Hi jack and other interested parties,
Returned from seeing a female Little Bittern this morning at Bundoora.
Arrived 7:15am and stayed until 10am, sighting the one female bird on
two occasions in the reed bed directly opposite the gazebo. Short
glimpse at first as it emerged and flew to the reed bed above from
adjacent, around 8:45am, then fifteen minutes later it emerged again,
this time walking along the front edge of the reeds about a half metre
up from the water. Gripping views through the scope.
No other sightings from then until 10am when I departed.
Tallied 48 species whilst there with Paul Peake and Neville. Great
morning.
Also possibly of some interest. Just returned from the Prom, Cotters
Lake walk, where I observed a very obliging group of four Emu-wrens.
Haven't seen them at this gem of a little walk in the past.
Good birding,
P.
Paul Rose
Year 9 Purple Team
Department of Biology and Chemistry
Wesley College - Glen Waverley
620 High Street Road
Glen Waverley 3150
(03) 9881 5426
>>> "J & C Krohn" <> 01/17/03 22:53 PM >>>
Folks,
Just wondering if the Little Bittern is still to be seen at Bundoora? I
was
thinking of getting up early on Sunday morning to go and have a look if
there's some chance of a sighting. Any news would be most welcome, and
much
appreciated.
I've responded direct to Shirley regarding her query about Freckled
Ducks at
Lake Lorne (Drysdale, Bellarine Peninsula, about 60 km south-west of
Melbourne but closer to 100 km by road). For the interest of the list,
I
dropped by there last Tuesday morning and saw at least a couple of
dozen,
mostly loafing on the water amongst other ducks (Grey and Chestnut Teal
and
Hardheads) and Coots. However, there were also some on the banks of one
of
the islands, well concealed in the shade and partially behind drooping
foliage, so I wouldn't claim to have made an accurate count. I also saw
immature Shining and Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoos (one of each, which
seemed
to be quite intrigued by each other) and lots of Yellow Thornbills, as
well
as plenty of common species.
I've had a couple of recent sightings of up to 14 Long-billed Corellas
in
Glen Waverley (suburb 20 km east of Melbourne), and while at the MCG
last
Friday for an interstate day-night cricket fixture saw a solitary
Straw-necked Ibis, which circled the ground several times and seemed to
be
close to landing once or twice, and a single female Darter which flew
purposefully across in the direction of the Royal Melbourne Botanic
Gardens
late in the afternoon. On Sunday, in hot, sticky but not stormy
conditions,
a loose flock of at least 40 White-throated Needletails made their way
over
Glen Waverley at treetop height and above (to binocular limit). They
were
mooching generally in a south-eastwards direction, with lots of swoops
and
circling, presumably foraging, and there were from one to half a dozen
or so
birds in sight at any given time over a period of about ten minutes from
2
pm.
Good birding. Regards,
Jack Krohn
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