We delighted to be able
to take Denis Vernier, obviously an experienced ‘birder’ from France to visit
our piece of Paradise!
Starting at the Paradise Rd : there were
thousands of duck on Lake Borrie, Pink-eared,
Shovelers, Hardheads, Musk, Blue-bills, Teal, but no Freckled. At times all the duck
would take to the wing, it is a magic sight when they all fly in swirls, and it
is amazing they never collide! On
the Ponds there were waders, avocet and
Stilts.
On to Kirk Point,
two Ruddy Turnstones, a Golden Plover with an orange leg-band
attached, Pacific gulls, Pied Oyster Catchers and Crested Terns and
Cormorants and it looked great.
Around Lake Borrie, past the nesting
boxes and down to the Bird Hide. There were lots of waders, Red-necked Stints, Curlew and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
on the shore, a Spotted Crake
dashed across the path. Many of
the little birds could be heard in the dense saltbush but not seen, that is
really frustrating! The Reed Warblers
were in fine voice, and there were plenty of
Grassbirds being mournful, Fairy
Wrens added colour, as did the Purple
Swamp Hens.
Past Walsh’s Lagoons, the Glossy Ibis were on the edge of the sludge
pits, the green sheen on their brown feathers was beautiful. Plenty of pelicans were resting on the track; some were taking advantage
of the thermals and were rising heavenwards.
Swamp
Harriers, Brown Falcon, Whistling and Black Shoulders Kites were our
only raptors.
Plenty of Welcome Swallows and Fairy Martins and hundreds of Whiskered Tern were catching insects.
A Brown Quail crossed our path on the way to
the Borrow Pits. The usual Red-kneed Dotterel, Banded Stilts and
waders made it a great spot for lunch.
Along South Road to the
Werribee River and we added a Darter
to the list.
Called into the Office
area and were able to add the Australasian
Grebe to the list.
In the 6-hour period we
saw 75 species, and Denis was impressed with the Western Treatment Plant. See list below.
At the Tourism Office in Werribee is
display of photos Doug Blood has taken of the Plant recently.
