Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 9 Dec 2012.

Sun 9 Dec	Latham's Snipe Berwick Springs The newly mown paddocks surrounding the small wetlands between Berwick Springs road and Moondarra Drive [off the main wetland] produced in excess of twenty five Snipe and three Nankeen night herons in the space of an hour. Derek & Sally Whitehead
	Painted Honeyeater, Gilbert's Whistler Mount Korong Nature Conservation Reserve Painted Honeyeater (3) At least 3 seen at one time, possibly more. Birds located 200 metres south of the picnic ground along gully that also has a path leading up the mountain. Birds calling loudly but hard to find as they sat still in medium sized bushes. see photo Gilbert's Whistler (1) Male calling loudly east of the picnic ground. Eventually located it and able to view it clearly Hedley Earl
	Pectoral Sandpiper Hospital Swamp, Geelong One Pectoral Sandpiper seen well among thousands of Sharp-tailed and Curlew Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints in Hospital Swamp area near Geelong. John Newman
	Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, Crimson Chat Goschen Pied Honeyeater (4) Seen several times around the old school building Crimson Chat (1) Seen 6.30am along track at back of western side of buildings toward cyclone fence that surrounds tower White-fronted Chat Several birds seen in same area as Crimson Chats Black Honeyeater (1) Seen near cyclone fence on western side of reserve. Hedley Earl
Sat 8 Dec	Fork-tailed Swift Cape Paterson Two Fork-tailed Swifts seen flying overhead early afternoon 3 hours before SW change. Single Red kneed Dotterel and 2 Spotted Crakes at Reed St wetland bird-hide in morning. Mike Tesch
	Crimson Chat Goshen Bushland reserve Lovely morning at Goshen with Hedley and Irena Earl. The highlight was the Crimson Chat(4) found at 7 am on the link chain fence on Goshen side just near where the fence meets the paddock. Another good photo taken of 3 birds sitting together including two males. Bernie O'Keefe
	Orange Chat Lake Lookout Many birds (40-50) along the track. Seems to be larger than usual numbers of Orange Chats around northern plains Gavin and Mal
	Banded Lapwing, Orange Chat Lake Tutchewop Banded Lapwing (46) Large flock along Benjeroop Rd (possibly more) Orange Chat Common. Lost count of large numbers along Benjeroop Rd and along the west side track. Anytime we stopped there were birds in the saltbush Gavin and Mal
	Red-kneed Dotterel, Pink-eared Duck Elsternwick Park, Brighton There was an amazing assemblage of birds at Elsternwick Park today, with 5 Red-kneed Dotterels, 1 Pink-eared Duck and 1 White-necked Heron in the lake and a Nankeen Night Heron roosting in a European Ash nearby. Gio Fitzpatrick
	Red-kneed Dotterel Fishers Wetland, Phillip Island A hot day produced good birding, with the solitary Pink-eared Duck returning after three months,accompanied by Five Red-kneed Dotterel, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and a thirsty Echidna all surrounded by over a hundred Cape Barren Geese. Derek Whitehead
Fri 7 Dec	Slender-billed Thornbill Little Desert NP (Nhill-Harrow Rd) Very very quiet morning (7am-830am) - no birds other than one Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo for first 30 mins. One Slender-billed Thornbill appeared briefly in some low-lying banksia around 100m north of the field that runs by Nhill-Harrow Rd south of Little Desert Nature Lodge. A possible second bird in the same area, but too brief to confirm ID. Ed Williams
	Koel Long Gully Bendigo Keol calling in the evening at Long Gully Bendigo Gerard Duane
	Black-tailed Godwit (3) Laverton Creek Mouth, Altona 3018. At 1730 hours, observed three Black-tailed Godwits feeding and in flight (unfortunately flushed by humans and their dogs) at the Laverton Creek mouth at low tide. Other migratory waders present were Red-necked Stint and some Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Hundreds of Grey Teal, Chestnut Teal and Black Swans feeding on the low tide. Peter Gibbons
	Red-browed Treecreeper Bakers Gully, Bright Red-browed Treecreeper male. First time seen in this area for us. Was chasing away a white throated treecreeper. Good view of red brow. Linda Hayes
Thu 6 Dec	Arctic Jaeger Port Phillip Bay Single dark morph bird, then group of two dark morph and one light morph birds, all seen hassling Crested Terns: Late in the fading light, seen from the Spirit of Tasmania Ferry on our way back to Tassie after a successful and enjoyable birding holiday in Vic and southern NSW. John and Shirley Tongue
	Painted Honeyeater Leaghur State Park Painted Honeyeater (1) Seen in area of mistletoe just north of Forest Lane near west entrance. Orange-pink beak seen. Malcolm Cousland
Wed 5 Dec	White-throated Needletail Toolangi Black Range SF (Tanglefoot Tk-Quarry Rd) A single White-throated Needletail seen soaring over the canopy near the Quarry Rd car park. Very high up, but an unmistakable silhouette Tim Nickholds
Wed 5 Dec	Cox's Sandpiper (possible) Cheetham Saltworks, Altona Bird seen well initially with large flock of mostly Curlew Sandpipers. Appeared similar to Curlew Sandpiper in body shape and bill but buffish face, yellowish base to bill, brownish plumage and strongly streaked breast more like Pectoral Sandpiper. Birds moved and was able to relocate, photo is a screenshot from distance and does not show streaking but was definitely not a partial breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper. [Moderator's Note: We are looking for confirmation of this sighting.] Scott Baker
	Orange Chat Lake Tyrrell Orange Chat Large group (15+) mixed in with White-fronted Chats. At least 6 males. Damian Kelly and Sonja Ross
Tue 4 Dec	White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Anglesea Heath A dark phase White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike was observed foraging in Swamp Gum woodland along Coalmine Rd Anglesea Heath, near Anglesea Riding Club this morning. Unusual habitat choice & southerly location for this species. Also in area two white phase Grey Goshawk as per previous recent reports. Despite strong wind 3 separate parties of Southern Emu-wren seen up on Bald Hills Rd and Alcoa Boundary Tk, as well as a very vocal Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. Forest Ravens obvious along No 2 Tk as was a Peregrine coursing along edge of the open cut. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Tue 4 Dec	Banded Stilt Moolap Saltworks Geelong 1050+ Banded Stilts in 2 tight flocks in SW corner of salt works, mixed with Avocets and a few Marsh Sandpipers, just a few km from Geelong GPO. Note: this is private property but birds can be viewed from the fence. John Newman
	Pectoral Sandpiper, Grey Plover Western Treatment Plant, Werribee With most of a VERY windy day spent unsuccessfully searching for the Broad-billed Sandpiper, we did locate the Cape Barren Geese (8) at the 'back' of Western Lagoon. We also had the earlier-reported Grey Plover on the Spit, and 4 or 5 Pectoral Sandpipers weeding amongst the sedge and saltbush in the swampy area of The Spit reserve, just beyond the gate to Spit Road. Sadly, despite scrutinizing thousands of Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, and lots of Curlew Sandpiper..... NO Broad-billed!! John, Shirley, Peter and Kimberley Tongue
Mon 3 Dec	Glossy Ibis, Freckled Duck, Lake Murphy, near Kerang A quick visit produced 30+ Freckled Duck and c.20 Glossy Ibis.and many thousands of waterbirds as reported previously simon starr
	Budgerigar Leaghur Forest A few pairs in the same area as they bred in previous years. Simon Starr
	Glossy Ibis Lindenow Wastewater Treatment site wetland Three Glossy Ibis found with many other water bird species on wetland adjoining west side of the Lindenow Wastewater Treatment lagoons, Racecourse Road Lindenow. John Hutchison and Gary Cousens
	Diamond Dove Macleod Morass Bairnsdale Single bird found on wetlands track just south of wetlands information board. Thought bird may have been sick at first however on close approach bird walked and then flew up to a perch in nearby tree. Judging by condition of feathers bird appears to be healthy. Diamond Doves are very rare visitors to East Gippsland. Can't rule out possibility that this bird has escaped from an aviary. John Hutchison and Gary Cousens
	Cicadabird Buchan Caves Reserve and Canni Creek Racecourse Further to recent observations of the Cicadabird. A pair were heard constantly calling from a forested ridgetop west of "Moon Hill" at Buchan this morning while another bird was heard calling from the foothills adjacent to the Canni Creek racecourse early this afternoon. Our first records for both of these sites. Len and Jacquie Axen
	Freckled Duck Lake Murphy (south of Kerang) Freckled Duck 65 counted along southeast side. Thousands of Grey Teal, Eurasian Coot and Black-tailed Native Hen, hundreds of Pink-eared Duck and Black Swans. Malcolm Cousland
	Ballion's Crake Phillip Island The Shearwater Wetlands (opposite the Cowes Golf Club) continues to produce good early morning sightings, with two Ballion's Crake, three Australian Spotted Crake and five Latham's Snipe. Derek Whitehead
Sun 2 Dec	White-throated Needletail, Black-faced Monarch Bunyip State Park Initially one then 6 more White-throated Needletail seen high over Ash Landing Rd around 7pm. A little earlier than usual for here by a few weeks. Also a beautiful adult Black-faced Monarch in trees along creekside vegetation on Ash Landing Rd near Black Snake Ck Rd; the first I've seen in Bunyip SP. We witnessed a great aerial display by 4 White-throated Nightjars at The Helipad, and Scarlet Honeyeaters were seemingly everywhere, with little flowering though now some birds seen searching vigorously for insects in a sittella-like fashion along branches and stems. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Sun 2 Dec	Budgerigar Earlston flock of 20 in Grey Box-Red Box woodland on private property. First sighting for several years. Doug Robinson
	Freckled Duck Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale. 1 bird loafing on rock amongst many teal in large pond near golf course. A very rare species at this site, probably first record. Also at least 200 Banded Stilts at site. BirdLife Australia Challenge Count on Bellarine Peninsula per Craig Morley
	Freckled Duck, Great Crested Grebe Lake Lorne, Drysdale At least 70 Freckled Duck spread across southern stretch of water and also roosting in under vegetation on "main" island. Also 1 Great Crested Grebe (rare species at this location) loafing on water with head under a wing. Another highlight was several Blue-billed Ducks. BirdLife Australia Challenge Count on Bellarine Peninsula per Craig Morley
	Barking Owl Rushworth Exited to hear and then see a pair of Barking Owls in the forest in the early morning. Precise locality is here withheld to protect them from any harassment of this rare Victorian species. Kevin Bartram
	Pectoral Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover etc Western Treatment Plant, Werribee 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Marsh Sandpipers & 12 White-winged Black Terns in 85WC, 11 PGP's at Kirk Point, 4 Grey Plovers, 4 Red Knots & 2 Bar-tailed Godwits on The Spit, 11 Common Terns at Kirk Point in 122 species on the WTP for the day. John Barkla & Alison Street
	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
Sat 1 Dec	Fairy Tern South coast French Island (location not disclosed) Mick Douglas found 6 pairs nesting at the traditional colony site, each pair with 2 eggs. Anyone else who has found Fairy Terns nesting in Vic recently, can they please contact me? Chris Chandler
	Baillon's Crake, Australian Spotted Crake, Black-tailed Native-hen Shepparton and Mooroopna Baillon's Crake (1) Victoria Lake - from jetty near boathouse at southern end. Excellent views by 18 members present. Australian Spotted Crake (2) Gemmill's Swamp - excellent views by all. Also Black-tailed Native-hen. BirdLife Murray Goulburn
	Freckled Duck Western Treatment Plant, Werribee 84 Freckled Duck in Walsh's Lagoon John Barkla, Alison Street & Elizabeth Lloyd
Thu 29 Nov	Buff Banded Rail Inverloch, Vic Single bird crossing Surf Parade near centre of town, travelling to beach side of road. Frank Tyndall
Tue 27 Nov	Buff-banded Rail Tankerton Jetty, French Island 2 adults with 2 half-grown chicks in the Tankerton jetty carpark at 4.30 pm! Chris Chandler
Thu 22 Nov	Buff-banded Rail Tankerton, French Island 0800 hours - one adult with very small chick ran into Poa grassland at the edge of Tankerton saltmarsh. First time for me to see a chick of this species on the island. (Recent reports of Buff-banded Rails in two different gardens on the island.) Chris Chandler

Birdline Victoria is sponsored by BirdLife Victoria and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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