Birdline Victoria Update No. 198
For the week ending: 20 March 2005
Sightings
19 March
Seen from the Avalon Air Show were 3 Brolga, flying in a flock at the
southern end of the runway and a Black Kite, soaring over nearby paddocks.
Thanks Michael Ramsey.
19 March
A single Little Egret was seen hunting in a flooded patch of remnant Grey
Box woodland just south east of the derestriction signs on Exford Road,
Melton South. Thanks Micah Kawalek.
18 March
Two adult Peregrine Falcons seen flying around the Melbourne Sports and
Aquatic Centre (near Albert Park Lake) 7.45pm yesterday 17th March. Thanks
Aaron Organ.
18 March
15 Little Egrets seen from an area immediately north of Shell Road, between
the Lonsdale Lakes Development and Clows Lane, Point Lonsdale. Thanks Aaron
Organ.
16 March
A single adult Great-crested Grebe at Westgate Park (alongside the Westgate
Bridge in Fisherman’s Bend). First seen by George Fotheringham, a volunteer
member of the dedicated “Friends of Westgate Park” who have been steadily
regenerating this attractive and surprisingly productive near-city
wetland/parkland (my list is now 84 species). Thanks Richard Nowotny. 17/3
Mid March
From Lake Lorne, Drysdale: Great, Little Pied & Little Black Cormorants are
currently nesting; other breeding species are Darter & Pacific Black Duck
with 11 tiny young (so much for the timing of the duck shooting season!).
The two species of black Cormorants breeding are exceptional records for the
Geelong district. The Freckled & Blue-billed Ducks are still present. Also
observed from Lake Lorne were two Wedge-tailed Eagles circling nearby.
Thanks Gordon McCarthy & Tom Fletcher.
14 March
At Gellibrand Hill (Woodlands Historic Park) there were 250 Fork-tailed
Swifts, 2 Little Eagles, one was dark morph and a Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo.
Thanks Michael Ramsey.
14 March
At Yuroke (north of Greenvale, near Mickleham) there was a Black Kite,
soaring over paddocks and 5 Fork-tailed Swifts. Thanks Michael Ramsey.
14 March
There were three (but possibly more) White-throated Needletails flying very
low, 5km South of Colac on the road to Gellibrand. Thanks Vin Lam.
14 March
At 9:30 there were 20 Fork-tailed Swifts with about 10 White-throated
Needletails heading north over La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne.
While on Saturday evening at Wilson's Promontory there were over 2000
White-throated Needletails (but no Fork-taileds) foraging low over the main
isthmus (near Cotter's Lake turn-off). A spectacular sight with frequently
fly-bys at head height. Finally, a Rose Robin was seen in the wetter forest
on the Lilly Pilly Gully walk. Thanks Rohan Clarke.
14 March
There was a party of approximately 30 Fork-tailed Swifts over forest at
Lorne at 11 am, there were at least 2 White-throated Needle-tail with them.
Thanks Aidan Sudbury.
13/14 March
On a Birds Australia Survey of Snape Reserve (a Trust for Nature reserve
near the Little Desert, Western Victoria), the following birds were
recorded: Fork-tailed Swift, Painted Honeyeater, Crested Bellbird and
Slender-billed Thornbill. Thanks Tim Dolby.
13 March
The highlights of the Eastern Treatment Plant Boundary Road wetland survey
were 3 Gull-billed Terns presumed to be of the race affinis not previously
recorded in southern Australia and 3 Double-banded Plovers. Thanks Mike
Carter.
13 March
At the Ovens River in Wangaratta there was an Australian King Parrot and an
Azure Kingfisher. Thanks Michael Ramsey.
12 March
At Chiltern Valley No.2 Dam there was a Musk Duck and 20 Pink-eared Duck.
Thanks Michael Ramsey.
11-16 March
Highlights of the BOCA Camp near Moriac, 30 km SW of Geelong, were Grey
(White) Goshawk, Brolga (8), Spotless Crake, Barking Owl, Southern Boobook,
Powerful Owl (2), Rufous Bristlebird (several) and Rose Robin (female), all
seen within 20 km of camp. Thanks Bill Ramsay.
11 March
There was a small flock of White-throated Needletails swooping low over the
Melbourne-Ballarat Freeway near the Pentland Hills exit this morning. Thanks
Dave Torr.
8-9 March
A Magpie Goose was seen at the Campbell Street Wetlands, Wonthaggi. Thanks
Peter Lansley.
6 March
There were 2 Beautiful Firetail, at least 3 Rufous Bristlebird, 3 Southern
Emu-wren and 5 Blue-winged Parrot in the coastal heath just to the west of
the aluminium smelter at Portland. Thanks Rohan Clarke.
6 March
Barb and David Kinloch first heard their first Swift Parrots for the year in
Yellow Gums along the boundary of their Land for Wildlife property adjacent
the Cemetery at Clunes, Central Victoria. They have remained in our area and
they have had numerous sightings this week. Highest number seen at any one
time would be 11. Swift Parrots are regular Autumn/Winter visitors to the
property and this is the earliest date of return they have observed since
purchasing the block in 1988. Thanks Barb and David Kinloch.
6 March
There were 2 Pink-eared Ducks and one Blue-billed Duck at Karkarook Park,
Moorabbin. Also a flock of Long-billed Corellas were observed chasing a
Pelican nearby at Moorabbin airport, which was quite a noisy site indeed!
Thanks Mel Mitchell & Erika Anderson.
5 March
Dale Tonkinson saw what he considers was probably a "Cox's Sandpiper" at
Lake Wallace in Edenhope, south-western Victoria, at 1800 hrs on Saturday 5
March. It was feeding on southern shore of the lake, and was often harried
by Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (the only other migratory waders noticed on
Dale's short visit). Its plumage was closer to sharpie than Curlew Sandpiper
and the bill length and shape were intermediate: several other plumage
features were noted. The bird fed by vertical probing, in the manner of
Curlew Sandpiper. There have been very few records of this hybrid in recent
years, so it would be good if this gets confirmed. Thanks Richard Loyn.
5 March
There was a basic-plumaged (non-breeding, eclipse) Red-necked Phalarope this
morning on the northern side of Lake Martin near Cressy in western Victoria.
It was not found subsequently. Thanks Peter Lansley.
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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