Journey to Ruffey Lake Park

 

It was a cloudy day with a few temporary showers. The highest temperature is 19 Celsius degrees and the lowest 11 degrees. At Ruffey Lake Park here in Melbourne, Australia.

 

As I entered the park, the first bird to catch my eye was the Long-billed Corella. Their snowy white plumage stood out against the greenery on the lawn, and their long, curved bills can be clearly seen while looking for food on the ground. Watching them interact with each other was a sight to behold. The most prominent characteristic is a colorful strip around their eyes.

 

Searching for birds in such weather is not easy, especially since I can still be considered as a novice at this. Luckily, a broad glimpse found a Kookaburra echoing on the tree. Their distinctive blue and brown feathers shining gave me motivation to continue my journey.

 

Walking across a bridge in the park, there is a tiny stream underneath. However, the water quality is quite concerning, with a few plastic boxes and an abandoned water bottle floating on the water, where I spotted several Pacific Black Ducks gliding across the surface. The mottled or striated light and dark brown plumage, and dark brown line through its eye with an obvious green feather around the rump. The best way to distinguish a dusky moorhen and an Eurasian coot is by their beak color, while the former has an orange beak, yellow at the top of beak and the latter’s beak is purely white.