Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 11 May 2014.

Sun 11 May	Chukar Gardiners Creek Reserve (Chandler Avenue) The chukar was first flushed from the side of the path where it flew high into a tree. It stayed there for 10 minutes as I attempted to photograph it with iPhone/Bin scope. When I returned shortly afterwards it was down on the ground feeding undisturbed by my presence but was soon scared off by swooping magpies into a nearby backyard on Chandler Avenue. James Mustafa
Sat 10 May	Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Eastern Park and Botanical Gardens, Geelong Loose flock of 60+ moved together on one occasion. Generally moving and feeding in smaller groups of 4-20. Several 1st yr birds hear whingeing. Also several prs of ads allopreening. Feeding on Pinus radiata seeds. Great to see good numbers of these wonderful birds in this urban parkland. Craig Morley, David Tytherleigh
	Swift Parrot Bailieston Many robins & honeyeaters active at Bailieston today, despite very wet conditions. Highlight was at least 8 Swift Parrots feeding & flying to & fro. Brian Johnston, Ken Baker
Fri 9 May	Eastern Cattle Egret Great Otway National Park (Aire River) Approx. 100 Eastern Cattle Egret with cattle on wet paddocks, just west of where the Great Ocean Road crosses the Aire River, between Lavers Hill and the turnoff to Cape Otway. Gil Langfield
	Spangled Drongo Bairnsdale Observed from loungeroom window perched in tree having arguments with Little Wattle Birds, unfazed by Pied Currawong nearby and feeding on flying insects. Wendy Parker
Thu 8 May	Banded Stilt Avalon Salt Approx. 600 surface feeding in pond behind houses/shacks, Avalon beach. A few Black-winged Stilt, 1 Double-banded and 1 Red-capped plover. Geoff Barfoot & Tom Fletcher
	Banded Stilt Moolap Saltworks, Moolap, Geelong 500+ birds together in westernmost pond along Portarlington Rd. 4 Red-necked Avocets also present. Note this is private property but birds can be seen from roadside. John Newman, Craig Morely, Rob Ganly
	Banded Stilts Avalon Beach 400-500 Banded Stilts in ponds Peter Fuller
	Swift Parrot, Little Lorikeet Kimberley Reserve, Chirnside Park A Swift Parrot could be heard from flowering trees in a private property on Sunset Boulevard. I've been half expecting a few to show up giving the flowering Yellow Box and Bloodwoods in the area at present. There was also a single Little Lorikeet in the Yellowbox at the Primary School associating with around 50 Musks, one was recorded here at about the same time last year, Littles are rare locally so it could possibly be the same bird Tim Nickholds
Wed 7 May	Southern Whiteface Strath Creek Group of at least 4 on ground together with Yellow-rumped Thornbills. First I've seen in this district for several years. David Wakefield
Tue 6 May	Pectoral Sandpiper, White-winged Black Tern, Double-banded Plover(38) Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Another good day at the plant with two Pectoral Sandpiper still gracing Paradise Rd Lagoon along with around 20 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper all glowing in their breeding finery. 10 White-winged Black Tern remain at the north end of Borrie Pond 8 opposite Paradise Rd, all in basic plumage except for two fully summer-plumaged birds. Counted 38 Double-banded Plover on the shell-grit in T-section Pond 5 which is a bit of a sudden increase on recent weeks. Over 250 Curlew Sandpiper still present at T-section as well. Single Aus Grebe on Cons Pond 35E9 is first I've seen for a while.. Steve Davidson
	Black Falcon, Square Tailed Kite, White Bellied Sea Eagle Cairn Curran reservoir area near Newstead 10 magic minutes of Raptor spotting this afternoon 2.00pm Pyrennes Hwy just out of Newstead. 1. Baringhup-Newstead / Pyrenees Hwy intersection 2 Black falcons on a light pole being harasses by 3 magpies 2. Between Baringhup-Newstead Rd and Joyce's Creek Bridge 2 Square Tailed Kites circling close to the road 3. Joyces Creek bridge Pyrenees Hwy White Bellied Sea Eagle seen flying over the reservoir Southern side of bridge Greg McKay
Mon 5 May	Broad-billed Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Single Broad-billed Sandpiper in full breeding plumage still present, foraging with a small party of Curlew Sandpiper & Red-necked Stint at Pond 4, Western Lagoon. Possibly the same individual that over-wintered here last year. Steve Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
	White-fronted Tern, Hutton's Shearwater, Eastern Curlew Point Addis First return for winter of a single White-fronted Tern foraging with many Fluttering and one Hutton's Shearwater, plus a single fly-by Eastern Curlew that was traveling south-west along the coast. Little else apart from that. Steve Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Sun 4 May	Banded Stilt Moolap Salt Pans [southern edge] Group of approx. 200 birds resting and preening on salt pan adjacent to Portarlington Road. Seen on pervious day in two smaller groups and reported by Barry Lingham [GFNC] . Also in attendance were a handful of Black-winged Stilt. This area is private land. David Tytherleigh
Sat 3 May	Little Corella Old Tyabb Though not an unusual sighting of this species, a flock of over 400+ birds seen over Old Tyabb as one large and very noisy flock is most unusual. Never seen this many birds here before! S and S King
	Freckled Duck (140), Brolgas, Black Falcon, Glossy Ibis Western Treatment Plant, Werribee A great day, mainly because we got such great views of many things. Freckled Duck, around 140 seen on Lake Borrie! A pair of Brolgas at the T-Section Lagoons, very approachable & seen to dance briefly. 2 Black Falcons, seen beautifully flying overhead and perching on a fence along Beach Rd. 1 Glossy Ibis at Paradise Rd. Also Spotted Harrier, Wedge-tailed Eagle (2), White-bellied Sea-eagle (1), Blue-winged Parrots, still plenty of Curlew Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints, but no sign of Long-toed Stints or Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Kevin Bartram, Scott Baker, Debbie Lustig & Roma Delcassian
Mon 28 Apr	Blue-winged Parrot Duck Splash, French Island Flock of seven Blue-winged Parrots in saltmarsh. Chris Chandler
Sat 26 Apr	Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater SW French Island Single bird calling at 'The Slipway', south-west coast of French Island. This species also appeared here last autumn and stayed several months. Chris Chandler

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