After giving a talk at Deakin University Library I decided to pay Belmont
Common a visit (on recommendation from Margaret and Russell), and was not
disappointed. The list is similar to Russell's earlier posting, with the
highlights being: Spotless Crake (1), Spotted Crake (1), Ballion's Crake (3),
Buff-banded Rail, and plenty of Latham's Snipe (25+) many of which were in the
grasslands around the common. There were also half a dozen Purple-crowned
Lorikeet in the surrounding gums. Oh... and a fox in the reeds and a stolen car
next to the hide.
If you are interested in going to the common I would go soon. Most of the mud
flat area is drying up - so the crake may be forced on. (I'm not sure of the
ecological 'behavior' of this swamp - so I may be wrong?) I did take my lunch
Russell - not a pretty site! Imagine a birdwatcher stuffing his face with
sandwiches while continuing to look through his binocs.
On the way back from Geelong I also dropped into the Point Cook wetland bird
hide - some nice birds: a hundred or so Chestnut-breasted Shelduck (100+),
Shovellor (10) , Hardhead (20), and few waders including a single Black-tailed
Godwit (with slight rufous coloring), Curlew Sandpiper (5), Common Greenshank
(1), and plenty of Black-winged Stilt.
Not a bad day on the "road to Geelong".
(Also FYI - came across http://www.mediatec.it/wwf/photogal.htm for a good
online bird photo gallery - linked to the WWF.)
Tim
Tim Dolby
RMIT Publishing - RMIT University
Phone: (03) 9925 8271
Fax: (03) 9925 8134
http://www.rmitpublishing.com.au
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