Park birds and Ivanhoe Powerful Owl
The Wilson reserve is right on the Yarra, and opposite the reserve is a large golf course. Being part of the flood plain, there are not many buildings in the area, leaving some space for the birds. There’s a couple of billabongs as well, with plenty of undergrowth to attract small birds.
For many years there was a Powerful Owl roost here. Several years ago I found the local one in an uncomfortable way.
I'd ventured out into a meander of the Yarra, where the owl was roosting. It was just after sunset, and I didn't know exactly which tree it used, so I wandered about aimlessly for a while. Eventually I heard the small sounds of the owl as it began moving about. I spotted a shadow in the lower canopy back away from the peninsula, and realised the owl had me cornered with water on three sides.
This owl - it had been claimed - had removed the eye of a golfer on the other side of the river a year or two back, so I was a little nervous.
As I watched it, the owl flew to a closer tree, directly towards me. I was in no doubt it was watching me as much as I was watching it. It was still a shadow in the canopy, but at this distance I could tell that a Powerful Owl is well named - Ninox Strenua. It was big and it was intimidating.
It launched towards me a second time, and as I ducked my head behind my binoculars, it passed totally silently about six feet above and to the right of my shoulder. It didn't return, and I left - somewhat hastily.
To round things out, here are some photos of common birds I got on a recent trip around the Wilson Reserve.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBMshrZf5DcMsnXJvdLjx7PmymdhyphenhyphenWQUoHnzT4crPwMx_3KmwQCp7VLpTtTsJCa4ykN0zXFNeeHdTSElX6m09YfT7tDISjoL19FQCKQi5PcDOE5X18_xdJtMWg9BTbRijpcYfxqvXFAU/s320/107807701_3127212597392848_6829629054520942543_o.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLOdB2_jUrnqsVOeM9UsXRH0WzDRmyqQBebiVd-aTiFX9nnaH9qQ4_yGM0seZzChKQI3tLu_6Ey04CJCtzA-g70bZAC7YjEY2e8PZFcCCBZpLcRnMOYoxdcYY3XJuT9n2xgnQdzz9fn0/w320-h166/107501225_3127212664059508_6275099543303721874_o.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47p-uHsuPfCrHIBBR4WJ6Gm3fq2V8CI6NDI4uw4pqlqs5JSN3UWlMoOzm5gCulRuPIlIUNiooanjbcKqrOoMnhJ5jh6aQtPW-GZTI3xCLbkNyvbEqm-lDcEx_6cleSr_TRUHXIog78Uc/s320/109127937_3127212764059498_6397796425249734545_o.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vPoO1jG_HyHSlvzpUIX7foic1dknCQRubTPIaPXViS3_w8XFzZiHKTZ9CFQ0n6MkPnuaQLBhs3rj-DF3Tu1zaoHGZigOBk_DxS4qVayOi0JRDynFsy1l9JPTXFdKm9rWZVsvUOrEtKo/s320/109004281_3127212670726174_8923485221372121947_o.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dRVF6-AStd8gAjMJyQFcmdebEXjOzIKBKcKBsXu_vcBGVxh6gWYSG9mBwZcbDzsS_ojD9hqOIpKAAoRtw65HMhc6FzoZeYlMdpNaQVwHRTEGR9NHvPMFwuzKLSF5Bh8wYITGsbP_pkw/s320/107904646_3127212644059510_5342492381170974726_o.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAACJcDjKpIgWsPX1Gb7YxsxdDshmNwv6eHc5X1p_LIcIWvUyzIVw-_FjGG_qPHwx2OdUQ8QQW1rtIdrSAM5ScSyQX_OuUsQQ9npnUxWIFyMDM3aRAOdC-CZg5m5yVuI7Ml8XA3W8YxE/s320/107819586_3127212767392831_1662462348131092966_o.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment