Hi all,
With the weather threatening Sunday did not seem like a good day for
Werribee but Kay had come all the way from Adelaide and wanted to see the
Oriental Pratincole. As luck would have it we arrived at the gate to the
Western Lagoon, got out to open the gate and the OP flew over our heads
heading for the flooded paddock, Q Lagoon I believe, and was not seen again
despite many return visits and slow cruises during the day. As luck would
also have it the day got better as it went and we ended up in bright
sunshine, even if the wind did stay a bit strong and cold.
There were plenty of other things to see apart from the OP as the sky
cleared and the birding goddess smiled. Out on South Rd in lagoon 12, just
after the ford, we found a flock of 4,000 - 5,000 Pink-eared Ducks. Now, I
have seen lots of Pink-ears on Lake Borrie before but to see this number on
a smaller lagoon was spectacular. They took off and did circuits for us and
the sky darkened, well a little bit of it did.
There is lots of breeding happening too and we found a Masked Lapwing with
one newly hatched chick and two eggs. A mother Black Duck was in one of the
drains with ducklings and as we drove past they all sank lower and lower in
the water trying to hide. She was doing her very best and the ducklings
were trying to copy her but they were still very conspicuous with their
brightly coloured heads and oversized bills that they have yet to grow into.
There are swanlets everywhere, of all ages, and in a paddock to the south
of Beach Rd we found a Banded Lapwing sitting on a nest, thanks to Kay's
good eye. I do wonder what the luck of a Masked Lapwing that has nested on
a new concrete causeway will be though. One good rainstorm and she and her
eggs are likely to be out in the bay. Brown Songlarks and Skylarks are
singing like crazy just outside the gate to the Western Lagoon.
There are still some Banded Stilt on Paradise Rd Lagoon but from what I
could see most of them are in juvenile plumage so maybe the adults have all
moved north for the breeding season.
To make the day complete there was a Ruddy Turnstone in the seaweed to the
west of the new bluestone groyne at the end of Farm Rd. Its cryptic plumage
hid it very well and we may have missed it if not for those bright orange
legs. As usual, I have put up some photos on my blog.
cheers
--
Jenny
http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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