BRAESIDE PARK: BABY DARTERS, PINK-EARED DUCKs AND MORE!

Braeside Park is a large environmental park (295 hectares) south of Melbourne, and includes wetlands, heathlands and red gum woodlands. We just made our first (and not our last!) visit. 

As soon as we parked, a very helpful birder guided us to the tawny frogmouths in their usual tree nearby. You really have to know what you're looking for to spot these masters of camouflage...they can easily be mistaken for lumps of wood!

At the other extreme of spectacular good looks, see this straw-necked ibis, complete with iridescent feathers resplendent in the Easter sun. Looking more Christmas Tree than Easter Bunny, this bird is a real sight, and really quite tame as well! But the real fun we had a Braeside Park is around two sets of babies in their nests in the wetlands...

Australasian darters are large and majestic waterbirds with long necks and broad wingspans - and so are their babies, just a whole lot cuter! This nest of three bubs was not exactly cute at the time, screaming for their morning tea at full throttle. But in the cuteness department, the darters were somewhat outshone by a nearby family of the rarely seen pink-eared ducks.

Here, Mum, Dad and the kids are all basking - conveniently in full view from the bank, and in the sun. Those pink ears are quite something. There many other excellent bird sightings, and Braeside Park is definitely on our return visit list!