A challenge

Today was the BOCA Challenge Bird Count and my team had a lot of fun looking for as many bird species as we could find in a day. I came home a little early and don't know what the total count is yet.

We're rather casual about it though, enjoying the birds and birding rather than aiming to be the best team on the day. Today though, we got a bit annoyed about dipping on Kookburra, Grey Butcherbird and Blue-billed Duck - all are certainties on our patch. But we did see a beautiful Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike nest with three chicks, lovely views of Red-kneed Dotterels and Black-fronted Dotterels. We saw three delightful 'chooks', Black-tailed Native-hens, running along a sandy island in a wetland. We delighted in seeing Lathams Snipe feeding out in the open.

And along the way I had time to grab a few photos of insects.

The Jewel Bugs were in profusion on a wattle tree in Grasstree Park near Torquay, and have you ever seen a ladybird with a dented back?

We were very curious as to why these caterpillars were interested in an ants nest.

And I found this little insect in Grasstree Park as well. (We were meant to be looking and listening for emu-wrens - which we didn't find. We hardly ever do!) Snail and others have told me that it's a Belid Weevil. For more information see this page.