Hi all,
I spent the weekend on the Bellarine Peninsular (Vic) and Point Addis - with
some interesting results:
· Walked around 'Salt Lagoon Nature Conservation Reserve' - an attractive
little salt lake near St. Leonards. It's currently teaming with birds - the
waders have started to return!! Birds included Banded Stilt x100, Red-necked
Avocet x100, Pied Stilt x200, Greenshank x20, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper x30,
Red-necked Stint x50, Great Egret x2, Yellow Spoonbill x1, as well as lots of
Swan, RC Plover, Grey and Chestnut Teal. Also Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo. I
highly recommend this lake at the moment.
· The beach at Edwards Point had waders - including Ruddy Turnstone x5,
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, RC Plover and RN Stint. Also Striated Calamanthus and
Spiny-checked Honeyeater. At this time of year Edwards Point seems to be a
major fly-over for Pelican, Ibis and Swan - there were literally thousands of
birds overhead.
· Lake Victoria, near Point Lonsdale - again the waders had started
arriving, including sharpies and stint. Also Banded-land Rail, Intermediate
Egret, Great Egret, Pied Stilts, thousands of Grey and Chestnut Teal, and lots
of White-fronted Chats.
· Finally Russell Woodford recently recommended Point Addis for Rufous
Bristlebird. I'd been there a few times but not specifically noticed them.
They've recently improved the viewing platform/carpark at Point Addis,
providing excellent sea views. So as I trained my binoculars out to sea I
noticed a brown bird at my feet eating a chip. Yep... a Rufous Bristlebird
eating a chip in the car park!!! (Eat cake Loch Arch Gorge!!!)
Another big a surprise at Point Addis was seeing a White-bellied Sea-eagle
flying overhead. It must have been several thousand feet up (!), flying down
the coast towards Torquay. For some reason this is not a common bird along
Victoria's southern coastline ( - I don't think our fish are bigger enough!!),
and I wonder weather (pun intended) this is another drought-affected species
(as e.g. Letter-winged Kite).
Overall spring-things seem to be starting to happen down the West coast of
Victoria - with good birding in from Point Cook to Point Addis!
Tim
Ps Point Addis must be one of Victoria most spectacular beaches
Tim Dolby
Dept of Business and E-commerce
Swinburne University of Technology
Ph (03) 9214 6722
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