Hi B-Aussers
Had a great morning at WTP where birds just seemed to be literally everywhere.
I was privy to two "events" that I thought were worthy of note.
1. Saw a Restless Flycatcher near the end of Farm Rd. No biggie by most
people's standards, but it is curiously omitted from the official Melbourne
Water Western Treatment Plant Bird Checklist. Surely this is not the first
time this species has been recorded within the Plant. Does someone know of any
prior records?
2. Amongst the 100 or so White-winged Black Terns currently present at Lake
Borrie, I very briefly observed one presumed juvenile Chlidonias tern that
stood out from the rest. It had a very dark cap that seemed to extend further
forward than adjacent terns, a very dark mantle that faded to indistinct
scalloping on the back, and most noticeable of all, dark smudges on the sides
of the upperbreast that jutted out like little promontories. I only watched
the bird for probably 40-50 seconds before the whole flock took flight, and the
individual was lost in the melee. I did not see the bird in flight at any
time. My initial impression was that the bird displayed some characteristics
of a juvenile Black Tern, however I have little experience with this species
and would encourage someone far more expert in this field to have a crack at
relocating the bird. Apart from anything the sight of the terns, and all the
birds for that matter amassed on Lake Borrie presently is a wonderful visual
feast!
At the moment it is possible to find 100+ species in a day at WTP, it is truly
an amazing place...
Cheers
Steve Davidson
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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