Musk Duck

...Biziura lobata

The Musk duck can be found on dams, lakes, rivers and estuaries throughout Tasmania. It requires deep water as it is a diving bird. It feeds primarily on aquatic animals including frogs, mollusks, crayfish and insects but also eats some vegetation.

These ducks are said to be common in Tasmania although I always feel privileged when I get to see one. Previously I had only ever seen one Musk Duck at Lake Keepit in N.S.W. Since moving back to Tasmania I have seen one several times at Lake Dulverton. At Sorrel I seen a flock of 6 but Michael Sharland's "Tasmanian Birds" mentions flocks of up to 50 at this same location.

The most unusual feature of the musk duck is the leathery lobe under the bill. This was once believed to be the source of musky odour associated with these ducks. However, it is now believed to be decorative. It swells during the breeding season so perhaps it is part of the attraction for a female musk duck.

In it's mating display, the male will splash water about with it's wings or tail which is precisely what the drake photographed below was doing although I was trying so hard to get a shot of it sitting still that I didn't think to get a shot of the splashing :-) As I mentioned yesterday, the photos are pretty poor quality but you'll just have to grim and bear it because I like Musk Ducks and these are the first photos I've managed to get :-)

Male Musk Duck - Biziura lobata - Lake Dulverton, Oatlands

Male Musk Duck - Biziura lobata - Lake Dulverton, Oatlands

Male Musk Duck - Biziura lobata - Lake Dulverton, Oatlands

References:

• Sharland, Michael. 1958. Tasmanian Birds - Angus & Robertson
  
• Blakers, Davies, Reilly. 1984. The Atlas of Australian Birds - Melbourne University Press

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Some Recent Birds

While away in Hobart last week, in between hospital appointments and other important matters, we managed to do a bit if sight seeing and some casual birding. I also attempted to photograph a few more birds. Here are some of the of results.

First a Yellow-rumped Thornbill. These were very common when I lived in north-west N.S.W. However they are uncommon in Tassie. I live at the extreme limit of there Tasmanian range and have never (yet) seen them at home. It was while stopping for a coffee at a park in Swansea that I seen my first two.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill - Acanthiza chrysorrhoa - at Swansea

Another new tick for my Tasmanian list was Long-billed Corella. I did not get a photo that is worth showing but I did get a shot which showed at least 8 in a mixed flock with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos.

An exploding flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos - Cacatua galerita - at Richmond

On a drive up the Derwent valley , heading for Mt Field National Park we stopped for a photograph of an old water wheel. Right outside the car window was a small flock of Silvereyes. This one posed rather nicely.

Silvereye - Zosterops lateralis - at Bushy Park

We spotted a flock of Cattle Egrets. This shot was also taken from the car window and through the gap in a barbed wire fence. Fortunately the egret wandered into one of the few spots of dappled sunlight.

Cattle Egret -Ardea ibis - South of Nubeena

While photographing the Tesselated Pavement (See yesterdays post) my attention was diverted to three Sooty Oystercatchers. They allowed me to get relatively close. It might have been a better shot if the sun had cooperated.

Sooty Oystercatcher - Haematopus fuliginosus - at the Tesselated Pavement

This Pied Oystercatcher was photographed at West Beach, Ulverstone. These are very similar in appearence to the oystercatchers in Scotland.

Pied Oystercatcher - Haematopus longirostris - at Ulverstone

Also at Ulverstone was a flock of 50+ Goldfinches. This is an introduced species from Britain although I rarely seen such large flocks when I was in Scotland. Here in Tasmania, I used to get flocks if 20+ in my backyard until I dug up all the Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula). The down side is that the Green Rosellas used to feed on the Capeweed as well.

European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis - at Ulverstone

Here is another bird I used to see in Scotland only this time it is not an introduction. The Eurasion Coot has a very wide distribution from Europe right through Asia and Australia. It is said to be migratory and nomadic but I'm not aware of how this affects the Tasmanian population.

Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra - at Oatlands

Another leg stretching stop at Boomer Bay near Dunalley gave the opportunity to photograph Green Rosella and some Little Pied Cormorants. These cormorants seem to be extremely numerous around the Tasman and Foresteir peninsular area.

Green Rosella - Platycercus caledonicus - at Boomer Bay

Little Pied Cormorants - Phalacrocorax melanoleucos - at Boomer Bay

I was also able to photograph one of my favourite ducks. The photos are pretty bad but I will post them tomorrow anyway . I will leave you guessing as to what species it is.

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