(TASMANIAN) BIRDS OF A FEATHER....

So many photos, so little time to bore you to death but we'll start with the last bird photo I took in Tassie because I love it. I believe this is the European Golden Finch and took this one in Launceston on our last day on a golden afternoon.

Before going to Tasmania, I had never noticed any difference between sea gulls.  In fact, didn't give them much thought at all.  In Hobart, we were at the Wrest Point Casino and right on the water so couldn't help but notice that some were much bigger. I believe that the one on the left if a pacific gull.  The silver gulls have very pretty faces I think. 

This is the little wattle bird which we saw everywhere.  I have shots of them here in Queensland too.   

Disappointingly, I don't think I got any photos of birds endemic to Tasmania, but then again I've never seen a few of these unnamed birds on the mainland (I don't get out much of course). These birds were also everywhere in Tasmania and I love the colours of their dark feathers with the brown edging.  Here, in Port Arthur, they were enjoying fresh pears.

 This gorgeous little bird is called the common blackbird.  How rude!  He doesn't look very common with that spectacular colouring on his beak and around the eyes, does he?

 I saw this bird hiding in the underbrush at Port Arthur and managed one shot before he scampered off. No idea what he is, but will keep looking.

 In my humble opinion, this comical looking bird is a Greater Crested Tern and possibly a juvenile.

I had hoped that this sweet, little yellow rumped thornbill would turn out to be endemic but alas, they're everywhere; I just haven't seen them before. 

This one is my favourite, I think, of all the birds I managed to capture.  It is a new holland honey eater.  The first photo was taken in Hobart and the second during that spectacular sunrise in Swansea.

 Also from Swansea.  We had wanted to see the penguins in Bicheno but didn't get there as we got booked into Swansea instead of Bicheno and we didn't want to add to the enormous amount of road-kill by driving at night. So imagine my excitement as I walked down the beach to see what I initially thought were penguins!  

As I got closer I realised they were shags on a rock (or Australian Pied Cormorants) but still worthy of a few snaps I thought.

I probably took more shots of these little buggers than any other bird, or should I say tried to. I ended up with lots of patches of grass or branches with a blur on the side, or just blobs because of their speed, so I was very pleased to get a few clear shots of this female Superb fairy wren.  I didn't see any male of the species in Tasmania. 

Enjoy...