birding-aus

Belmont Common - Point Cook

To: "Tim Dolby" <>, <>
Subject: Belmont Common - Point Cook
From: "Lawrie Conole" <>
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 16:25:00 +1100
Tim Dolby wrote:

> After giving a talk at Deakin University Library I decided to pay Belmont
Common a visit (on recommendation from Margaret and Russell), and was not
disappointed. The list is similar to Russell's earlier posting, with the
highlights being: Spotless Crake (1), Spotted Crake (1), Ballion's Crake
(3), Buff-banded Rail, and plenty of Latham's Snipe (25+) many of which were
in the grasslands around the common. There were also half a dozen
Purple-crowned Lorikeet in the surrounding gums. Oh... and a fox in the
reeds and a stolen car next to the hide.
>
> If you are interested in going to the common I would go soon. Most of the
mud flat area is drying up - so the crake may be forced on. (I'm not sure of
the ecological 'behavior' of this swamp - so I may be wrong?)

Don't rush!  This is a feature of late summer at Belmont Common (and many
other wetlands).  As the swamp dries out (which is rarely 100%), mud is
exposed, and birds seem to find the beasties on it irresistible.  Crakes,
rails & snipe forget their shyness, and come out of the undergrowth, 10-20m
into the open, to feed.  Sit quietly in the hide, and the show will start
shortly thereafter.

This swamp receives its water principally as storm water from surrounding
suburbs - the storm water pipes drain directly into it.  Levels fluctuate
quickly if there's a decent dump of rain - but we haven't had one of those
in ages.

L.


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