Birdline Victoria Update No. 185
For the week ending: 21 November 2004
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Sightings
19 November
A male White-headed Pigeon was observed sitting quietly on powerlines
adjacent to the bridge over the Orbost - Marlo road. Thanks Jacquie and Len
Axen.
19 November
A walk along the ocean beach from French's Narrows to the mouth of the Snowy
River was highlighted by a pair of Striated Fieldwrens calling in coastal
dune scrub and a non breeding adult Ruddy Turnstone feeding along the tide
line and 80+ Little Terns occupy the sand spit immediately to the east of
the Snowy River mouth. Numerous nest scrapes and some eggs have already
appeared. 7 Hooded Plovers were also counted. Thanks Len Axen.
19 November
Ken and Danny Rogers spent a few hours at the Western Treatment Plant
(south-west of Melbourne) and saw a few species they don't see much of at
Werribee: on one of the rocky spits north of Beach Road - A substantial
wader flock feeding there on a low tide which didn't ebb very far. It
included eleven Bar-tailed Godwits, one Red Knot and one Great Knot - every
one of these birds a juvenile, North Spit - Four Grey Plovers (all adults),
Lake Borrie Outlet - A Lewin's Rail ran across the track at about 4 pm.
18-19 November
A Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage with Whiskered Terns over a swamp and
adjacent grassland a few km north-west of Darlington in SW Victoria. Thanks
Steve Clark.
16 November
A pair of Black-faced Monarchs were observed in riparian wet sclerophyll
forest along Cabbage Tree Creek within the "Palms Reserve". Thanks Len Axen.
16 November
There were 4 Sanderlings and 2 Hooded Plover at a conservation section of
13th Beach/Black Rock near Barwon Heads, Victoria. Thanks Peter Fuller.
15 November
A pair of Singing Honeyeaters is hanging around the Black Rock Clock Tower
area (Melways p85 J/K 4). Thanks Michael Norris.
14 November
At the new Woodlands Industrial Estate adjacent to Braeside Park (Melways 88
C11), there were some 2,000 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, a Ruff (Reeve), a
Pectoral Sandpiper, breeding Red-kneed Dotterels & Black-winged Stilts.
Having turned right into Lakewood Blvd one can park adjacent to the lake
after passing some factories. The birds frequent the lake shores, three
islands with erections that look like flag-poles, and some shallow flooded
grassland on the east side, the site of the proposed Mornington Peninsula
Freeway. One can walk around on well formed gravel roads which encircle the
lakes. The most westerly lake is the most reliable site in the area for
Great-crested Grebe. Thanks Mike Carter.
14 November
In paddocks between Avalon Airport and Point Wilson Rd, 2 Banded Lapwing, 2
Brown Songlark, 2 Singing Bushlark, 1 Stubble Quail (heard several others),
2-3 Red-rumped Parrot. Also 4 Freckled Duck on pond adjacent to end of Beach
Rd. Thanks Steve Davidson.
14 November
There was a Little Egret - Avalon Beach Salt Pits, 2 X Brown Songlarks, 1 X
Singing Bushlark - Avalon Airport - Dandos Road, 2 X Black-tailed
Native-hens - Barrow Pits, WTP and a Juvenile White-bellied Sea-eagle -
Conservation Lagoons, WTP. Thanks Peter Fuller.
14 November
Most unusual bird seen in the 49 species recorded at today's very windy BOCA
survey of Pinkerton Forest and Bush's Paddock (west of Melbourne) was a
Budgerigar. Given the recent sighting of a small number near this location
by Richard Nowotny, and the distance from the nearest habitation, this seems
likely to be a wild bird? Other interesting sightings were a White-winged
Triller, small numbers of Zebra Finches and Diamond Firetails, a Pacific
Heron and a nesting Brown Goshawk. Thanks Dave Torr.
14 November
Jehosophat Gully (Kinglake National Park) Lewin's Honeyeater (2),
Large-billed Scrubwren (1), Bassian Thrush (2), Rufous Fantail (1),
Red-browed Treecreeper (2), Satin Flycatcher (1). Great short walk with many
wetter forest birds. Thanks Michael Ramsey.
12 November
A single Black Kite seen flying south over Hampton Road, Brighton. Thanks
Steve Davidson.
12 November
There was a Sacred Kingfisher at Fyansford on Barwon River. Thanks Peter
Fuller.
12 November
James Pardew reports that a pair of Top-knot Pigeons and Little Corellas
have been observed around their farmhouse at Bemm River. The Little Corella
sighting adds further evidence to the spread of this species into areas of
Gippsland to the east of the Snowy River. Thanks Len Axen.
12 November
A single Nankeen Night Heron was observed today, flying along Jackson's
Creek, Sunbury. The bird rested briefly in a gum tree before continuing
toward Bulla. Thanks Roger McGlashan.
12 November
1 Freckled Duck at Seaford Swamp, found by Chris Tzaros on the lagoon
immediately below the viewing platform on Austin Road. The first record for
Seaford. Thanks Sean Dooley.
11 November
3 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos near Doohan, about 10km out of Horsham.
Thanks Sarah Dixon.
11 November
A pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles were seen soaring over farmland near
"Gilbert's Gulch" on the Orbost - Marlo Road. The location is approximately
1 km from the centre of Orbost and is an uncommon sighting for this area.
Thanks Len Axen.
11 November
A male Satin Flycatcher was seen at Table Rock in Melbourne's Bayside
suburbs. Thanks Michael Norris.
10 November
A Sacred Kingfisher at GL Basterfield Park in Melbourne's Bayside suburbs.
Thanks Michael Norris.
9 November
4 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo's were seen flying over the Keilor-Melton
Highway at Rockbank, just east of the Kororoit Creek crossing. Thanks Micah
Kawalek.
9 November
A White-headed Pigeon was observed hanging around a balcony at the Bend of
Islands: a 'Residential Conservation' area about 30 km's NE of Melbourne,
adjacent to the Yarra, between Eltham and Yarra Glen. Thanks Frank Pierce.
9 November
There was a Pacific (White-necked) Heron at the WTP today (near Ryan's Swamp
on 160 South Rd) and a Black Kite over the office building on Farm Road. And
the Freckled Duck have returned to "Freckled Duck Rock" (Lake Borrie South
near the Beach Rd exit) after a prolonged absence. Thanks Dave Torr.
8 November
Whittlesea Spotless Crake (2) Seen briefly in reeds around the edge of the
flooded Plenty River. Thanks Michael Ramsey.
8 November
A Greater Sand Plover was seen at Breamlea on the Thompson's Creek Estuary,
thanks Peter Fuller.
8 November
There have been a number of small groups of Budgies sighted in the Pyramid
Hill/Terrick Terrick area in the last few days. Thanks Simon Starr.
7 November
No sign of the Canada Goose, escapee or otherwise, at Braeside on Sunday,
but there were 5 Glossy Ibis in a wet paddock near the Ranger station, plus
one Black-tailed Native-Hen. Thanks Glen White.
6-7 November
Amongst the highlights from the 2004 Vic Twitchathon included nesting
Painted Honeyeater near Chiltern, nesting Square-tailed Kite near the
Grampians, a Greater Sand Plover at Breamlea, Arctic Jaeger at the WTP,
Little Bittern at Bundoora, Gull-billed Tern on the Bellarine Peninsular, a
flock of approximately 500 Banded Stilt at Cheetham Salt Works, 15 species
of birds of prey, 23 species of parrot and 26 species of honeyeater.
Surprisingly the rain did not seem to affect bird totals, which were
significantly higher than last years 'thon totals. Thanks Tim Dolby.
6 November
Three Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos were sighted in a pine tree (near the
railway line) in Rosanna Parklands. Thanks Doug Franklin.
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Birdline Victoria is a service for birdwatchers to report and find out about
rare and unusual birds in Victoria and is brought to you by Birds Australia
Victoria. Birdline can be contacted on (03) 9882 2390 or on the Internet at
http://home.iprimus.com.au/scooney/index.htm
Regards,
Stuart
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