Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 2 Dec 2012.

Sun 2 Dec	Cicadabird Whroo Forest Cicadabird, first heard giving it's very distinctive call, then an adult male seen. Several others also heard in vicinity. First time I've ever had them in this area. Kevin Bartram
	Latham's Snipe Epsom Water Treatment plant, near Bendigo 3 Latham's Snipe flushed today. An unusual sighting, although habitat has always been suitable. Also a handful of Freckled Ducks and lots of Pink-eared Ducks. Murray Chambers, Ian & Annie Mayo, Alan McCormick
	White-throated Needletail Marlo At last, our first sighting for this season. 35 WTNTs observed flying over the Marlo township early this morning travelling in a direct S - N line. Len and Jacquie Axen
	Crimson Chat Goschen Flora Reserve Crimson Chat (4) along the chainlink fenceline in the northwest corner, over towards the tower (photo taken through fence). Still many Black, Pied and White-fronted Honeyeaters around, plus a small flock of Budgerigar. Luke Shelley
	Orange Chat Kerang Lakes Orange Chats at Lake Tutchewop (2) and at unnamed salt lake (2) just south of Duck Lake. Cockatiels (up to 30) and Blue Bonnet common in the Avoca Plains Lake area (Lake Cullen, Bael Bael etc). White Winged Fairywren in good numbers along Boga-Bael Bael road. Spotted Harrier along HWY north of Kerang (at Third Lane turn-off). G. Santos
	Black-winged Stilt Newell's Paddock, Footscray A pair of stilts have a nest with 3 eggs. Thomas Nataprawira
	Australian Spotted Crake Royal Park West (Trin Warren Tam-boore) One Australian Spotted Crake on the treatment wetland, unexpected as the wetland is quite full at the moment. It was foraging and preening out in the open, not shy at all. Nicole Spillane, Paul Jacobson and Friends of Royal Park
Sat 1 Dec	Budgerigar, Glossy Ibis, Red-backed Kingfisher Rutherglen Swamps A nice morning birding around Rutherglen. Stopping to listen for Babbler's (fail) disturbed 4 budgies amongst roadside vegetation. A single Glossy Ibis and nearby Red-backed Kingfisher at the southern end of the Great Southern Swamps. Surprised to find a small band of Southern Whiteface behind the Rutherglen tip. Also Rainbow Bee-eater, White-backed Swallow and Diamond Firetail. and many other nice birds about. Matt Weeks
	Painted Honeyeater Mount Korong Nature Conservation Reserve Excellent views of a Painted Honeyeater around the picnic ground off Wedderburn-Serpentine Rd. Luke Shelley
	Black winged stilt Westgate Park, Port Melbourne Black winged stilt with two of its three young. Several nesting pairs can be found around the park's salt water lake. George Fotheringham
	Australian Koel Wodonga West A friend called this afternoon asking for an ID on a loudly calling bird. A Koel was heard clearly in the background (male bird identified). Matt Weeks
	Red-necked Avocet Burramine South Swamp Four Red-necked Avocents seen for the first time here with Black-winged Stilts. Also a huge number of Red-kneed Dotterel, nearly 140 on the eastern side. Michael Ramsey
	Latham's Snipe, Australian Spotted Crake Spavin Drive Dam, Sunbury Two snipe flushed from inlet drain on the northern side of the dam. Both birds flew a circuit before landing nearby to the drain. Good views of both and also calls when flushed and in flight. Single Australian Spotted Crake on overflow drain from the dam on south side. Gerard O'Neill
Fri 30 Nov	White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Killawarra Forest White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike A number of birds including 2 on a nest, one was a dark morph and the other light morph they were sitting on a nest and feeding their babies Steve & Judi Duke
	Cape Barren Goose Coolart Road, Somerville A pair of birds in a paddock. This pair (or a small number of pairs) have been in this area for a couple of months Stuart Cooney
	Grey Goshawk (white morph) Anglesea Heath Family of at least three birds in the treed area between the turnoff into Coalmine Road, and the Anglesea Riding School. John and Shirley Tongue
	Beautiful Firetail Carlisle Heath Great Otways National Park Saw five adult and three juvenile birds of this species in attractive heathland setting today. Also present in same area were twelve Blue-winged Parrots and a solitary Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo calling frequently. Trevor Lumb
	Australian Spotted Crake,Latham's Snipe Phillip Island At the Shearwater wetlands opposite the Cowes golf club early this morning I counted five Spotted Crake and two Lathams Snipe,with a Nankeen Night-Heron flying overhead. Derek Whitehead
Thu 29 Nov	Common Sandpiper Lake Reeve near Seaspray Also at the same location on the 23rd Nov. a Grey-tailed Tattler. D Fraser.
	Diamond Dove Wilby Diamond Dove (1) heard calling on the east side of the garden at home, only the second record here. Michael Ramsey
	Powerful Owl Banyule Flats Reserve Thanks to an earlier report today from Wulan and Dirk, I went out after to work to try and find this magnificent bird. Located 2 birds in the same tree, both realtively close to the ground. From main carpark at end of Somerset drive, walk left along the Main Track. Birds found in large gum tree on the right hand side of the track, just past the River Trial sign. About 200 meters from carpark at 6 pm. Bernie O'Keefe
	Powerful Owl Banyule Flats Reserve Adult with two immatures right next to the Main Yarra Trail, just past the track to the windmill. Wulan Dirgantoro & Dirk Tomsa
Wed 28 Nov	Common Koel Rankin Rd bike track Boronia Incessant calling at dusk and dawn along bike track east of Rankin rd. Des Palmer
	Eastern Reef Egrets Pebbly Beach - Mallacoota Foreshore Reserve Two Eastern Reef Egrets feeding along the rocky ocean foreshore. We noticed a considerable difference between the two individuals. One was pale Grey, the other a very dark lead pencil Grey. A very reliable location for this species. Keith & Judy Humphreys
	Common Koel, Little Egret. Mallacoota Updating our Sun 25th report, Male Koel still calling incessantly while being harrassed by Red Wattlebirds. He seems to have found some refuge in a large Morton Bay Fig tree in the grounds of the Parks Victoria office. Little Egret observed at Devlin's Inlet over the past week, looking resplendent in breeding plumage. Keith & Judy Humphreys
Tue 27 Nov	Freckled Duck Sale A mob resting in the shallows of the town's second lake at 7.30 am. Frank Tyndall
	Blue-faced Honeyeater Deep Lead Flora and Fauna Reserve Excited to see a Blue-faced Honeyeater so far south. [Moderator's Note: This is the southern edge of their range but they are not unusual around Stawell.] Angus Hartshorn
	Square-tailed Kite The Coranderrk, Healesville Sanctuary. Seen overhead then perched near the Bush Hut in The Coranderrk Bushland, before flying towards the lake area. I was informed that the kite returns each year to the area. Arthur Carew
	Brush Bronzewing Elsternwick Golf Course I found a dead Brush Bronzewing beside the creek on the New St side of the golf course. This is my first record of this species in the Elster Creek area. Gio Fitzpatrick
	Painted Honeyeater "Forest Camp", Killawarra Forest (Warby-Ovens NP) At least 2, possibly 3 birds calling infequently around Picnic Area, but frustratingly chased and harassed by White-plumed Honeyeaters each time we would just about get onto one (a lifer for the four of us!!), until just before we left, when a sole bird sat out on a dead branch for a few minutes, giving good views!! John, Shirley, Peter and Kimberley Tongue
	Budgerigar Rutherglen Budgerigar (1), good views as it flew over Kings Rd near Rutherglen, others heard in nearby Yellow Box trees. An occasional visitor in this area during late spring and summer. Michael Ramsey - Bronzewing Birding Services
Mon 26 Nov	Spotted Harrier, Red-kneed Dotterel Serendip Sanctuary, Lara Spotted Harrier (1) flying over paddocks at north of park Red-kneed Dotterel (1) to south of tower causeway Janine Duffy, Seraphine de Smidt
Mon 26 Nov	Buff-banded Rail Elster Creek, Elwood The pair of Buff-banded Rail that were forced out of the Elsternwick Golf Course and into a 1m wide bluestone channel by the creek widening have somehow managed to survive the area's many cats, dogs and foxes and even breed here. I could only see one dependent chick today, there were 3 last week. This is the first Buff-banded Rail breeding record that I know of in the City of Port Phillip. Gio Fitzpatrick
	White-bellied Sea Eagle Western Treatment Plant Located just east of where Little River joins the sea at 5.30 pm. Bernie O'Keefe
	Pied Honeyeater Goschen Bushland Reserve Beautiful overcast morning - birdlife very active. One magnificent male bird and one female seen. Many other good dry country species including Black Honeyeater. Trevor Lumb
Sun 25 Nov	Spotted Crake Hastings One Spotted Crake seen wandering in shallow water near the board walk behind the motel in Marine Parade! First time we have seen this species here in over 20 years in the Hastings area. S and S King
	Musk Duck Brighton Beach One Musk Duck, female, seen between the marina and the dog beach. Repeatedly dived for a mollusc and tried to swallow then discarded it. Debbie Lustig
Fri 23 Nov	Freckled Duck Coolart Wetlands & Homestead 10 Freckled Duck and 2 Nankeen Night Herons on the lagoon. Intermediate Egret on the wetlands. 2 pairs of Tawny Frogmouths with chicks. 1 pair with 2 chicks in the car park and another pair in the woodland with 2 chicks Brian Thomas
Thu 22 Nov	White-winged Triller Elsternwick Park A single bird was seen foraging in river red gums between the skate bowl and the lake at 6:30pm. Gio Fitzpatrick
Sun 18 Nov	Stubble Quail Elwood Foreshore A female quail was located in dense coastal scrub of She-oaks and Boobialla near the Elwood Tea House (strange habitat usage for this species). Gio Fitzpatrick
	Northern Royal Albatross At sea off Port Fairy Seen on our monthly pelagic off Port Fairy in 91.5 fathoms. 38 46 260S 141 51 627E. Neil Macumber
	White-headed Petrel At sea off Port Fairy Seen on our monthly pelagic off Port Fairy in 89.5 fathoms of water, 38 45 098S 141 53 411 E. Unusual sighting for this time of year. Photo taken by Andrew McCutcheon. Neil Macumber

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