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Victorian Birdline Update

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Subject: Victorian Birdline Update
From: <>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:51:53 +1100
Victorian Birdline Update - see below. For further information on rare 
and unusual birds in Victoria see: http://www.babblersnest.com/birdline 

Cheers,

Tim

January 2006

Wed 11

Long-toed Stint Western Treatment Plant1 seen at T-section Lagoons (3rd 
pond on left from gate on 29-mile Road). Also Wood Sandpiper in 
adjacent narrow pond near dry saltmarsh. George Appleby

Tue 10
Long-toed Stint Western Treatment Plant1 bird, more or less in the 
middle of 35E pond 8, on a strip of mud with some vegetation. Maarten 
Hulzebosch, Russell Woodford

Mon 9
White-throated Needletail BroadfordA flock of over 200 White-throated 
Needletails were observed circling and flying over Broadford for over 2 
hours. Michael Ramsey

Red-whiskered Bulbul Wilson Reserve, IvanhoeA single Red-whiskered 
Bulbul was seen and another bird was heard calling. Tim Dolby

Sun 8

Buff-banded Rail & Nankeen Night Heron Boohraman East Road. Excellent 
wetland about 5 km north of the Boohraham Pub (about 20km north of 
Wangaratta). Saw about 20+ species in about 10 minutes, apart from 
masses of Egrets, Ibis, Spoonbills, Kingfishers etc, spotted a Buff-
banded Rail just in the grass next to the side of the road. On the 
other side of the road a Nankeen Night Heron rested in the branches of 
a tree in the forest. Alf Forbes

Sat 7

Oriental Plover Yaloak Estate, Ballan. A group of us again located the 
two birds between 8 and 9 AM, at the eastern end of the airstrip. 
Please note this is private property with restricted access, and the 
birds are not visible from public roads. If still present on 24-25 Jan, 
when I am next due to do field work on the site, I will try to gain 
permission for another group vsiit. P S Lansley

Fri 6

Red-necked Phalarope (Update) Seaford SwampAfter more than four hours 
searching, we finally found the Red-necked Phalarope (as well as a Wood 
Sandpiper) in the extreme north west corner of the wetland, almost a 
kilometre from where it was first seen. Best access to this area is via 
the bike track next to Seaford North Primary School. From the track 
head along the track through the paddock toward an octagonal pergoda 
structure. This overlooks an area of open water and the Red-necked 
Phalarope was on the very shallow water closest to the school amongst 
grass tussocks. The area is drying rapidly and when last seen the bird 
moved off with some Sharpies towards the south east in the general 
direction of where it was originally discovered. Sean Dooley, Andrew 
Silcocks

Ruddy Turnstone, Pied Oystercatcher, Fairy Tern, Red-necked Stints 
Edwards Point, St LeonardsSecond outing to Edwards Point Nature 
Resereve since Boxing Day. Seem to be a good number of Red-necked 
Stints at the lagoons, along with a few Red-capped Plover. Up at the 
point (the very end of the reserve) today there were nesting Fairy 
Terns, Pied Oystercatchers (2), Ruddy Turnstones (20) and what to me 
seemed to be Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. I'll have to check my photos to 
confirm. However previous sighting suggests that they are. Darryl Morgan

Thu 5

Common Tern Marlay PointApproximately 70 Common Terns. Duncan Fraser 
per Mike Carter

Rainbow, Musk, Little and Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Wattle ParkMusk 
Lorikeets in particular everywhere. A few Littles amongst them. A small 
group of Scaly-breasteds also. First time I've seen Musk outnumber 
Rainbow there. John Gray 

Wed 4

Oriental Plover Yaloak Estate, BallanTwo birds seen on the airstrip. 
Found by Roger Holloway, Kim Jolly and Peter Lansley. Later seen by 
Curtis Doughty. Both still there on morning of 5th Jan. P S Lansley

Mon 2

Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Phalarope and Common Tern Western Treatment 
Plant3 Long-toed Stint were seen feeding together on the eastern 35E 
conservation pond. On the western 35E conservation pond 3 Red Knot were 
recorded. The Red-necked Phalarope was seen on 85WC pond 9 - before 
taking flight around 2:00 pm. At Kirk Point 6 Common Tern were recorded 
as well as 3 Pacific Golden Plover. Tim Dolby

Cape Barren Goose, Brolga Lake Martin; Colac-Ballarat RdNine Cape 
Barren Goose about 500 m from main road, with 4 Brolga nearby. A 
further 2 Brolga in drain 60 m off road - 1 km further North. Also a 
few thousand Australian Shelduck and Black Swan. Colin Trainor

Sun 1

Cape Barren Goose, Common Sandpiper, Great Crested Grebe Eastern 
Treatment Plant9 Cape Barren Goose, one Common Sandpiper and one Great 
Crested Grebe. per Mike Carter

Wedge-tailed Eagle Corner Westernport Highway and Frankston-Cranbourne 
Rd, LangwarrinA pair seen roosting in paddock immediately north-west of 
the roundabout. Sean Dooley 2/1

Black Honeyeater Chiltern National Park, NE Victoria1 male Black 
Honeyeater at a dam on edge of park (Red Box Track). Same site where 
many seen during influx in 2002 drought. Barry Traill

December 2005

Sat 31

White-throated Needletail BroadfordA single bird was observed flying 
north-east over the train station. Michael Ramsey

Fri 30

Spotless Crake Coimadai Creek, Long Forest Flora ReserveOne adult 
clearly seen in Cumbungi fringed pool. Sean Dooley, Paul Peake, Peter 
Lansley

Australian Pratincole Ryan's Swamp, Western Treatment PlantAn 
Australian Pratincole was seen by Paul Peake, Peter Lansley and myself, 
amongst a flock of 1000+ Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. No sign of the 
Oriental Pratincole elsewhere on the Farm. Similarly we also dipped on 
Broad-billed Sandpiper and we just missed the Red-necked Phalarope by 
about half an hour on the Conservation Ponds. Did manage to see the 
Long-toed Stint there as well as two Red Knot. Sean Dooley

Little Button-quail GoschenFlushed on 6 separate occasions. Also seen 
were 80 + Budgerigar, and a White-fronted Honeyeater. Simon Starr

Thu 29 Banded Lapwing Lake Tutchewop 130 seen from the Lake William 
road. Simon Starr

Gull-billed Tern Lake Tutchewop1 Simon Starr

Painted Honeyeater Bright Golf Course, Bright, NE Victoria.At least 4 
pairs of Painted Honeyeater in and adjacent to Bright Golf Course. One 
pair attending a nest with two well developed young. Others showing 
territorial behavious and likely to be breeding. There could be more in 
the area as I made just a cursory look around. The birds are feeding on 
mistletoe in Black Wattles, with abundant fruit. To see 'em, go to 
front entrance of Golf Course on Back Porepunkah-Bright Rd. Walk to 
left or right along the bike path which goes along the Golf Course 
Boundary. Look in the abundant mistletoe. Birds are also doing 
occasional display flights and calls. There is/was a pair in each 
direction within 200m from the entrance. If anyone has the time to do 
broader surveys in the area to get the total numbers of Painted 
breeding this would be handy for this threatened wee birdie! Barry 
Traill

Pale-headed Rosella White Hills Cemetery, BendigoOne Pale-headed 
Rosella observed by Ted Cadwallader on Christmas Day. It was feeding 
on 'shell grass" in the cemetery grounds. Today, December 29, Maurie 
Lewis found there were two Pale-headed Rosellas feeding on lerp in a 
large eucalypt at the same site. (Report submitted by Glenise Moors) 
Ted Cadwallader

Koel (Common) Golden Square, Bendigo Two Koels were reported from 
several sites in Golden Square from 8th December to the present. 
A.Spurling reported these two birds present in the grounds of 'Fortuna' 
for 2 weeks prior to 22nd December. (This report submitted by Glenise 
Moors - I haven't observed them) A.Spurling, M.Chisholm, M.Lewis 
(independant reports)

Tue 27

White-throated Needletail Clonbinane. A lone bird was seen flying 
towards the north-west over Sunday Creek at Clonbinane. Michael Ramsey

Oriental Pratincole Western Treatment PlantAnother rarity has turned 
up, this time an Oriental Pratincole. From the Little River ford, turn 
right and it's in the second pond on the left. Tim Dolby

Oriental Pratincole Walsh's Lagoon, Western Treatment PlantOne non-
breeding bird sighted at approx noon. We watched it for 20 mins and 
during that period it rose 15-20 mtrs then glided back to almost the 
same spot it took off from at 1-2 minute intervals. Peter Bright, 
Rodney Long, Pamela Rae

Long-toed Stint Seaford WetlandsOne Long-toed Stint observed amongst 
about 50 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Melways Map 99 G3, "Gate 8". Red-
necked Phalarope still present in the same location. Observations from 
0915 to 1030. Richard and Margaret Alcorn 

Mon 26 

Grey Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, nesting Fairy Tern Edwards Point State 
Fauna ReserveLarge numbers of waders are currently feeding at low tide 
(3:00 pm) Edwards Point (at the point itself), near St Leonards, on the 
Bellarine Peninsula. Birds included a single Lesser Sand Plover, 3 Grey 
Plover, an active colony (30+) of nesting Fairy Tern as well as good 
numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Stint, Curlew 
Sandpiper and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Tim Dolby

Sun 25

Black Falcon, New Holland Honeyeater OxleyA male Black Falcon was 
observed on Christmas and Boxing Day in paddocks along Morse Lane in 
Oxley. Two New Holland Honeyeaters were also recorded in a small patch 
of proteas at the same site on the 26/12. This is north of this species 
usual range. Michael Ramsey

Sat 24

Latham's Snipe Winter Swamp, Cardigan-BallaratWinters Swamp is just off 
Blind Creek Road at the end of Gregory street: Latham's Snipe - 6 
flushed over 15 mins, Clamorous Reed-warbler - 5-10 birds singing Musk 
Lorikeet - c. 4-6 birds Colin Trainor

Fri 23

Red-necked Phalarope, Long-toed Stint, Broad-billed, Terek, Pectoral, 
Wood Sandpiper Western Treatment PlantSeveral good waders were found 
yesterday at the Western Treatment Plant by Bob Swindley and Danny 
Rogers, as part of our regular monitoring for Melbourne Water. They 
included a Red-necked Phalarope and a Broad-billed Sandpiper at 85WC 
pond 9 (can be viewed from 280S road); another Broad-billed Sandpiper 
in the eastern 35E conservation pond, along with a Long-toed Stint and 
a Terek Sandpiper; a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Wood Sandpiper in the 
western 35E conservation pond; and another Pectoral Sandpiper in the T-
section Lagoon. Also 29 Magpie Geese at Paradise Road for good measure. 
It's been some time since this many scarce waders were seen together on 
a single day, especially the freshwater species such as Long-toed 
Stint. Most of the waders are feeding in conservation ponds, managed 
deliberately for wader habitat by Melbourne Water. Bob Swindley, Danny 
Rogers report Richard Loyn per Tim Dolby

Wed 21

Great Crested Grebe, Rainbow Bee-eater Chiltern Valley No 2A pair of 
Great Crested Grebes were seen on the dam displaying their elaborate 
courtship rituals. Also heard was a Rainbow Bee-eater. Mark Carey

Red-necked Phalarope Seaford Wetlands/Swamp Whilst doing their monthly 
survey this morning, Sean Dooley & Andrew Silcocks found a Red-necked 
Phalarope at Seaford Wetlands SE of Melbourne. Sean Dooley and Andrew 
Silcocks per Mike Carter

Tue 20

Great Knot Lake Lonsdale, Pt Lonsdale3 birds Peter Fuller

Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Eumeralla Flora ReserveOne seen in open, low 
heath on coast walking track about 500m east of Angelsea. Richard and 
Margaret Alcorn

Mon 19

Terek Sandpiper Lake Lonsdale, Point Lonsdale Seen again on Monday as 
initially reported by Rod Corinaldi. Peter Fuller

Common Sandpiper Patterson River, Patterson LakesA nice surprise to 
observe a Common Sandpiper on the rocks beside the Wells Rd crossing of 
Patterson River. Lots of tail bobbing happening. Jacqui Sheppard


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