Birdline Victoria Update No. 196
For the week ending: 27 February 2005
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Sightings
26 & 27 February
Michael Ramsey spent the weekend around Nagambie and saw the following: 26/2
at Melvilles Lookout, Heathcote-Graytown National Park, a Chestnut-rumped
Heathwren; 26/2 Majors Creek Reserve, Mitchellstown, 2 Diamond Firetail 50+
White-throated Needletail and 2 Black-chinned Honeyeater.Thanks Michael
Ramsey.
26 February
At Maryborough Sewage Treatment Works on Sat 26/02/05, a short visit
produced 2 male Blue-billed Duck, c.85 Pink-eared Duck, 6-8 Australasian
Shoveller and c.30 Hardhead. At Moonambel heard Black-chinned Honeyeater
along Mountain Creek in Red-gum dominated woodland. At Dunnolly, a single
Diamond Firetail. Thanks Steve Davidson
26 February
2 Ruff are still present at Lake Murphy in NW Victoria, also 2 Black-tailed
Godwit, 1 White-winged Black Tern and 60+ Freckled Duck amongst the 62
species recorded. Lake is very shallow and shrinking. Thanks Simon Starr.
24 February
Along the Yeerung River Nature Trail 4 Rose Robins were observed along with
40 -50 White-throated Needletails. Thanks Len Axen.
23 February
Highlights of an outing to the Cabbage Tree Creek Palms Reserve included,
Rose Robins, Black-faced Monarchs, which called incessantly, Brown Gerygone
and a female Golden Whistler. Thanks Len Axen.
23 February
There was a single Southern Whiteface at Pt Cook, on edge of housing estate
sprawl, at intersection of Sneydes Road and Menzies Road. The bird was seen
to accompany a group of 4 House Sparrows, following them in flight on two
occasions, and calling incessantly. Bizarre. Cheers, Steve Davidson.
23 February
A White-headed Pigeon was seen at a bird feeder at Monbulk. Thanks Alison
Minty.
22 February
During an EGBOC outing, 15 Latham's Snipe were flushed on private property
adjacent to French's Narrows. Thanks Len Axen.
21 February
The water level at Lake Murphy is dropping and it's perfect for waders there
now. (and perhaps not for much longer). Best birds were a large Ruff with
greyish legs (imm?) and a small Reeve with bright orange legs (adult?), a
single Pectoral Sandpiper as well as a few hundred Sharp-tailed Sandpipers,
lots of Red-kneed Dotterel, a few Glossy Ibis, Marsh Sandpipers, Common
Greenshank and 3 adult Brolga amongst the throngs of other waterbirds. Lake
Murphy is SW of Kerang. Take Bott Road east off the Kerang/ Boort Road.
Thanks Simon Starr.
21 February
Highlights of a trip to the Western Treatment Plant included 5 Red-kneed
Dotterel and 30+ Black tailed Godwits at the Borrow Pits, 3 Ruffs and a
Pectoral Sandpiper on Paradise Rd (my first Australian Pectoral), a Darter
on the "Cormorant Pier", Buff-banded Rail on the track behind the Borrow
Pits, several White-winged Terns over Borrie and several Common Terns, a
single Bar-tailed Godwit and 30+ Pacific Golden Plover at Kirk Pt. Thanks
Dave Torr.
20 February
Large numbers of lorikeets at the Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve,
including Little, Purple-crowned and Musk Lorikeets. The flowering gums have
also attracted many honeyeaters, including Yellow-faced, White-naped and
White-eared Honeyeaters. Thanks Peter Fuller.
19 February
There was a group of Southern Emu-wrens in unusual habitat at the start of
Paddy's Swamp Rd, near Bambra. Thanks Peter Fuller.
20 February
Highlights of a trip to Mt Disappointment State Forest, north of Melbourne
were: at Strath Creek Falls a Red-capped Robin in dry forest and numerous
White-throated Needletail and at Upper King Parrot Creek a Rufous Fantail.
Thanks Michael Ramsey.
19 February
A single Ground Parrot was flushed from a fire break at Wilson's Promontory
NP. 5 mile road, 1km east of main road on south side. (co-ordinates: S38
55.844, E146 17.242). Thanks Stephen Nutt.
18 February
200+ White-throated Needletails in the Ceres/Gnarwarre area west of Geelong,
ahead of the cold front today. Thanks John Newman.
16 February
160 plus, Long-billed Corellas feeding on ground, corner of Heatherton and
Springvale road. (opposite MacDonald's) 7am 16.2.05. The birds have been
around since before last Christmas but not in this number. They appear to be
digging up roots of a weed or grasses. Thanks Wendy Dunn.
14 February
Highlights of a trip to the Western Treatment Plant were 4 adult Banded
Stilt at the sand banks off Little River at low tide as well as Little and
Fairy Terns, a pale phase Arctic Jaeger flying past, immature Spotted
Harrier over Lake Borrie and a Lesser Sand Plover at Kirk Point. Thanks
Tania Ireton.
14 February
4 more Cape Gannets were seen at Lawrence Rocks off Portland among
thousand's of Australasian Gannets. Thanks Rob Farnes.
14 February
Approximately 20 White-throated Needletails over Glen Waverley at 11.45 am,
but quickly disappeared. Thanks Bill Ramsay.
13 February
The quarterly BOCA survey of Pinkerton Forest/Bush's Paddock found 46
species, including Diamond Firetail, Zebra Finch, Little Eagle, Jacky
Winter, Brown Treecreeper and Weebill. The next survey is on May 8th. Note
these are private properties. Thanks Dave Torr.
13 February
A Psittacula parrot on an overhead power line along Point Cook Homestead Rd
(near the house on the northern side of the road, Melway Map 208, G12).
Initially seen near a perched Crested Pigeon, then joined by a Magpie-Lark,
the bird was last seen flying swiftly NE across the surrounding fields. An
all-green bird with a coral bill and eye-ring, it was most likely either a
female/juvenile Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) or a
female/juvenile Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), both of which are
popular cage-birds. Thanks Richard Nowotny.
13 February
A large flock, 200+, Corella (probably Long-billed ) flew into Jackson's
Creek at Sunbury, continuing upstream. The Sunbury flock has grown
considerably over the past ten years, but this was by far the biggest group
that Roger has observed here. Thanks Roger McGlashan.
13 February
At Womelano Falls Kinglake National Park there was a Rufous Fantail and a
female Satin Flycatcher. Thanks Michael Ramsey.
Updates
22 February
5 Stubble Quail, 9 Pacific Golden Plover and 25 Common Tern at Kirk Point.
11 Banded Stilt on north side of mouth of Little River, Lesser Sand Plover
at the conservation area, and 2 Freckled Duck on Lake Borrie. Thanks Tania
Ireton.
22 February
I reported on 12 November 2004 that there were in excess of 200 Red-necked
Avocet in the SW corner ponds of the Cheetham saltworks, Geelong. It is
interesting that they are still there along with 1000+ Banded Stilts. These
birds have all been constantly feeding in the same ponds since before 12
Nov. They seem to have found an inexhaustible food supply.Thanks Rod
Corinaldi.
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
Stuart Cooney
www.babblersnest.com
Birdline Victoria
www.babblersnest.com/birdline
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