Since the first weekend of August, the Edithvale bird hide has been open every
Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 1 to 5 PM. I did my first stint as a hide
volunteer yesterday, 22/8, so thought a quick update on what's on view was in
order. Not too much in the way of rarities, but still worth stopping in for a
look just in case, and in any case a top spot for photography.
At the moment there are no migratory waders, of course, and as yet no sign of
the painted snipe making a return visit. The water level is presently too high
for mudflats adjacent to the reeds, so not even any sightings of crakes and
rails.
But there are good numbers of common water birds: swans nesting, ducks (just
chestnut and grey teal and the odd "blackie"), coot, swamphen, moorhen,
Australasian grebe and swamp harrier. Also a great egret which obligingly flew
in and gently glided down to a branch in front of the hide, giving superb views
to a couple of fortunate photographers.
The highlight of the afternoon was a pair of magpie geese, who looked very
comfortable together. The hide has been famous for its lone, lonely male who
has been resident for years, but I'm pretty sure this male wasn't the same
fellow. The Bachelor hasn't been seen since the wetland dried up over summer.
Other birds that I can remember:
a.. superb fairy wren,
b.. welcome swallow,
c.. white plumed honeyeater,
d.. Australian magpie-lark,
e.. Australian magpie,
f.. willie wagtail,
g.. silver gull,
h.. common mynah,
i.. starling,
j.. rock dove.
I'm also sure I heard a striated pardalote calling, but didn't see it. Oh, and
there was one mangy kangaroo...
Cheers,
Ross Macfarlane
==============================www.birding-aus.org
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