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I spent about 3.5 hours in total today out at
Kellys Swamp and the Fyshwick Sewerage Ponds.
Most numerous species of ducks at both places were
Grey Teal and Shovelers (about 20 at FSP all on Pond 4, 8 (5m 3f) at Kellys),
followed by Black Ducks. There were no Pink-eared Ducks at either
location.
In addition, Kellys had 3 Australasian Grebe (2 in
breeding plumage, 1 non-breeding plumage), 1 Pelican, I Cattle Egret in
non-breeding plumage, a pair of Black Swan with 6 quite small cygnets, 1 Little
Pied Cormorant, 2 White-faced Heron, 11 White Ibis roosting in the poplar?
trees, an Australian Shelduck (which seems to be an immature because I
couldn't see any sign of a neck ring but it does have very pominent white facial
and eye ring markings) and, near the walking path going from Bittern to Cygnus
hides, 2 White-browed Scrubwrens. Quite a few Magpie-Larks (I counted 7 but I
think there may have been more) and somewhere between 40 - 50 Welcome Swallows,
many of which seemed to be immatures judging by the dull throat colour. Apart
from the Swans, other indications of late, successful breeding were 2 Dusky
Moorhens, one with 2 dy and the other with one (smaller)
dy.
There were a quite a lot of Grebes at FSP - my
guess was about 80% Australasian and 20% Hoary-headed. The Australasian showed
full breeding plumage, full non-breeding plumage and all ports in
between. The Hoary-headed were nearly all still in full breeding plumage -
the origin of their name very clear.
There were 3 Golden-headed Cisticola in the reed
beds near Ponds 5 and 6. All had the black striped head markings of non-breeding
males/females. Other notable (for me, anyway) sights were:
Pond 1 - a single male Blue-billed
Duck
Pond 2 - male and female Hardhead, 2m 2 f Chestnut
Teal, a pair of Black Swans with 3 cygnets. These 3 were slightly larger than
the 6 at Kellys, but going by their sizes it seems that both broods hatched at
around the same time
Pond 6 - 5 m 2f Blue-billed Ducks, 2m 2f Hardhead
and 1 female Musk Duck.
The weather was terrific so all in all, a great way
to spend part of my day off work.
Bruce
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