Trip Report - Alpine region near Alexandra, Vic.
I've just spent the long weekend on a hilltop overlooking Lake Eildon,
Victoria, approx. 15 k from Alexandra. The days were beautifully sunny, and the
evening warm. We were probably about 1400 metres above sea, with magnificent
views of the surrounding mountains, such as Mt. Buller and Mt. Stirling.
The morning was particularly good for birds with the highlights being: Spotted
Quail-thrush (a single bird walking through the under-bush), Leaden Flycatcher,
Yellow, Rose and Scarlet Robin (at one point the RR and SR were both in the
same tree), Rufous and Golden Whistler. Overhead Spine-tailed Swift formed
large parties, and there was a regular fly-over of birds of prey, including
Peregrine and Brown Falcon, Little and Wedge-tailed Eagle, and Whistling Kite.
At night there was a regular call of a Boobook, and the distant call of a
Spotted Nightjar.
Plenty of Striated and Spotted Pardalotes, Red-browed Finch, Black-backed
Magpie, Grey Fantail, Striated Thornbill, White Throated Treecreeper (along
with the fantail and thornbill probably the most dominant birds) as well as
King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Galah, Gang Gang and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
The dominant H/E was the Yellow-Faced H/E, but also White-naped H/E, Red
Wattlebird and Eastern Spinebill.
Finally an unidentified brown quail, which was possibly a Painted Button Quail
because of sharpish markings on the back and slightly extended neck.
I highly recommend a trip to the alpine region near Alexandra - especially at
this time of year - contrasting nicely with the 'sea change'. If you would like
more precise details about location etc, please let me know.
All the best,
Tim
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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