Birdlife Shoalhaven

11/06/2026

Australian King Parrot, Alisterus scapularis
A gorgeous parrot that is often a regular visitor to many backyards in the Shoalhaven. The Australian King Parrot is known for its striking red and green plumage. They are sexually dimorphic: adult males have a completely red head and breast while females feature a green head and throat. Both sexes have a red belly and a green back, with green wings and a long green tail. King Parrots are normally encountered in pairs or family groups.
King Parrots are found along the east coast and ranges. From Cooktown in Queensland to Port Campbell in Victoria.
This is an active, noisy and conspicuous bird. When a group is feeding in a tree in my garden it's hard to stop watching them. They can become very tame when food is provided. Their diet consists of seed, fruit, blossoms and insects.
These birds form strong monogamous pairs and breed once per year from September to January. They lay their eggs on a bed of decayed wood dust at the bottom of a deep hollow. The female incubates the eggs while the male feeds her. Both parents feed the chicks. They can live for more then 20 years.

09/06/2026

LAST CHANCE TO BUY A TICKET TO AN AFTERNOON WITH TWO GREAT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS.

04/06/2026

Often on bird walks someone will say "that's a Lewin's" because they recognise the distinctive machine gun-like call long before they have sighted the Lewin's Honeyeater. It is an olive-green colour, with black bill, bluish eye, a whitish gape that extends under the eye, faint breast streaking, and of course, it has the very distinctive pale yellow "half moon" or crescent ear marking. It is common in the Shoalhaven.
Photos by Fiona Evans

31/05/2026

30/05/2026

Bird of the Week: Caspian Tern - Hydroprogne caspia

The Caspian Tern is the largest tern in Australia, measuring 60 cm – its size is often compared to the Kelp Gull.
They are quite elegant and easily identified due to the large bright orange-red bill with a dusky grey tip. The head is white with stunning dark black crown during breeding season (October to February). Non-breeding adults and immature birds have a speckled white and black crown. In flight the tail is less forked than other terns and the underwings are pale with dark primary feathers, wingtips.
The name Caspian came from German naturalist Peter Pallas in 1770 due to first being described from a specimen collected near the Caspian Sea.
Their preferred habitat is near the coast, on coastal beaches, in wetlands, on inland beaches and sheltered estuaries. They live in fresh as well as salt water environments catching small fish for their diet.
They are most often seen in pair or small flocks roosting with other species of tern and shorebird on beaches and rocky islands. They can be observed flying with head down scanning the water and then dramatically diving for fish.
They prefer to nest on offshore islands. The nest is either a depression in sand or a loose nest made of sticks, shells or saltbush which they place in vegetation such as pigface. They lay 1-3 eggs which they incubate for approximately 22 days. Both male and female sit on the nest.
They are widespread in Australia, listed as vulnerable only in the state of Victoria. They are also resident of Eurasia, Africa, North America and New Zealand.
All photos taken by myself at either Lake Woolumboola or Shoalhaven Heads, other than the last two of eggs and adult with fledgling from “The shorebirds of Australia”. Kim Touzel

29/05/2026

After the rain, a great Bird Outing to North FIshermans today. 54 Species, 6 raptors.

Don't forget to get your tickets to a great afternoon with two amazing wildlife photographers. Coming up on June 13.
https://events.humanitix.com/birdlife-shoalhaven-bird-photography

28/05/2026

Today we feature the second of our two Guest Speaker/Photographers. Lachlan Hall.

Why should I photograph birds – Lachlan Hall
"My journey into bird and wildlife photography, why I do it and what I have learned so far." Lachlan is recognised for his striking, detailed images that capture bird behaviour and personality with precision. He also shares a deep passion for conservation, using photography to raise awareness about vulnerable bird species and habitats.

”Lachie” has a Bachelor of Conservation Biology and splits his time between work as a field ecologist, studying Australia’s threatened bird and mammal species, and as a naturalist guide. He spends alot of time on expedition cruises to wild parts of Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. He’s also an award winning photographer, and a genuinely lovely guy who enjoys sharing his passion for birds, wildlife, and photography with others.

Presenters: David Stowe and Lachlan Hall
Where: the Stableford Room at the Worrigee Sports Club
When: 13th June 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Cost: $33 (includes afternoon tea)
Get tickets: events.humanitix.com/birdlife-shoalhaven-bird-photography

24/05/2026

ONLY 3 WEEKS TO GO!!!

An afternoon with two of Australia's great wildlife photographers. Today we are featuring David Stowe.

Dave has been a full time professional photographer since 1994, and achieved a double Master of Photography with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. He was Overall Winner of 2015 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year; a competition he was a judge of in 2025. His love and expertise in photography extends from weddings to wildlife, with a particular passion for teaching the art of image making.
Presenters: David Stowe and Lachlan Hall
Where: the Stableford Room at the Worrigee Sports Club
When: 13th June 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Cost: $33 (includes afternoon tea)
Get tickets: events.humanitix.com/birdlife-shoalhaven-bird-photography

21/05/2026

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤-𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐞

𝘌𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴

A striking small black, white and grey raptor, the Black-shouldered kite is a fairly common resident of the Shoalhaven region. Often seen sitting on dead trees, poles or powerlines, they are on the lookout for their favourite prey, mice. About the size of the Australian kestrel, they are also able to hover for some time, dropping on their prey feet first. Accounting for more than 70% of their diet, BSKs will typically catch and eat 3 or 4 mice per day and as such probably have a significant effect on suppressing mouse numbers. Unusually for birds they breed mostly in winter-spring, laying 2-5 eggs in a rough nest of sticks high in trees or artificial structures. Take some time to have a close look sometime at the striking red eyes surrounded by black eye-shadow on a white background! Photos: Phil Hendry