Thanks to all who provided advice about options for finding Lewin's Rail and
Purple-crowned Lorikeet around Melbourne in response to my request last week.
Ken from Queensland and I spent Sunday morning at the Western Treatment Complex,
Werribee, where (possibly due to the highish tide and the bright, warm weather)
none of the crakes or rails which frequent the Little River reed-beds showed
themselves. However, compensation elsewhere on WTC included a Great Crested
Grebe, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a dozen or more Red-kneed Dotterels, a couple of
Marsh Sandpipers, hundreds of Pink-eared Ducks, several Blue-billed Ducks, some
White-winged Black Terns among the Whiskered Terns and a few Banded Stilts, as
well as the rest of the usual Werribee fare. On the way home we checked
Seaholme railway station and hey presto, in a tree on the north side of the
railway line, just east of the station, two obliging Purple-crowned Lorikeets,
calling and bending forwards to show off their purple crowns, then departing
over our heads with a clear flash of red underwings. Just to finish, a Little
Egret with breeding plumes was patrolling Kororoit Creek just downstream of the
ford. A most satisfying morning overall, with a total of 70 species and one
tick for Ken.
Regards to all, and good birding,
Jack Krohn
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