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Had a work meeting at WTP this morning, so went
down early and gave myself and a colleague a self-guided tour of the southern
area (Austin Rd/ The Spit/ Lake Borrie/ Little River estuary/ Paradise Rd)
before the meeting. After the meeting we had a tour of the operational
part of the plant which isn't normally accessible to birders. Tough day at
the office...
Highlights in the morning included at least nine
Cape Barren Geese at Paradise Rd (where the water level was very high), and an
immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle almost hovering into the gusty northerly over
Paradise Rd itself (along with two Little Eagles that seemed uncertain what to
make of their overgrown cousin); at least two Freckled Ducks perched on a branch
and gently snoozing in the southern part of L. Borrie North; and some dozens of
Double-banded Plovers on the exposed tidal mudflats at Little River mouth.
Maybe a couple of hundred small waders, probably mostly Red-necked Stints,
along the mudflats south-west of Little River Mouth, too far away for definite
ID. Although the tide was well out there were no crakes or rails visible
along the river bank, and as a rare event for me no Greenshanks at Greenshank
Corner (just upstream of the river mouth). Lots of Whistling Kites and
Swamp Harriers. The G2 padlock on the Lake Borrie South gate on Beach Rd
was just sitting in one link of the chain, so without a "G" key we couldn't get
in that way.
In the afternoon the birding highlight was at least
a couple of hundred Blue-billed Ducks on what I think must have been Pond 6,
south of the main aeration lagoons and settling tanks that comprise Pond 5 in
the modern ten-pond treatment sequence. There were more Blue-billed Ducks
on a couple of the other ponds in that area, which is normally off-limits for
birding, so something of a bonus. There was also a Great Crested Grebe
offshore of the main outfall. And at least four Greenshanks on a pond
maybe a kilometre or so west of the Conservation lagoon near the main outfall
drain. Also quite a few Swans with flotillas of young cygnets on many of
the ponds, including Paradise Rd and Lake Borrie. A bit of a surpise to
see quite a lot of Pacific Black Ducks scattered around the plant, and also a
small mob of Wood Ducks at Paradise Rd - I commonly miss both species entirely
at WTC. No Hardheads that we could find, but plenty of
Shovelers.
Not a sniff of an Oriental Pratincole
anywhere. Oh, well...
Regards,
Jack
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