Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 10 Oct 2010.

Sun 10 Oct	Leaden Flycatcher, Dollarbird, Cockatiel, Nankeen Night-Heron, Australian Reed-Warbler Wilby A few good sightings at the bushland reserve this morning. A female Leaden Flycatcher seen in a Grey Box on the edge of the reserve, probably returning passage migrant as the habitat isn't ideal for this species here. Dollarbird also seen, probably on passage as well. Three Cockatiel back, much later than last year, over a month. A Nankeen Night Heron was also a surprise, flushed from a Grey Box by the small wetland near the race track. An Australian Reed-warbler was also observed far from reeds or water, in a 1.5 metre high canola crop singing away happily. Michael Ramsey
	Arctic Tern (further update) Mordialloc Arrived 1140 just as bird flew out to sea, but successful at 1540. Bird returned to beach near yacht club (opposite side of channel from pier). Stayed about 30min then departed. Allows careful approach for photography, but always seems to be on the edge of the flock of Crested Terns. Mary Macmillan, Andrew Wood
	Red-chested Button-quail Wyndham Vale Private property to the north of proposed shopping centre development on Ballan Road. Site is degraded native grassland with high proportion of exotic weeds. We spent about two hours walking this site before flushing a single bird. Once flushed we managed to follow it and flush it again another two times. Good views as it flew away from us. A pale, dull button-quail with pale belly and rufous/buff chest - clearly a male bird from these features. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Arctic Tern (update) Mordialloc Tern present on beach, as previously reported, 7am until ~7.30am. This was before dog walkers and beach goers. Disturbed by gulls and went straight out to sea as first dog walker came by. Joy Tansey
Sat 9 Oct	Red-whiskered Bulbul Ferntree Gully Observed in melaluca in a suburban street. Calling strongly. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Black-faced Monarch, Brush Cuckoo Cabbage Tree Creek Flora Reserve Interesting observations from our monthly survey at the CTC Flora Reserve included 6 Black-faced Monarchs and a very vocal Brush Cuckoo. Len and Jacquie Axen
Fri 8 Oct	Sacred Kingfisher Lodge Rd, Hamilton (Arborline Nursery) Sitting on a powerline wiping bill along line (cleaning or softening up food item) Samantha Greiner
	Pacific Golden Plover and Hooded Plover Mouth of the Powlett River A Pacific Golden Plover originally observed on the rocks at the mouth of the Powlett River (Near Wonthaggi) on Wednesday 6 October and still present today. Other birds of interest included six Hooded Plover Kailash Willis, Chris Wendt, Phil Rouse and Hilary Chapman
	Arctic Tern (update) Mordialloc The winter plumaged bird is there 11.30 am on the sand at the end of the pier. Bill & Shirley Ramsay per Mike Carter
Thu 7 Oct	Cattle Egret & Red-browed Finch Braeside Metropolitan Park 21 Cattle Egrets feeding amongst cattle near the park fence border on the west side near the entrance en route to the bird hide. Con Baltas
	Hodded Plover, Australian Shelduck Point Addis, near Great Ocean Road 2 Hodded Plovers on beach west of Point Addis. 5 young Australian Shelduck (plus parents) on small dam. Black with wavy white lines on their backs. Angus Hartshorn
	Plumed Whistling-Duck The Warmies / Yarra River mouth I managed to see the 20 Plumed Whistling-Ducks at 19:20 yesterday 6/10/10 in fading light just before the downpour hit. They were initially on the beach but quite nervous and took off, circling around 'The Warmies'/Yarra River mouth and over Greenwich Bay. A return visit at about 18:00 this evening (7/10) failed to find them. Peter Lansley
	Rainbow Bee-eater Osbornes Flat, Yackandandah 2 Bee-eaters observed, not together (feeding several hundred metres apart). Matt Weeks
	Glossy Black-Cockatoo Sandy Waterholes Rd Genoa Got a great look at 3 Glossy Black Cockatoos feeding in a Casuarina. Joe Park
Wed 6 Oct	Yellow-tail Black Cockatoo Broadmeadows A pair of Yellow-tail Black Cockatoos flying along the Western Ring Road and over Jacana railway station. The flew over the railway tracks and perched in eucalypts next to the ring road. David Spicer
	Sacred Kingfisher Banyule Flats Reserve Great views as single bird hunted on western side of lake in between the evening thunderstorms. Peter Bennet
	Swamp Harrier Lake Victoria. Point Lonsdale During a BELLBOCA outing this morning we saw no fewer than 19 swampies patrolling the dune area between the lake and the ocean. Sightings took place over a 10 to 12 minute period Peter Bright, Neil Hickman, Miles Charlesworth
	Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Wilby Unfortunately found dead on the front verandah, may have hit a window. Michael Ramsey
	Arctic Tern Bridgewater Bay, Portland 2 non-breeding birds resting, preening with group of 35 crested terns. 10.15am Left beach with crested terns. Not sighted this morning. (wed 6th Oct). A-M Burgoine
	Plumed Whistling-Duck, Greenwich Bay, Williamstown Was surprised to see a group of 20 Whistling Ducks while on a short walk through the reserve near "The Warmies" boat ramp. Were swimming on the bay when I first saw them but quickly came to shore in a sheltered area near the carpark. Also Red capped Plovers (x8) and a small flock of Red necked Stints huddled together in the wind and rain. Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com)
	Cicadabird, Spotted Quail-Thrush Fairhope (12 km N of Bairnsdale) One Cicadabird heard giving distinctive cicada-like call from ridgetop box-ironbark forest on afternoon of 5th. Two heard again this morning from same forested area, calling 500+ m apart. Pairs are regular annual visitors to this area, but this is the earliest appearance for several years. Also on 5th, party of 3 Spotted Quail-Thrush. Felicity & Chris Healey
Tue 5 Oct	Brown Goshawk You Yangs Regional Park flying, soaring together over Valley PG at 12.38. All looked similar size. (3). Janine Duffy, Sonja S.
	Horsfield's Bushlark Lara One bird along Windermere Rd. perched on fence wire singing with mimicry of Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Stubble Quail, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Goldfinch and House Sparrow. Several other Bushlarks in the area. On 4th October, Bushlark in songflight along Swan Bay Rd. Bellarine Peninsula, mimicking a Welcome Swallow. Grace Lewis, Craig Morley
	Rainbow Bee-eater, Diamond Firetail, Varied Sittella, Little Eagle etc. You Yangs First return. At least two Rainbow Bee-eaters possible three, also Varied Sittella, dark morph Little Eagle, and another pair of Little Eagles with one bird sitting on nest, Black-chinned Honeyeaters, Diamond Firetails. Tawny Frogmouth male(?) near information centre and refurbished nest in same place as last spring, but apparently no bird sitting. NB: some of these sightings are from private property. Grace Lewis, Craig Morley
	Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Mt St Joseph pond, Altona About 8am, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike seen on the railway powerline. Very unusual for this site. Peter Shute
	Regent Parrot Yallambie A regent parrot has been coming every day to feed for about 3 months it has a very distinct call and demands to be fed every day morning and night. It is very timid of other birds and we think it may be female its colour is a lime yellow green head and body with red markings on wings and blue black wing and tail. Joanne and Rod smout
	Banded Lapwing Kamarooka 33 Banded Lapwing (adults and juv) with about 30 Masked Lapwing on a dwindling wet area surrounding a farm dam on Wilkinson Swamp Road. Roger Standen
	Hooded Plover Rye Back Beach 4 birds (presumably 2 pairs) feeding along the shore line. Time was about 4:00pm (AEST) Managed to get some video of them. Colin Maddock
	Black-faced Monarch Healey's Road, Marlo Two Black-faced Monarchs were heard calling from dense vegetation adjacent to the Cabbage Tree lagoon this morning. This observation is some five weeks earlier than previous recordings obtained from this site over the last five years. Len Axen
	Satin Flycatcher and Pallid Cuckoo Edwards Pt (Bellarine peninsula) And about 10 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters - becoming common around here; Singing Honeyeater and Rufous Whistler. Angus Hartshorn
Mon 4 Oct	Hooded Plover, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Southern Whiteface Great Ocean Road 3 day tour Hooded Plover: 1 at Apollo Bay 5/10 (1). Wedge-tailed Eagle: 2 seen on 4/10 on nest used last year Branch Rd, Little River. 2 seen on 6/10 (4). Southern Whiteface: at Serendip on 4/10. Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (Martin Maderthaner)
	Southern Scrub-robin, Shy Heathwren, Gilberts's Whistler, Crested Bellbird Inglewood Without moving an inch, great views and great vocals of Southern Scrub-robin (2), Shy Heathwren (2), Gilbert's Whistler - 1 male, Crested Bellbird (2) on Old Inglewood Road. Very accommodating lot at this site. G. Santos
	Barn Owl, Sacred Kingfisher Westgate Park Two bird species unusual for the park were seen during our regular monthly survey; a Barn Owl drawn to our attention by harassment from some Little Ravens, and a Sacred Kingfisher. Andrew McCutcheon, Rob Youl & George Fotheringham
	Brolga Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Resident pair of Brolgas has successfully hatched two young. The young appear to be one-two weeks old. The two Wood Sandpipers reported earlier are still present at the conservation lagoons. Also at the farm were one Bar-tailed Godwit and only two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Maarten Hulzebosch
	Sacred Kingfisher West Preston Very surprised to see Sacred Kingfisher perched on the hills hoist early this morning. Flew before I could grab the camera then returned briefly 15 min later. Unusual to be feeding in suburban backyards?, however we are only a few hundred metres from Merri Creek where sighted a week ago. Anthea Stubbs
Sun 3 Oct	Plumed Whistling-Duck, Turquoise Parrot, Painted Button-quail Warby Ranges & Lake Mokoan Plumed Whistling Duck (2) at dam 3km east of Benalla -Yarrawonga Rd at Lake Mokoan. Stunning views from only 30m. At least 4 (4,1,1) Turquoise Parrots - all males- at the same site in the Warby Ranges. Incredibly at the same spot 3 Painted Button-quails booming simultaneously within perhaps 10-20m of each other, with 2 quails showing well. Melodic song of Western Gerygone provided great background music. G. Santos
	Royal Albatross (2), Wandering Albatross, White-chinned Petrel, Arctic Jaeger At sea SW of Portland One each adult Northern (sanfordi) and Southern Royals (epomophora), one stage 6 Wandering (subsp.?), pale morph Arctic Jaeger and single White-chinned Petrel, all at or beyond continental shelf break, among other seabirds on the regular BA VicGroup seabird excursion. P S Lansley et al.
	Grey Goshawk Mt.Burnett, Dandenong Ranges 1 flying over the ridge on Paternoster Road , in the morning, being chased by a Magpie. Graham Beal
	Red-browed Treecreeper, Varied Sittella Strathbogie State Forest Interesting sightings during our weekend mammal survey camp in Strathbogie State Forest included 2 Red-browed Treecreepers (both photographed) and numerous Varied Sittellas over our campsite. Exact location is along Gerars Track off Dry Creek Rd about 12 kilometres south east of Strathbogie. Andrew McCutcheon & Ann Williamson
	Black-shouldered Kite Werribee Zoo 6 black-shouldered kites soaring above the boardwalk down by the werribee river, 3 dive bombing a kookaburra who decided to site in their perching tree. Sharing the skies with a swamp harrier, whistling kite and in the distance a brown falcon. Spectacular sight Brett Whitfield
	Pacific Golden Plover, Pallid Cuckoo, Grey Shrike-Thrush, Black-tailed Native-Hen Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Golden Plover (1) at the Borrow Pits. Black-tailed Native-Hen (3) at Austin Rd Pond 1. Pallid Cuckoo and Grey Shrike-Thrush on Pt Wilson Road near Beach Road. Shining Bronze-cuckoo also on Pt Wilson Road. The ponds are eerily empty - so few ducks, no grebes of any kind and no coot anywhere. Not many waders either, though lovely to see 2 Wood Sandpipers on Conservation Pond 35E (thank you John). Gina Hopkins
Sat 2 Oct	Arctic Tern, Common Tern Mordialloc Following on from my tern reports on sunday, I have finally got the two identified. My guide lists the Arctic Tern as a rare migrant and the Common as a migrant from November throughout the summer, so I presumed both are fairly unusual. The Common tern was identified by black cap and dark bill, and the Arctic by the proportion of head, eyes etc. and the pattern underwing. I have attatched the Arctic Tern. James Bailey
	Plumed Whistling-Duck Terrick Terrick National Park One heard flying overhead at the Davies homestead, 8pm, moving east to west. Inka Veltheim
Fri 1 Oct	Swift Parrot Possum Gully, Argyle State Forest, southwest of Heathcote About 40 in total; some observed feeding from flowers of Yellow Gum and Grey Box. Paul Peake

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