Hello all,
Just to add to several recent reports on the Nth of Victoria. Away from the
creeks, lakes and swamps which still have water and the irrigation areas, it
is very dry, with quite a lot of trees showing severe stress and some even
appear to be dead and the summer has yet to come.
There are still a good number of birds around though, and for some weeks
migrants such as Pallid Cuckoos, Rainbow Bee-eaters, flocks of Wood
Swallows, Fairy Martins, White-winged Tillers, Western Gerygones, Clamorous
Reed Warblers, Noisy Friarbirds etc have been flying over and seen in the
area. Others that have been quiet during the winter, if not absent, are
calling and making their presence known, such as the Pied Butcherbirds,
Rufous Whistlers and Little Grassbirds.
This afternoon just a couple of km east of Cohuna a Bustard was feeding in a
paddock causing delight to local birders. Not often seen this far east and
south. No doubt drought driven from inland - poor thing.
Amazingly, despite the drought, the Plains Wanderers are still breeding out
on the dry plains - a male and some young chicks being seen recently.
There are plenty of ducks of all varieties around. The only exception at
present are no recent sightings of Freckled Ducks. Round Lake west of Lake
Boga, Hird and MacDonald Swamps are alive with water birds at present. Also
good numbers of Brown Quail and some Stubble Quail.
Parks Vic have made Hird Swamp (a few km south west of Cohuna) a special
rehabilitation project. It is really a very extensive experiment in the
rehabilitation of local swamps. We trust it works, and others will follow.
Much time and money has been spent in the removal of exotic water weeds, the
planting of native wetland grasses, sedges, the formation of islands and
tree planting on them etc. It certainly attracts the birds. With the country
so dry, some birds are hanging around the swamp that are not normally seen
there, such as White-winged Trillers, Red-capped Robins and Bee-eaters. It
was good to see a small flock of Orange Chats and Blue-winged Parrots there
this past Thursday too.
Plenty of raptors to be seen, but none of the inland ones we have been half
expecting to see. Still, if the drought continues, it is more than likely
they will find themselves down this way.
Though dry the area is still good for birding.
Regards,
Chris Coleborn
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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