A few random northern Victorian sightings, 20 -28 September

["Lawrie Conole" <>]

Over the last 10 days or so I've been working in northern Victoria - around St Arnaud (Avon Plains) and then Kerang-Koondrook.  There have been a few noteworthy birds floating about in that time ...

• Barking Owl - single bird in Black Box woodland, Avon Plains Wildlife Reserve
• Black-faced Woodswallow - common in Buloke woodland on Avon Plains
• Brown Songlark - abundant at both locations
• Gull-billed Tern - up to 6 at a time over irrigated paddocks near Myall (Kerang-Koondrook Road) with Whiskered Terns
• Grey-crowned Babbler - a number of groups around Benwell & Guttrum State Forests near Koondrook, but in decline since Chris Tzaros' 1997 survey.  Relentlessly harrassed by Noisy Miners.
• White-browed, Masked, White-breasted and Dusky Woodswallows at Benwell/Guttrum - with Black-faced near St Arnaud, that's the Victorian set!
• Variegated Fairy-wren - in chenopod shrubland amongst scattered River Red Gum and Black Box near Koondrook
• White-winged Triller - just 1, Kerang

Also of note though was that relatively few spring migrants were in evidence throughout these areas, and that few if any dry country refugees were about.  Though I saw a few Cockatiels around Kerang and Koondrook, that's fairly normal in this area.  Friarbirds were scarce too - just a couple of Littles and one Noisy in Kerang - Koondrook area.  No $birds yet, and only 1 Sacred Kingfisher!!  The weather was warm round Kerang (saw 2 roadkill Eastern Brown Snakes), and the country incredibly dry!

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Lawrie Conole
Senior Ecologist

Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.
Flora and Fauna Consultants
88B Station Street
FAIRFIELD VIC 3078 Australia
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Internet: http://www.ecologyaustralia.com.au/
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