While doing the summer wader count at Hospital Swamp near Geelong (Vic) on
saturday 2 feb, Craig Morley and John Newman saw a Red necked Phalarope (
reward for taking part in the survey)
The bird was in the part of the swamp which is PRIVATE land
Hospital swamp is se of Geelong; a few kms after Marshall - sorry i don't
know how far - you turn left off the Barwon Heads road on to Lake Road,
then turn right, then turn left again, and pass a large house before you
come to a small lane going in to the left called Hospital Swamps Rd, The
large house belongs to the landowner Tony Leen. He is very friendly to
birdwatchers who ask permission; if noone is home there is a small
blackboard next to the door to write your name etc. He feels less friendly
to birdwatchers who just hop through the fence without asking and I don't
blame him.
Yesterday the bird was in the part of the swamp which is closest to where
you turned "left again" , between that corner and Tony's house. (if you had
not turned left but had continued on, you would have been on a lane called
Shaw's lane; this is marked on some maps). It was close to many Rednecked
Stints and Craig says it was sometimes aggressive towards them.
As it may move elsewhere in the swamp, it may be useful to give a bit more
information.
At the end of Hospital swamps road (= lane) is a small car park. (well a
grassy space). Looking out over the lake from there, to the left, you see
an enticing big bank to walk along offering a splendid view. There is a
fence in the foreground. The fence is the boundary of the public land and
the bank is on Tony's land. Please ask permission or leave your name on the
blackboard before walking along the bank. From this bank many splendid
birds have been seen and reported on birding-aus.
At the far western end of the Swamp/lake is another access point, Baensch's
Lane. You passed this on your way in from the Barwon Heads road. You can
drive down the rather rough track and walk right to the lake or forwards to
what was described on Birding-aus last year as crake paradise. In winter it
is usually also bittern paradise. The first red necked phalarope I ever
saw (in 1977 or 1978) spent some time there.
A possibly confusing aspect of the geography of Lake road is that it is
quite bendy; after hospital swamps rd it goes on a bit, then turns right
again at a crossroads and then rejoins Barwon heads rd (near a former
church and some aeroplanes) still called Lake rd.
Craig Morley's number is 5221 4604 and John Newman's is 5243 8685. Both
have busy jobs and John also has small children.
Please do not ring me about these directions as i am going away tomorrow!
Margaret
Please note my new email address
Margaret Cameron
4 Connor Street
East Geelong, Vic. 3219
Australia
Phone 61 3 5229 9792
Fax 61 3 5229 1520
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