’t spread across the whole continent (yet, anyway). They are fun to watch, and sing some very pretty songs.

Chenonetta jubata

April 11, 2005: Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

First spotted these two ducks asleep standing up next to the reflecting pool in the park. Took a few pictures, but was only able to really ID them on the way back when we returned to the pool to find them swimming around. Then they got out of the pool and walked over to the grass where they began feeding on berries. Very pretty ducks, and apparently the common species on this continent.

Cygnus atratus

April 16, 2005: Subiaco Park, Subiaco, Western Australia

Decided to take an early morning walk to the park and when I walked out the door of Helen and Daniel’s home, the first thing I saw were these swans flying across the sky in front of me. I’d very much wanted to see these birds and was thrilled about the sighting, even though I only caught a short glimpse. They looked gorgeous flying through the sky – the contrast of black and white is lovely.

Anser rossii

January 30, 2005: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA

This bird was reported on the EBB list as a Snow Goose, but in studying my photos I’ve decided that the bill is more consistent with the smaller Ross’s Goose, so that’s what I’m calling this bird. There are still a few things which make it seem Snow Goose-ish, particularly the size (which I recall as being somewhat large), and there is a bit of rusty staining on the head and body. Not extensive staining, though, and the head is rounder, as pictured for Ross’s. Possibly a Snow/Ross hybrid. 

Branta hutchinsii

December 6, 2004: Lake Merritt, Alameda County, CA

(Branta hutchinsii leucopareia) In with the regular Canada Geese, I noticed a bird that was significantly smaller. About half the size of the others. I remembered hearing that Canada Geese had been split and guessed that I was looking at a life bird, although I didn’t know which one. Actually, split or not, I don’t remember ever seeing a Canada Goose this small, so it was a new bird either way. When I got home I discovered it was a Cackling Goose. Very cute.

Anser albifrons

December 4, 2004: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA

Three of these birds flew overhead, and I might have ignored them, except that I overhead a teacher telling one of her students (I think it was a Cal Berkeley class doing wetlands restoration) that they were white fronted geese. So, I snapped off a few pictures – not great, but good enough to see the white rim on the edge of the tail.