Sightings
24
January
An
Australian Hobby has successfully fledged a chick from their
nest site in a Sugar Gum at Melton Railway Station, thanks Micah
Kawalek.
24
January
In the
Rupanyup area, the Australian Pratincoles that were on a fallow
paddock as reported 14/11/03, have had at least ten nests and now have flying
young. Also on the 18/1/04, one immature Inland Dotterel was
seen in the same paddock and remained for approximately 24 hours, thanks Ian
Morgan.
18
January
Bob
Swindley found two Oriental Pratincoles at the WTP, Werribee,
thanks Mike Carter.
18
January
A
‘black-headed’ gull was seen briefly in flight at Breamlea, some 20 km S of
Geelong on the Otway coast (per Margaret Cameron), about lunchtime the next day
(19th), Jenny Zimmerman watched a similar bird squabbling with Silver Gulls on a
beach at Anglesea, 22 km to the SW. The bird was outstanding with a wholly black
hood and prominent white eyelids. So it was either a Laughing
or a Franklin’s Gull. Rob Ganly obtained some excellent digital
pictures at very close range. Unfortunately, they are not as revealing as we
would like because the bird was mostly facing him and didn’t fly! Mike Carter
believes that the bird is a Franklin’s for the following
reasons:
1) Visible even in the closed wing, is a white bar across the base
of the primaries.
2) The white eyelids are very broad.
3) Although it is a
slightly foreshortened view, bill structure seems to fit that species better,
thanks Mike Carter.
17-18
January
There
were 3 Black-tailed Godwits in the second pond at the Austin
Road lagoons at Werribee and a Hooded Plover at Pt. Impossible,
Torquay, thanks John and Sue O’Malley.
15
January
A
Powerful Owl was seen during the day time, unusually heard as
it touched the branches in its flight and Blue-winged Parrots
both at Yellingbo, thanks Margot Craddock.
14
January
At
least one recently-fledged Collared Sparrowhawk has been
calling conspicuously in Edinburgh Gardens, about 100 metres south of North
Fitzroy Primary School for the last month or so. The same observation was made
at this time in 2002-2003 (at the start of regular observations at this site),
thanks Paul Peake.
14
January
A male
Leaden Flycatcher seen at Warneet, Melways 142 G10-an unusual
sighting in this area, thanks Robin Dzedins.
12-14
January
At
least two Long-billed Corellas have been heard near Mayer Park,
Thornbury, the first record in 13 months' residence at this site, thanks Paul
Peake.
12
January
There
were 6 Great Crested Grebes at Konongwootong Reservoir in
Western Victoria, thanks David Cameron.
Birdline Victoria is a service for birdwatchers to report
and find out about rare and unusual birds in Victoria and is brought to you by
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Internet at
http://home.iprimus.com.au/scooney/index.htm
Regards,
Stuart
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