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Hi all,
Just spent some time at my favourite
birding spot - the Mildura Sewerage Farm in North West VIC.
Weather was fine, sunny, light breeze. The
pond is quite full at present - don't know why - maybe we have been "producing"
extra recently!!!. This pond is around 1.5 kms long and from 100 to 200
metres wide. The entire edge of the pond is wooded, with an area of
"plantation" Eucalypts, but mostly natural mallee and others (hey, I'm no expert
in those big tall wooden things with leaves on them!)
Highlights were the arrival back of
Freckled Ducks - about 20 were there in a group. I
haven't seen them here since early this year. At least 4
Blue-billed Ducks and around 10 Musk Ducks
were among the many Eurasian Coots, Grey Teal
and Hardheads. Also good numbers of
Pink-eared and Australian
Shelduck.
Rainbow Bee-eaters were around,
and inquisitive as always, for the first time this year. A solitary
White-breasted Woodswallow sat on a dead tree in the middle of
the pond. Little Friarbirds are still around.
Hunting the sky above were several Whistling Kites and
Black Kites, a single Swamp Harrier and a
single Collared Sparrowhawk. A number of
Black-winged Stilts at each shallow end of the
pond.
Total of 59 species in about 2.5
hours.
There are moves underway to include the Mildura
Sewerage Farm in the new Barkindji Biosphere. This is a new
initiative that already has significant funding committed and is shortly to have
a submission put forward for Biosphere status. It will include some large
areas of Mallee country in both directions from Mildura (including the Ned's
Corner property), the Inland Botanical Gardens just west of Buronga,
land at Tapio Station, around where the huge new Solar Power Generator is to be
built and several other smaller reserves in this area. Some details are at
www.platform09.com/bbs_site5
and also www.ea.gov.au/minister/ps/2003/psmr22mar03
One of the best plans for the Biosphere is the
proposed development of publicly accessible walkways and bird hides along the
Mildura Sewerage Pond.
Bob Cook
Mildura VIC
(approx. 34.10 S - 142.10
E)
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