Hi birders
On the weekend I had a couple of hours to spare, and there
was a gap in the Antarctic-inspired weather, so I headed
over to Woodlands Historic Park near Tullamarine Airport in
Melbourne. There are a few other reports from this place on
the Birding-Aus archive (http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-
aus/) - from Mike Norris and I over time.
On Saturday the weather wasn't enormously cooperative, but
still the birding was OK. My binoculars were last in use in
southern Spain a couple of weeks ago, so it was with
pleasure that a male Red-capped Robin in all his glory was
the first thing glassed by the Swarovskis back on home
soil. I saw one pair directly inside the gate to the 'back
paddock' from the Providence Road carpark, and 3 more pairs
of Red-capped Robins on the loop I did via Gellibrand Hill.
Raptors were prominent too - a lone Little Eagle soared
overhead the whole time I was there - and a pair of
Whistling Kites shadowed me out of the Grey Box woodland,
where they presumably have a nest.
Another encouraging sign was that the predator exclusion
perimeter fence has been restored to integrity - BTW, the
quarry pools at the bottom end are as a consequence now
inaccessible again. Foraging signs of Eastern Barred
Bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) were evident along the edge of
the Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra) patch near Moonee
Ponds Creek. The restoration of the fence, along with fox
and rabbit baiting, has no doubt helped.
Less pleasing signs included the abundance of Eastern Grey
Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) - still too many for such a
small enclosure, and liable to lead to over-grazing again at
some point.
Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma) is well out of
control over large parts of the 'back paddock', and unless
Parks Victoria gets serious about it soon will overrun the
native grassland, etc.
Anyhow - here's the list:
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus
penicillatus
Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus
brevirostris
Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii
Varied Sittella Daphoenositta
chrysoptera
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscarpa
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii
Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera
28 species
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lawrie Conole
2/37 Myrnong Crescent, Ascot Vale Vic 3032 AUSTRALIA
AH 03 9370 3928 Mob 0419 588 993
Senior Zoologist
Ecology Australia Pty Ltd
88 B Station Street, Fairfield Vic 3078 AUSTRALIA
www.ecologyaustralia.com.au
BH 03 9489 4191 Mob 0419 588 993 Fax 03 9481 7679
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
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