10 Aug - MCMC planting Moomba Park, Fawkner a flock of 14+
RB Firetails were hanging about nearby - a vote of approval for the infill
planting of shrubs and saltbush we were doing perhaps!
2 August - Wedge Tailed Eagle cruising very low, up
and down along Curly Sedge Creek, north-east section of Craigieburn Grassland
Reserve, northern Melbourne. The local magpie population was not too pleased and
were giving it a rather hard time! It was a lovely view of the bird from above
as I was standing on a large near-by stony knoll. I also saw another large
unidentified raptor cruising high overhead when we first arrived
there.
- later at the south end of the park near the exit gate I found the recent
dead body of a (exotic) Song Thrush (Turdus
philomelos*), although we get them in small nos. in suburban
gardens, I don't usually see them in 'the bush'.
1 August - during a Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) planting
working-bee adjacent to CERES, East Brunswick 3 YT Black Cockatoos were
sighted nearby and a White-browed Scrubwren was nesting in a previously
planted Poa
b/w 14-18 July - 4 Brown Quail in one of the fenced re-veg
sites Jukes Rd Grassland, Fawkner
I only recently subscibed to birding-aus. I'd been telling a friend about
crested Pigeons I'd seen in a school ground in Moonee Ponds, he forwarded your
discussions about this bird. When I sent it to my brothers for info they sent me
following info about birds at their work (Laverton RAAF base)-
Crested Pigeons at Laverton RAAF
Base, each day we pass several
flocks of them feeding on the ground as we
drive from the car park to the
base exit. A rough count several days
running was between 10 and 18
pairs. We will have to do a drive around
one day to determine if there
are greater numbers.
The Crimson rosellas hang about the
building. A few years back I think
they had a nest, or hidee hole in
the ceiling. I worked on the top floor
and there were strange parrot chatter
in the ceiling at the end of the
corridor at the edge of the building.
They used to pick the black tar
foam stuff out from between the brick work
and a concrete column on the
corner of the building. Would prop there
in position with back up against
the wall and feet pressed on the
protruding brick work.
The little hawk bird was "feeding" on the
parade
ground (large asphalt area adjacent to buildings) again the
last few mornings... not sure what he is eating. He stands
on the prey
(some sort of insect) and picks at them... (and walks/hops from item to
item)
(I'd thought it was either a A Kestrel or B Falcon, a
birdo friend felt behaviour was most likely of a B Falcon -
but..)
I'm pretty sure its not a brown falcon, its smaller and colourings
are
different. It does not have digitised wing tips....... I suspect
its an Australian Kestrel..
ALSO ... Earlier this year we saw several times, on the way to work,
a
spotted/stripped magpie, near the 49 km post on the Princes Hwy,
near
Little river. On one occasion I pulled over and it picked its way
along
the side of the road with it's mate.
(if anyone is
interested he sent me a small (38kb) jpg picture of the bird -
unfortunately rather fuzzy digi-cam pic - let me know if you are
interested in looking at the pic)
Wendy Moore
Friends of Craigieburn Grassland
