All in a row

While I was coughing and spluttering in Williamstown, I did a quick scan of the bay to see what wildlife was hanging around. Silver and Pacific gulls, two types of cormorants (pied and little black), black swans, pelicans, chestnut teal and a white-faced heron. Once again, nothing spectacular but as this was nothing more than a march from the car to the water's edge, a rapid survey and then back again, I'd have been enormously surprised (and disbelieving) if I'd scored a lifer. (See, folks, I'm picking up the lingo.)

A couple of notable things, though. One was the pelican that spotted me from a long way out and motored in like HMS Britannia. When it got close enough to realise I wasn't laden with pigeons, it veered away. Still maintaining a great deal of dignity and more than a touch of haughtiness, of course. Pelicans have reputations to uphold.

The other notable thing was a Pacific gull, black swan and little black cormorants all lined up to fit in a single photo. This is one for Trevor's lazy birder, I reckon. And when a white-faced heron wandered in front of the camera to make four species in a row, I thought I'd hit the jackpot. Unfortunately, my little digital camera couldn't quite accommodate everything from the heron to the gull without reducing the birds to monochrome smears.

I like white-faced herons*. This one was esploring the crevices between the boulders and seemed to be doing very well for itself. (When I drive home from work, a solitary heron is a permanent fixture in a block of kangaroo grass next to the traffic lights. I've tried to get photos of it but it's always too far away, dammit.)

_____

*Hell, I like most species of birds. Even gannets.