Re: West of Mildura - NW Victoria

Hi Bob,

Just to clear things up, we spotlighted
the Inland Dotterel well after dark.  

I think Simpson and Day mention that
Inland Dotterel tend to feed at night, so the birds might be tucked away
during the day (or at least  shading in the surrounding salt marsh.)


I'd suggest anyone trying to see these
birds go after dusk. 

Cheers, 

Peter

"Bob Cook" <>

12/11/2005 07:36 PM

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Subject	West of Mildura - NW Victoria

Following Peter Fuller’s report this week
of Inland Dotterel near Ned’s Corner, west of Mildura in NW Victoria,

well, we really went for that Inland
Dotterel. Unsuccessfully.  
 
We were out from 9.00 a.m. until
nearly 6.00 p.m.  It was a glorious day, so very enjoyable.  Because
we have had good rains here recently, the area all along and South of the
Murray River from Mildura out to Ned’s Corner – about 70km, is much greener
than we have ever seen it.  
 
Also some of the back roads were
still too wet, even for 4WD, so after tackling a fair bit of mud and slosh
and backtracking, we took a really roundabout route (or routes).  The
area where the Dotterel was seen was along a stretch of road about 8km
long and we did not know exactly where, so we traversed that road twice
at about 25kmh. stopping a few times.  I think we spent a total of
about two hours just on that 8kms!  Peter had seen the birds around
dusk and we were there between 2 & 3 p.m. and then between 4 and 5
p.m.
 
Anyway, the good part about the
day was 79 species!  This is the second best we have ever got in a
day, after the 81 we got in Central/North Victoria a few years ago.
Full list (just because we enjoyed
it) – asterisks on the specials for us and this area!
 
Black Swan
Aust Shelduck
Wood Duck
Grey Teal
Pelican
White-faced Heron
Great Egret
White Ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Black-shouldered Kite
Black Kite
Whistling Kite
Swamp Harrier
Brown Goshawk
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Brown Falcon
Aust Kestrel
Black-winged Stilt
Red-necked Avocet
Masked Lapwing
Silver Gull
Feral Pigeon
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Galah
Little Corella
Cockatiel
Crimson (Yellow) Rosella
Aust (Mallee) Ringneck
Blue Bonnet
Red-rumped Parrot
Mulga Parrot*
Budgerigar**
Horsefield’s Bronze-Cuckoo**
Kookaburra
Sacred Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater*
Variegated Fairy-wren
White-winged Fairy-wren
Southern Whiteface
Red Wattlebird
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Striped Honeyeater*
Little Friarbird
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Noisy Miner
Yellow-throated Miner
Singing Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
White-fronted Honeyeater
Black Honeyeater**
Crimson Chat*
White-fronted Chat
Jacky Winter
Red-capped Robin*
Chestnut-crowned Babbler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Magpie-lark
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Masked Woodswallow
White-browed Woodswallow
Pied Butcherbird
Aust Magpie
Aust Raven
Little Raven
White-winged Chough
Richard’s Pipit
House Sparrow
Welcome Swallow
Tree Martin
Clamorous Reed-warbler
Little Grassbird*
Rufous Songlark*
Brown Songlark
Blackbird
Myna
 
When I think of the “easy” birds around
this area that we did not see (cormorants, more ducks, waders and waterhen,
thornbills), it strikes me that 100 species in a day within 50kms of Mildura
would be not difficult at all.
 
Bob Cook
Mildura  VIC.