Birdline Victoria
Published sightings for the week ending 19 Sep 2010.
Sat 18 Sep Brown Quail, Peregrine Falcon, Brolga etc. Western
Treatment Plant
Pr of Brown Quail on track near Lake Borrie, had wonderful views as male
stayed on track. Pr of Peregrines hunting (unsuccessfully) in tandem,
female following 10-20m behind male, very low over the water at new
ponds along 29 mile Rd. One Brolga south of Austin Rd lagoons,
Australian Spotted Crake and two Wood Sandpipers in Conservation pond 35
E-9, 35+ Australasian Gannets in feeding frenzy repeatedly diving into
water offshore from birdhide. Great day in very cold, windy and overcast
conditions.
Craig Morley, Jane Griffith, Roy Griffith.
Grey Fantails, Varied Sittella, Pallid Cuckoo etc Weeroona,
Woodland Historic Park
Large number of Grey Fantails, 30 or more throughout a fairly small
area, all those identified to subspecies were mainland alisteri, no
Tasmanian albiscapa. Also a group of Varied Sittellas hanging around and
feeding. 2 Pallid Cuckoos seen, chasing each other. 1 juvenile
Brown-headed Honeyeater, just out of nest. Also 2 male Red-capped
Robins, large numbers of Tree Martins flying around, 1 Brown Goshawk,
Crested Shrike-tit heard.
Kevin Bartram
Powerful Owl, Sooty Owl Badger Creek
Single Powerful Owl seen near road from gate to picnic area around 8pm.
Sooty Owl heard from picnic ground and located high in a tree on Slip
Track near intersection with Lyrebird Track. A second Sooty Owl was
heard calling near the picnic area after seeing the first one.
Paul Dodd, Ruth Woodrow, Fiona Parkin & Jon Thornton
Pink Robin North Ocean Grove State Park
Mature Male. Not many other birds seen (little sun, windy, cold!)
Yellow-Faced Honeyeaters, Rainbow Lorikeet, Red-Rumped Parrots
Angus John Hartshorn
Thu 16 Sep Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Stint, Australasian Gannet
Ricketts Point, Beaumaris
A Ruddy Turnstone and a Red-necked Stint were feeding together on the
exposed rock paltform, at Ricketts point this afternoon at 5.00pm. 25
Australasian Gannets were feeding out at sea about a kilometer away.
Con Baltas
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Mill Park, Victoria
Four birds observed in backyard on flowering fruit trees.
R Palma
Grey Plover, Hooded Plover, Sooty Oystercatcher Thirteenth Beach
& Black Rock Treatment Plant
Grey Plover (possible juvenile) identified by black mark underwing and
six Hooded Plovers including 2 juveniles (no bands). Also 4 Sooty
Oystercatchers.
Chris Pitfield
Wed 15 Sep Hooded Plover East Cape to Yeerung River, Cape Conran
At approx 9.30am, with tide starting to come in, 4 birds together on
beach, half way between camp area and Yeerung River entrance.
Carolyn and Roger Bilney
Nankeen Night-Heron (free flying) Melbourne Zoo
1 Adult Nankeen Night-Heron seen near the Butterfly enclosure.
Jaye Williams, Tristan Moore
Tue 14 Sep Brolga, Rufous Songlark Raywood, near Karmarooka
Single Rufous Songlark singing away beautifully in township of Raywood.
Pair of Brolgas north of Kamarooka as well, picking their way through
flooded paddocks.
James Dickson
Australian Owlet Nighjar Edwin Road Templestowe
Bird sighted for first time in my back yard, calling at 1900 hrs. I had
placed a hollow log in the tree the bird was photographed in about 10
days ago and I think it may either have been investigating or moved in.
Only heard once in the area in past decade.
Ian Temby
Pallid Cuckoo, Black-tailed Native-hen Western Treatment Plant,
Werribee
A good view of a single Pallid Cuckoo perched in a planted Eucalyptus as
well as on fence, at Corner of Beach Road and 29 Mile Road (E side). It
was harassed by a Willie Wagtail. Identification based on following
observed characters that were seen clearly: uniformly light-grey
underparts, except for barring on undertail coverts (as illustrated in
Simpson & Day, 2004) and undertail, darker grey back, distinct pale
patch on nape & yellowish eye-ring. Also saw a single Black-tailed
Native-hen, directly at Little River ford (ford near Walsh Lagoon) at
6.15PM.
Val Stajsic & John Eichler
Mon 13 Sep Pallid Cuckoo, Gull-billed Tern Lake Woorineen
Highlight was a stupidly tame Pallid Cuckoo. I spotted it by the side of
the road perched on a fence post & slowly walked up to it, taking
photos, I got to within 4 metres before I decided to leave it alone. I
decided it may have been exausted after a long migration. Level of water
in lake, quite low in contrast to lakes all around area which had plenty
of water. Not too many birds around, only 2 stints, but there one adult
Gull-billed Tern present. Also Black-winged Stilts & a few Hoary-headed
Grebes & Black Swans (no ducks!). White-winged Fairy-wrens still present
despite the encroaching agriculture all around
Kevin Bartram
Plumed Whistling-Duck Lake Rowan
Two Plumed Whistling-Ducks are still about Lake Rowan after being
sighted about 3 weeks ago. They have moved dams though, and are on the
south side of town along th Benalla-Yarrawonga Rd
Michael Ramsey
Banded Lapwing Nicholson, East Gippsland
1 adult accompanied by 1 juvenile observed in short grass in paddock on
shores of Jones Bay, Gippsland Lakes, Nicholson. Rarely recorded in East
Gippsland, this is the first sighting by the landholder on his property
for about 40 years.
EGBOC group (per Chris Healey)
Horsfield's Bushlark Gnarwarre
Horsfield's Bushlark - first(?) for Geelong district this spring. (4 in
total) two in display flight along Gnarwarre Rd. Song of one bird
included mimicry of Stubble Quail, Blue-winged Parrot, Red-rumped
Parrot, Goldfinch, Yellow-faced Honeyeater. And along Thomas Rd - one in
display flight included mimicry of Australasian Pipit and Stubble Quail
and second bird perched on fence-post singing with mimicry of Red-rumped
Parrot and Stubble Quail.
Grace Lewis, Craig Morley
Sun 12 Sep Striated Grasswren, Striped Honeyeater Nowingi Track,
just off Old Calder HWY, Hattah Lakes
A party of Striated Grass-wrens, easy to find. Nice to see they are
still here. Got reasonable photos. No Mallee Emu-wrens found. Striped
Honeyeaters in area. Also Crested Bellbird & Jacky Winter.
Kevin Bartram
Gilbert's Whistler etc Mournpool Track, Hattah Lakes
Immature male Gilbert's Whistler singing constantly along with Rufous
Whistler & Grey Shrike-thrush. Got photos of this interesting plumage.
Also near by: Red-capped Robin, adult male feeding 2 chicks; Regent
Parrots; Splendid Fairy-wrens; Shining Bronze-Cuckoo.
Kevin Bartram
Large-billed Scrubwren Dandenong Ranges NP, Kallista
A pair of Large-billed Scrubwrens were seen along the Lyrebird Walk
about 200 metres from Grants Picnic Ground displaying mating activity,
and the male providing his partner with a 'gift' of food. Also closer to
Grants a large number of very agitated and screeching Sulphur-crested
Cockatoos flew overhead; the cause of agitation a Wedge-tailed Eagle
flying just above them.
Ann Williamson and Andrew McCutcheon
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Wellsford State Forest
Approx. 20 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo observed flying over Harper Road
in the Wellsford State Forest. Other nice sightings in the forest
included Crested Shrike-tit, Crested Bellbird, Pallid Cuckoo, Fan-tailed
Cuckoo and Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo.
David Kleinert
Turquoise Parrot Pine Gully Walk, Warby Ranges
Four pairs of Turquoise Parrot seen today on the access road to Pine
Gully.
Ian Miles
Melanistic Spotted Dove, Great Crested Grebe Newport Lakes Park
3 dark melanistic Spotted Turtle-doves by entrance on Newcastle Street.
Also Great Crested Grebe on lake.
James Bailey
Sat 11 Sep Rufous Fieldwren Phillips Track, Little Desert
Several Fieldwrens singing in area, got reasonable photos this time.
Birds here not bright rufous, but still distinctly streaked below. Long
bill clinches as Rufous (as stated in HANZAB). Heaps of Tawny-crowned
Honeyeaters, Yellow-rumped Pardalote, Inland Thornbill, Chestnut-rumped
Thornbill (no Slender-billed found this time). Also found a nest of a
White-fronted Chat.
Kevin Bartram
Forest Raven, Southern Scrub-robin, Wedge-tailed Eagle Little
Desert, 26 K north of Gymbowen
Forest Ravens, first reported 17/7/2010, still present, in fact 3 seen
this time at exact same spot as last time. Low call heard & short tail,
big bill seen. Photos taken. All 3 raven species recorded in Little
Desert today. Australian Ravens also in exact same area. Also in same
area: 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles feeding on dead roo, Southern Scrub-robin
heard, White-fronted Honeyeaters, Yellow-rumped Pardalote, Inland
Thornbill.
Kevin Bartram
Black Falcon North of Rainbow
A Black Falcon seen in dull light leisurely flying behind a very large &
broad combine harvester. Seen following for at least a minute, I presume
waiting for prey, perhaps quail to be flushed out of crop. Not seen to
catch anything, but action was very deliberate & moved as harvester
changed angle. According to HANZAB they have been seen following trains,
waiting for prey to be flushed from the moving vehicle.
Kevin Bartram
Black Falcon Nhill
Black Falcon reported last time still in same area around silos just
east of township. Terrorizing pigeons & parrots feeding on spilt grain.
After a bit of consulting with Jeff Davies & research consider bird
probably an adult female. Also Black Kites & Brown Falcon in area (lots
of Brown Falcons throughout all of NW Vic that I travelled).
Kevin Bartram
Fri 10 Sep Barn Owl Castlemaine IGA carpark
A Barn Owl observed roosting in the leafless deciduous trees of the busy
supermarket car park. The owl was mobbed furiously by two and sometimes
three Magpies at a time for at least an hour on Friday afternoon.
Moderators note. Many more Barn Owls than usual are around northern
Victoria at the moment, this one was certainly using an unusual roosting
site.
Tanya Loos
Birdline Victoria is sponsored by Birds Australia - Victoria
<http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/the-organisation/victoria.html> and
co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds <http://www.eremaea.com> .
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