Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 28 Aug 2011.

Sun 28 Aug	Little Corella "Forest Park", Orbost A large flock of some 70-80 Little Corellas was seen circling over Forest Park prior to roosting in the Southern Mahogany gums on the banks of the Snowy River. Increasing numbers of this species have been noted around the Gippsland Lakes and Bairnsdale recently as well as isolated reports from Cann River and Mallacoota. Len Axen
	White-necked Heron, Great Egret, Nankeen Kestrel, Swift Parrot, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Royal Park, Parkville White-necked Heron, Great Egret, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Australian Reed-Warbler and Little Grassbird all at Trin Warren Tamboore wetlands along with Hardhead, Grey Teal and Australasian Grebe. Nankeen Kestrel hovering over the Circle. Plus a few Swift Parrot at Royal Park Train station still. Will Morris
Sat 27 Aug	Brolga, Flame Robin, Cattle Egret, Double-banded Plover, Blue-winged Parrot Black-tailed Native-hen Western Treatment Plant A pair of Brolga at Austin Road, 3 Flame Robin and 2 Double-banded Plover, 20+ Cattle Egret, 3 Blue-winged Parrot, 1 Black-tailed Native-hen and very large numbers of Eastern Great Egret, White-necked Heron, White-faced Heron (previously reported by Maarten) among 101 species for the day. John Barkla, Fred Smith and Alison Street
	Sacred Kingfisher Werribee River Park Single bird seen along river at the new Werribee River reserve at the eastern end of the treatment plant. Seems a little early from my records. Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com)
	Swift Parrot, Brown Quail, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Royal Park, Parkville Still a few Swifties in the normal trees. Confirming Nicole Spillane's record of Brown Quail (a first for Royal Park as far as I know) - only one seen or heard. One cuckoo calling. Chris Lester
Fri 26 Aug	Purple-gaped Honeyeater, White-fronted Honeyeater, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Shy Heathwren Greater Bendigo National Park (Kamarooka Section) There were two Purple-gaped Honeyeater, a few White-fronted Honeyeater, and lots of Tawny-crowned Honeyeater in Kamarooka on Burnside Road today, most honeyeaters were seen where the road takes two big dips. While waiting for the Purple-gaped to turn up two Shy Heathwrens crossed the road. Nicole Spillane & Paul Jacobson
	Intermediate, Great and Little Egrets and White-necked Herons. Western Treatment Plant, Werribee I recorded unusually large numbers of herons and egrets at the WTP, perhaps indicating good breeding up north. I counted 21 White-necked Herons (mainly in the Austin Rd T Section lagoon area), 46 White-faced Herons, 17 little Egrets (most were in the Western lagoons and Spit), one Intermediate Egret at Lake Borrie South, (this is only my second record for the WTP) and a total of 26 Great Egrets. These numbers of herons and egrets have not been seen at the WTP for quite some time. Also sighted were 12 Banded Lapwings at the end of Austin Rd, in the paddock where the road turns to the left. Maarten Hulzebosch
	Masked Lapwing, Barn Owl Geelong Ring Rd/Midland Hwy Overpass 1' Cell Masked Lapwing 2 pairs have successfully fledged chicks (1 and 2 respectively) on the Kardinia campus Barn Owl first record of this species in the area - observed at 8:30am flying through the Kardinia school campus being marauded by Grey Currawongs Paul Rose
	Australian Little Bittern, Caspian Tern Karkarook Park Australian Little Bittern (1) Juvenile. Repeated views including briefly in flight. Caspian Tern (2) Main lake - both the first time I have recorded at this site Tim Bawden
	Grey-Shrike Thrush Lerderderg River, Bacchus Marsh Whilst walking along the Lerderderg River near the Golf Course a Grey-Shrike Thrush was seen and heard. Red-Browed Finches,Striated Pardalotes, Superb-Fairy Wrens, Grey Fantails also observed. David Whelan
	Speckled Warblers You Yangs Regional Park Speckled Warbler (4) two separate pairs, about 1 Km apart; in the second one bird being fed by the other (presumably immature) Angus Hartshorn
Thu 25 Aug	King Parrot Sawmill Settlement (near Merrijig) One King Parrot with yellow feathers seen among a large group of King Parrots. Anne Palamountain
	Malleefowl Rainbow-Walpeup Rd (north of Patchewollock) Traveling on the Rainbow-Walpeup Rd I passed a warning sign to be aware of wildlife on the road. Low and behold the animal depicted (a Mallefowl) is seen a couple of metres later! Samantha Greiner
	Spotted Harrier Hopetoun Rainbow Rd sharp Crn near Rainbow Yarpeet Rd Spotted Harrier (1) Seen from car hanging low, in typical harrier way, over small trees and agriculture land Samantha Greiner
	Brown Quail Lake Hindmarsh Outlet Creek camping area Brown Quail (4) medium sized brown quail, moving quietly amongst the grass tussucks one individuel seen first then a group of three beside the outlet creek channel Samantha Greiner
	Brolga, Plumed Whistling-Duck Yarrawonga Three Brolga, a pair and immature were observed in a wet paddock, on the western edge of Yarrawonga near Reilys Road. There are also Plumed Whistling-Ducks at the Yarrawonga Sewage Ponds still, over 70 were recorded this afternoon. Michael Ramsey
Wed 24 Aug	Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Seaford Wetlands One Spiny-cheeked honeyeater near Wilson Grove, first I've seen at this site. Anthea Stubbs
	Black-shouldered Kite Brunswick East Single bird flying East over Brunswick East Primary School at 7.30am Will Morris
	Banded Lapwing Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Two Banded Lapwing seen on Beach Road near the small dam just beyond the WTP boundary. They flew off as we watched them, heading south. It's been about 12 months since we last saw them here. Gina Hopkins, Jenny Flood
	Red-kneed Dotterel Point Cook Coastal Park Two birds seen near the bird hide with some Black-winged Stilts. Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com)
	Pallid Cuckoo Coldstream A bird heard calling today on a vineyard at Coldstream. First I've seen/heard this season. Steven Creber
	Hoary-headed grebe Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale A flock in excess of 200 hoary-headed grebes has appeared on Lake Victoria. They are generally gathered in 3 large rafts but many more birds are widely distributed all over the Lake area. Rod Corinaldi
	Southern Whiteface You Yangs Regional Park Southern Whiteface (2) near Stockyards carpark (but I didn't see the Spotted Quail-thrush reported recently) Angus Hartshorn
	Yellow-billed Spoonbills Lake Connewarre (end of Brinsmead Lane) Goup of six feeding near shore Michael Bird
	Banded Lapwing Hollands Landing Road, Hollands Landing - East Gippsland Group of 16 Banded Lapwings observed in paddock, on northern side of Hollands Landing rd feeding, resting and nesting. Faye Bedford
Tue 23 Aug	Great Egret 92 Elizabeth Avenue, Rosebud West Group sighted and picture obtained on private land part of Tootgarook swamplands. 3rd time in 6 months group has been sighted. First time have been able to get a photo. Very camera shy. Jess Durrant
	Swift parrot Wonthaggi 8 Swift Parrots seen this morning in red flowering gum in Safeway carpark Wonthaggi Nola Thorpe & Terri Allen
	Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo. Leakes Road, 800 metres north of Beattys Road, Rockbank 3335. At 1418 hours, I observed nine (9) YTBC feeding on pine cones in trees on the west side of Leakes Road. I was able to observe at close quarters for 10 minutes, there were three males, four females and two immature birds. One immature bird was constantly begging a female for food. Open rural country with planted shelter belt trees. Peter Gibbons
	Little Eagle Gilpin Park, Brunswick A light morph Little Eagle flying over Gilpin Park today was quickly seen off by a couple of Little Raven. Nicole Spillane
	Swift Parrot Sheok Crt Ocean Grove As of yesterday there were approx 30 Swifties in the area up until around 3pm. At this time a large number took flight and headed in a southerly direction. Today not one seen or heard! I suspect they have taken advantage of the favorable conditions and are Tassie bound? I consider myself a very lucky man to have had these beautiful birds virtually in my back yard for the past months. Denis Sleep
	Swift Parrot Mayer Park, Thornbury Three flying directly (purposefully?) northeast at about 7:30 am and about 30 metres off the ground. Paul Peake
Mon 22 Aug	Swift Parrot Wellsford State Forest (Bendigo) Swift Parrots still present along Harper road in the Wellsford State Forest. They are in the same location as reported a week ago. David Kleinert
	Painted Button-quail Royal Botanic Gardens A single male Painted Button-quail was seen today in the gardens foraging in the Australian forest area near the works entry off Birdwood Avenue. Andrew McCutcheon
	Wood Sandpiper, Brown Songlark Western Treatment Plant Highlight was an early Wood Sandpiper in partial breeding plumage on a small pond on the northern side of the Western Conservation Pond with a pair of Black-fronted Dotterals. Brown Songlark male singing just west of Paradise Rd lagoon. A bunch of waders at the Western Lagoons, hundreds of waders, mostly Red-necked Stints & Curlew Sandpipers, & a few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, some in breeding plumage, also a bunch of Double-banded Plovers, 8 Greenshanks feeding on the Spit, Tame Hobby still present on Souh Rd. Found it eating a Willie Wagtail on a fence post. Watched a Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo eat not less than 5 caterpillars & got awsome photos of it. Plenty of other good birds, too much to mention. Kevin Bartram
	Swift Parrots Muckleford 5 swifties this morning, still hanging around,swifties have been here since 29th March. Not a bad year. Debbie Worland
	Banded Lapwing Truganina One Banded Lapwing on roadside verge beside Dougherty Road, about 1 km west of Truganina intesection (south side of road) approx 2.30 pm Only one seen, heavy traffic prevented stopping to investigate Daryl Akers
	White-throated Treecreeper Banyule Flats, Heidelberg At about 3.40 pm - a single bird going up the upper trunk of a dead wattle-tree in typical Treecreeper style. I got binoculars onto it as it came into sunlight at the treetop where it investigated some loose bark. It was a female or immature - I saw the rufous tag on the cheek but never saw the rump, as it immediately took flight and flew into denser bush further along the river-bank. This was on the muddy riverside track near the track-junction on the Yarra bank, east of the Somerset Drive car-park. I have been visiting Banyule Flats Reserve since 1975 and this is the first Treecreeper I have ever seen there. Anthea Fleming
	Swamp Harrier Between Pt Lonsdale & Swan Bay Swamp Harrier (1) Adult, female; verge of Queenscliff - Portarlington Rd; sighted twice in past fortnight in this location feeding off road kill, good close view of it on the ground and in flight. Lauren Leviston
	Brown Quail, Swift Parrot Royal Park West, Parkville Brown Quail heard calling within the Skink Habitat in Royal Park West, first time I have heard them in this area. Four Swift Parrot also in Royal Park West feeding in Eucalypts near the footbrige on the bike path. Also another flock on the golf course. Nicole Spillane
Sun 21 Aug	Turquoise Parrot, Scarlet Honeyeater, Speckled Warbler Bartley's Block Chiltern Seen at Bartley's Block early Sunday Morning Pair of Turquoise Parrots, Speckled Warbler, Scarlet Honeyeater and Red-bellied Black Snake. Matt Weeks, Peter Merrit, Geoff Jones
	Speckled Warbler, Diamond Firetail, Rufous Whistler Private woodlands south of Melton Highlights of the quarterly BOCA survey of 3 private woodlands included 2 Speckled Warblers at one property, Diamond Firetails (including evidence of nesting) at 2 properties and 2 immature Rufous Whistlers. Good numbers of Jacky Winters, Flame Robins and Brown Treecreepers as well Dave Torr et al
	Blue-faced Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Collared Sparrowhawk Royal Park, Parkville All near the railway station at the Zoo. There are still about 10 Swift Parrots in the taller trees. Singles of the other two. Chris Lester
	Bush Stone-curlew Clays Road/East Kamarooka Road, Bagshot North (SE of Kamarooka) Subsequent to yesterdays sighting we revisited the site this morning and found a pair of BSCs, one of them must have been bunkered down yesterday evening. Dan Weller, Amanda Smith, Warren Tomlinson, Alandra Tasire and Cristina Del Borello
	White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Purple-gaped Honeyeaters, White-fronted Honeyeaters Kamarooka Section, Greater Bendigo National Park Single WBCS found in north of the Kamarooka block, along Camp Road/Track, seen and heard well. Six or so Purple-gaped Honeyeaters located along Millwood Road, in one of the gullys with lots of flowering Yellow Gum. Numerous White-fronted Honeyeater in various parts of the Park, especially along Campbell Road and Burnside Road. Dan Weller, Amanda Smith, Warren Tomlinson, Alandra Tasire and Cristina Del Borello
	Southern Boobook Brisbane Ranges One bird seen roosting in hollow....wish I had my bigger lens on me :( Was just off the Wattle Track about 100 metres from the start. Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com)
	Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Double-banded Plover, Great Crested Grebe Lake Corangamite (NW shore at Foxhow) 200+ Grey Teal, 50+ Pink-eared Ducks, Double-banded Plover ( some with full breeding plumage), pair of Great Crested Grebes, Red-caped Plovers and 200+ Red - necked Stints. No Banded Stilts Michael Bird, Gwen Bird
Sat 20 Aug	Barking Owl Tooborac VIC A pair of Barking Owls was heard calling around 10pm. Two individuals were barking and then the screaming call followed. The site is located on a privately owned forested ridge between the Northern Hwy and Youngs Lane in Tooborac. Our property is adjacent to this ridge on Youngs lane approximately 6.5km north from the turn-off onto Majors Line from the northern hwy. . Lisa Godinho
	Southern Boobook Chiltern- Mt Pilot NP (Bartleys Block) Southern Boobook (1) Seen on the ground then it flew into a tree. Thought it was a raptor at first, but got some good photos. Bill Stent
	Regent Honeyeater Greenhill Dam, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP Regent Honeyeater (2) High in the trees, several good photographs. One had a pink ring, signifying a local release. Bill Stent
	Speckled Warbler, Painted Button-quail Chiltern Two pairs(?) of Speckled Warblers seen at Bartley's Block on Saturday afternoon, and two Painted Button-quail on the hill behind Cyanide Dam on Sunday. Lots of other stuff, six ticks for me. See Michael Ramsey's report below for more details. Peter Shute, Bill Stent
	Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Travancore Park (Flemington) 1 bird calling in the park. Chris Lester
	Nankeen Night-Heron, Swamp Harrier, Zebra Finch Serendip Sanctuary, Lara Nankeen Night-Heron (13) Saw 11 flying overhead towards Marshland around 8:30am! Subsequently saw two juveniles. We have never seen this many of this species here before. Swamp Harrier (1) The first Swamp Harrier we have seen at Serendip in two years! Zebra Finch (20) North Arm - flew in around 3:30pm. Our first record of this species at Serendip. Thanks to Paul Hackett for the tip-off that these birds were present at Serendip. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
Tue 16 Aug	Yellow Tufted Honeyeater Next to Buxton Silver Gums reserve One bird hit window of house and was killed, and then owner told us there had been 6 birds flying around, and may be the remnants of a colony from the reserve prior to the reserve being burnt in the 2009 fires. We have not seen them in the reserve since the fires despite many looks. The Yarra Ranges group regularly visit this reserve specifically to look for this honeyeater. This property adjoins the reserve. Beth Page per Bob Tate
Sun 14 Aug	Curlew Sandpiper Brunswick A single bird flying overhead around 10.30pm. As far as I am aware the call of the Curlew Sandpiper is quite distinct and unlikely to be confused with other species unless in a mixed flock. I have heard migratory waders flying over suburban areas previously -always at night and usually distant twinklings that I would not be confident identifying. On this occasion I was sitting outside on a particularly calm and clear night when when I heard a high pitched 'chirring' directly above, that I recognised as a calidrid-like call. The bird called twice more 'chirring.... chirring ' and was gone. I immediately referred to the calls of all possible species from field recordings and determined Curlew Sandpiper the most likely candidate. The call matched perfectly and no other species I investigated -Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, etc were remotely similar when heard clearly. Scott Baker
Mon 1 Aug	Buff Banded Rail Swipers Gully Creek, near Ingrams Road, Research One Buff Banded Rail seen foraging amongst dead blackberry canes in the creek line. Marian Weaving
	Swift Parrots Karingal Hub Shopping Centre Car Park (Frankston) About 20 birds still in the eucalyptus in the car park after about a month. Alison Kuiter
	Pallid Cuckoo Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary Linton Victoria A Pallid Cuckoo was heard calling this morning at 7am. David Coutts

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