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Winter birding at Warringine Park, Hastings, Vic

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Subject: Winter birding at Warringine Park, Hastings, Vic
From: "Val Ford" <>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:39:35 +1000
Yesterday morning I drove though low cloud, drizzling rain and a very near miss with two kangaroos near Greens Bush to Hastings on the western side of the Mornington Peninsula.  However once at the western end of Warringine Park creek walk the weather cleared and remained mainly fine for the 3 hours spent there.
 
Whilst changing into boots Rainbow Lorikeet, Superb Fairy-wren, Brown Thornbill, Red Wattlebird, Noisy Miner, Magpie-lark, Spotted Turtle-Dove and Common Blackbird, Starling and Myna were ticked off.
 
Along the track beside the creek White-browed Scrubwren, Galah, Striated & Spotted Pardalote, Grey Fantail and Bell Miner were soon encountered.  The Bell Miners were vigorously defending their territories [+ nests?] by going quite ballistic with a Grey Butcherbird and an Australian Magpie.
 
Once the Bell Miner patch was passed good views were had of Laughing Kookaburra, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Willy Wagtail, White-eared & New Holland Honeyeaters, Grey Shrike-thrush, Eastern Yellow Robin, male & female Mistletoebird.  At this place Golden Whistlers appeared to be 'sorting themselves out'. One male was seen and probably 2 females.
 
On a nearby fence were Eastern Rosella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and resting Welcome Swallows.  Flying over were Masked Lapwing, Silver Gull, and Little RavenAustralian White and Straw-necked Ibis were feeding in an adjacent paddock.
 
At a small wetland near the eastern end of the track Australian Wood Duck and Purple Swamphen were noted.
 
However the highlight of the day was a group of about 12 very agitated, very noisy Striated Thornbills flying around at head height and lower, madly chasing what seemed to be each other.  On more than one occasion they went down to the ground for a 'fisti-cuff' less than a metre from where I was standing.  The hormones were obviously  well and truly switched on for the upcoming breeding season!!
 
Val Ford
Sorrento, Vic
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