Swan Lake, Phillip Island (Victoria)

A brief trip report from some wetlands on the Bass Coast and Phillip Island in Western Port Bay Victoria.  Not many waterfowl at the locations we visited but plenty of gallinules, Masked Lapwings and Black Swans.

I was fortunate to get out and check a few wetlands as part of the Summer Waterfowl Count yesterday (28 Feb. 2006) and visited Agar Swamp Coronet Bay on the Bass Coast then went onto Phillip Island where we surveyed Swan Lake Reserve near the Nobbies.  A few Royal Spoonbills and lots of inquisitive Cisticola's at Agar Swamp south of Corinella.

Had some nice views of a Whistling Kite, Cape Barren Geese and a single Common Sandpiper from the bird hides at the lake then went onto the coast road at the Nobbies and picked up distant views of a few Kelp Gulls on some rock stacks on the coast.  Kelp Gulls are reasonably reliable at this location and have been reported breeding on this part of Phillip Island.

Swan Lake is easily accessible form the San Remo - Nobbies (Penguin Parade) road on Phillip Island and is well worth a look.  The are also many thousands of Short-tailed Shearwater burrows at this location so it would be a good site for experiencing the return of Muttonbirds at dusk too I would imagine (in season).

cheers

Martin O'Brien
Threatened Species & Communities Section
Department of Sustainability and Environment
2/8 Nicholson St. (PO Box 500), East Melbourne  3002
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~