Whilst doing their monthly survey this morning, Sean Dooley & Andrew
Silcocks found a Red-necked Phalarope at Seaford Wetlands/Swamp SE of
Melbourne. I managed some distant photographs of it about an hour later.
This is the first record of this species that I know of for the wetlands SE
of Melbourne and perhaps for anywhere in Victoria east of Melbourne! It was
on the east side of the wetland. Access is via Wells Rd from the north or
Austin Rd then Francis St from the south, see MELWAY map 97 G3.
Park at the end of Greaves Avenue (or walk from Seaford Station).Then walk
some 400 m north along the pedestrian/cycle track to Gate 8. It is labelled
and has come off its bottom hinge. Step over, or crawl under, the padlocked
chain to enter. The wader habitat, with Black-winged Stilts and Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers, is < 150 m directly ahead of you facing west but due to tall
vegetation, may not be visible. The easiest way to the edge of the water,
less spiky juncus, is to move about 40 m N of the gate and head for two
posts near the waters edge about a gate width apart. I saw it from there.
The waders in the area are very mobile at present moving freely between at
least four sites. Last Saturday 17 December, I found a Pectoral Sandpiper
among 130 Sharpies just 2 km from the Seaford site at Boundary Rd Wetland
which is viewed from the junction of Rossiter and Boundary Roads, see Melway
98 C10. Access is permitted but make sure you shut all gates.
On Saturday 10 December, Rohan Clarke found two Pectoral Sands among 200
Sharpies at Port Fairy in western Victoria on the small wetland with a hide
adjacent the coast just through the town.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mt Eliza VIC 3930
Ph: (03) 9787 7136
Email: 3
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