A DIAMOND DOVE was seen and photographed during the monthly Birds Australia
survey at the Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) near Carrum SE of Melbourne on
Sunday 24 May. This is the first record for the area of a species rare at
any time in Victoria especially in the south. Normally such occurrences
would be considered likely escapees from aviaries but this bird was very
wary and although pursued for an hour we got no closer than 40 m. Moreover
it fits a pattern of recent reports. Birdline Victoria lists sightings from
Chiltern and Lilydale in April, at Westgate Park, Melbourne 11-14 May, and
three currently still at Werribee Zoo have been there since shortly before
19 May. They too are behaving as wild birds (Maarten Hulzebosch pers comm.)
Another surprise was a very fat apparently sub-adult COMMON SANDPIPER. This
is an extremely late date. Danny Rogers considers that virtually the entire
Australian population returns to the northern hemisphere in the boreal
spring. Winter records in the Australian Atlas, taken as being within the
period 15 June - 15 August, are really early returning migrants.
In all 72 species were seen including 9 raptors and 32 wetland dependant
species. Other highlights included a Stubble Quail, another unusually late
date, an adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and a Little Eagle, both have been
present for a while, 1,400 Chestnut Teal, 72 White-fronted Chats, 200
Magpie-larks, 13 Flame Robins, 75 Golden-headed Cisticolas and 16 Eurasian
Tree Sparrows.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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