ETP count 29.06.03
On Sunday 29 June, Peter Lansley,
Paul Hackett, Joy Knight and I, assisted and escorted by Melbourne Water’s Liz
Hubbert & Kirsten Lingard, conducted Birds Australia regular monthly bird
count at the Eastern Treatment Plant SE of Melbourne.
Listed below are some of the highlights of the nearly 5,700 birds counted
of 70 species, (42 wetland & raptor species and 28 non-wetland species).
Among 12 species of waterfowl were 400 Blue-billed Ducks, 6
Freckled Ducks and 280 Pink-eared Ducks. Australian
Pelicans use this site as an overnight and daytime roost. The count this day
was 270 and we had 1 Darter. Among the eight-raptor species was a
Spotted Harrier and a Little Eagle, the latter is a regular winter
visitor, but the former is rare at any time. There were seven species of
shorebird including 95 Black-fronted Dotterels and 62 Red-kneed
Dotterels. The only migratory waders were 2 Curlew Sandpipers one of
which was in breeding plumage. Among the few passerines of note were some winter
visitors to this site: 2 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and 60 Red-browed
Finches.
