The very hot weather of February and early March reduced Banyule Swamp to a
drying
mud-flat where only a pair of Masked Lapwings remained to supervise a small
puddle. The
heavy rain of 14th March (about 20 ml or more locally) refilled it, but with
water-plants dead there was little food to attract birds. However Wood Ducks,
Black Duck
and a dozen or so Chestnut Teal were swimming and bathing in it on 15 March. A
few
Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens were there too. By 22 March, duckweed was
beginning to
spread at the edges and the ducks had been joined by 3 Australasian Grebes.
On 28 March, there were no fewer than 50 Wood Ducks with the small numbers of
Black
Duck and Chestnut Teal and one or two Grey Teal. Also small numbers of Dusky
Moorhens,
Swamphens and Masked Lapwings.
Yesterday, 12th April, Water Ribbon leaves were beginning to emerge from the
surface,
and numbers of frogs could be heard. Two Black Swans were swimming - presumably
the
regular denizens of the swamp who nest each winter - and ducks were more
numerous.
There were 19 Black Ducks, at least 26 Chestnut Teal, 6 Grey Teal, and a
solitary
male Hardhead, plus 2 White-faced Herons, and 5 or 6 Australasian Grebes.
Moorhens
and Swamphens are still in low numbers (but may well have been lurking in the
reedbeds and drain-lines out of sight, with the Lapwings). A solitary Little
Pied
Cormorant was perched with wings hung out to dry on a fence-post. Redrumped
Parrots
and 2 Galahs were perched in the dead trees.
The peaceful scene was disturbed by the arrival of a Brown Goshawk which
perched in
one of the dead trees. It was immediately mobbed by a flock of screeching
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, some Rainbow Lorikeets and the two Herons. The
Redrumps
and Galahs fled, and the Cormorant took to the water. The ducks did not seem at
all
disturbed. The hawk flew off towards the ovals, pursued by the Cockatoos, and
the
Cormorant returned to its post.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and Gang Gangs were seen and heard, but small
bush
birds remain very scarce.
Anthea Fleming
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