My local patch and last minute things

Today has been a bitty day, getting the last things done before Christmas - Tish and Xanthe had their hair done yesterday

very nice too.
Xanthe went to the dentist today to look at when she needs braces etc - xrays taken will make new appointment in the New Year!

This morning I snuck off to my new local patch the Cattana Wetlands. This site is about 5km down the road and is a man made complex of pools with some remnant rainforest complimented by large scale replanting of native trees. it is quite an interesting area and given the speed with which everything grows it will develop into a superb area in the next five years or so.
One of the pools is shallower than the rest and is evaporating fast leaving lots of exposed mud and shallow edges.
A selection of todays pictures

White-necked Heron

Royal Spoonbill

Black-necked Stork

The last time I visited I found an Olive-backed Sunbird on its nest so I was keen to see if it was still active.
the female was indeed still incubating and I was able to get several decent shots

This is the nest cup

sitting on the nest

checking all OK!

On the way home I checked the lagoon on the local golf course. This is a very small area but it turns up the occasional good bird. Today was no exception, in addition to the male Australian Wood Duck that has been there a couple of weeks I had this beauty walking along the roadside

Buff-Banded Rails are normally shy birds lurking in reeds, obviously no-one told this one that!