Hi everyone,
A Good Friday family visit to the open zoo at Werribee turned out to be very
worthwhile on the bird front.
Since I was going on a safari I decided to work hard to find as many birds
as possible. There were no Oxpeckers on the Rhinos backs but plenty of
Aussie birds using the area.
The place was extremely busy,but not too busy for the local Buff-banded
Rails who still managed brief appearences as they dodged the crowds.They
have done a great job planting many native grasses,rushes,shrubs etc
providing plenty of cover.It was a little too hectic for them to visit any
picnic tables though.
Out on the plains while the bus full of visitors ooohed and aaahed at the
large herbivores no one seemed to notice the Wedge-tail soaring
overhead...(I was definately the only one scanning through the ducks at the
waterholes!).
The walking trail setup was well vegetated and had a great selection of the
commoner wet forest birds...and then in a liitle patch of cumbungi just near
the Serval Cat a call I've heard before and there in front of me my first
ever sighting of a Spotless Crake! Perhaps it had got used to the steady
stream of people walking past nearby because I managed some great views in
the middle of the day with all sorts of human noises going on.
Made my day!
Cheers,
Simon Starr
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