Birdline Victoria
Published sightings for the week ending 7 Feb 2010.
Sun 7 Feb Painted Honeyeater Cosgrove Reservoir, Creswick.
A single Painted Honeyeater was seen at Congrove Reservoir near Creswick
(just nth of the Creswick Koala Park), in conjuction with large numbers
of Dusky Woodswallow and Tree Martin.
Tim Dolby
Long-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris) Karkarook Park,
Moorabbin
more than 40 Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) grazing at
sunset in front of the park information center
Frank Arnold
Latham's Snipe and Spotless Crake Seaford Swamp
Went to check out Sean Dooley's sighting of a Spotted Harrier. Parked at
the end of McKenzie St and walked the short distance to the excellent
viewing platform. Could see on the far shore crakes but ID was
difficult. When panning to the right side spotted a Latham's Snipe and
in trying to get closer to the lake side, when it flew away, got an
excellent view of a Spotless Crake which was fairly close.
Patrick Scully and Deb P
Lewin's Rail Mt St Joseph pond, Altona
Lewin's Rail seen briefly by myself and another birder opposite the
south platform, and also 20m to the left of there around 7.30 Saturday
morning. A couple of even briefer sightings at similar times and
locations Sunday morning by myself and Andrew McCutcheon, and also
wading among the reeds nw of the platform. These birds all seemed even
more skittery than normal. Water level is about 1.05m, and it needs to
lose a couple more cm to start getting the longer sightings I was
getting a week ago again.
Peter Shute
Sat 6 Feb rufous night-heron (2 adults), buff-banded rail (2)
Banyule Flat
No sign of spotless crake today, water level has risen
Richard Loyn
Ruddy Turnstone, Hooded Plover Lake Tyers, East Gippsland
A single Ruddy Turnstone was foraging on the ocean beach close to a pair
of Hooded Plover at 10 am. The Turnstone appeared to be immature.
Ken Sherring
Black Honeyeater Serendip Sanctuary, Lara
1 male - Just past North Arm causeway, in fenced-off area.
Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
Spotless Crake, Buff-banded Rail Banyle Flats
A couple of Buff-banded Rail and a single Spotless Crake were located at
the small pond (to the north-east of the large lake). Also a couple of
Brown Goshawk roosting in a nearby tree.
Greg Oakley
Scarlet Honeyeater, Pallid Cuckoo, Varied Sittella Black Flat,
Warrandyte SP
Stumbled onto a great little "hotspot" in the outer suburbs today -
Fantastic bird activity with mixed feeding flocks of Spotted and
Striated Pardalote, Varied Sittella, Weebill, Rufous and Golden
Whistler, a solitary Pallid Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze and Shining
Bronze-Cuckoo, Olive-backed Oriole, White-winged Triller, Dusky
Woodswallow and a couple of Scarlet Honeyeater. Park at the end of
Nelson Road and walk about 500m (just past the second gate).
Greg Oakley
Fri 5 Feb Lewin's Rail Mt St Joseph Pond, Altona
One adult Lewin's Rail seen walking along the bank NW of the south
platform about 8am. The recent rain has added 10cm or so to the pond, so
most of the mud exposed yesterday is covered now. There's still a little
opposite the south platform, and to the left of there, so if today's
rain doesn't cover them too, they are the most likely spots for
sightings now. The bank there has a lot of leafy plants at the edge, so
the birds can move along in and out of cover. It can make them easy to
miss, so constant scanning is necessary.
Peter Shute
Thu 4 Feb Powerful Owl Woori Yallock Creek
one juv. and adult seen on the Woori Yallock Creek near Ewens Rd, Silvan
Matt Vinicombe
Wed 3 Feb Wood Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper Western Treatment
Plant, Werribee
A Wood and Pectoral Sandpiper in Pond 4 at the T Section lagoons. Red
Knot also at T Sec. lagoons. 3 Golden Plovers at Kirk Point. 4
White-bellied Sea-eagles, 1 adult, 1 sub-adult and 2 imm. Also, at Beach
Rd 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles and 2 Peregrine Falcons.
Maarten Hulzebosch
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Gang-gang Cockatoo Wattle Park, Surrey
Hills
A few Scaly-breasted Lorikeet in amongst hundreds of Musk and Rainbow
Lorikeet feasting on flowering eucalypts in Wattle Park this morning.
Also a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoo and a few Long-billed Corella.
Greg Oakley
Little Tern, White-bellied Sea-Eagle Lake Tyers beach
Parents of a Little Tern fledgling driving off an adult WBSE flying over
Tern Island (size does not matter). All Little Terns bar this pair have
departed Lake Tyers now, successfully rasing 27 fledglings for the
season.
Faye Bedford
Lewin's Rail, Australian Spotted Crake, Spotless Crake Mt St
Joseph Pond, Altona
Two Lewin's Rails seen briefly deep in the reeds north east of the south
platform, probably a juvenile and then an adult, around 6pm on Tuesday
night with Bill Ramsay. An adult seen on the mud 20m to the right of the
south platform this morning about 8am with Peter Crabtree. The west end
of the pond is now dry up to the south platform, and the far east end is
dry. The birds have mostly been seen directly opposite that platform
till now, then heading to the west end, but with the lower water level
attention should perhaps be directed to any areas of mud where the water
is within a metre of the reeds. There is still a puddle at the very
overgrown north platform, so the birds might still be seen there and
going to and from the main pond. Spotless Crakes are out most of the
time, and Spotted Crakes are becoming easier to see now too.
Peter Shute
Mon 1 Feb Spotted Harrier Werribee Zoo, Werribee
Spotted Harrier seen at the northern end of the zoo. This is the first
record for Spotted Harrier for the zoo. Last number of days 2
Wedge-tailed Eagles have also been present.
Maarten Hulzebosch
Little Corella Strathmore
The "Northern Suburbs Corellas" flock as recently reported by Con Baltas
and myself is apparently broadening. Morning noisy flyovers over
Strathmore are now starting closer to 6.00 am than 7.00, and not ending
until well after dark. On the night of Fri Jan 29 there was a huge mob
flying over and calling and waking us up well after 11.00 pm. For those
who want to see these birds, I'd suggest Woodlands Park @ North Essendon
in the early/late hours, or the sites suggested by Con in his recent
postings. Personally, I'm just about over them, because my caged
cockatiel (inherited from my now deceased parents) responds to them
regardless of how early in the morning or late at night it is!
Trevor Manley
Sun 31 Jan Spotted Harrier Seaford Swamp
In an otherwise disappointing survey (part of the swamp best for birds
had completely dried up since December) Spotted Harrier seen at first on
the ground in a paddock with some prey and then later in flight. By
amount of feathers missing in wing and overall plumage, was thought to
be a first year immature that was still moulting from juvenile plumage.
Sean Dooley, Andrew Silcocks
Brush Bronzewing Campbells Rd, Old Distillery Dam, Kamarooka
Forest
These birds are extremely flighty so it is better to walk in to the dams
from Campbells Rd if you want to get a photo. Observed in the shade of a
tree on one of the dam banks. Day was about 35c time about 2.00pm.
Campbells Rd crosses the Bendigo Tennyson Rd. Leaving Huntly it is about
1/2 way along that road to the Bendigo Raywood Rd.
Greg McKay
Painted Button-quail, Mallee Ringnecks Terrick Terrick picnic
ground near Mitiamo
In an hours birding (it was too hot to do any more 35C at midday) we
were lucky enough to see 2 Mallee Ringnecks, 1 Painted Button-quail, 3
Southern Whitefaces, a flock of about 10 Varied Sittellas and at least
10 Rainbow Bee-eaters. Also had a good sighting of a Wedge-tailed Eagle
sitting on a telphone pole just out of Mitiamo.
Greg McKay
Tawny Frogmouth Bangholme , Greenpatch Drive
A pair of Tawny Frogmouths sitting in the tree at approx 5:00 pm,
motionless, trying to imitate a trunk.
Frank Arnold
Freckled Duck Western Treatment Plant
Adult male caught in flight 85WB Lagoon. I found this among photos I
took of ducks after I got home! Shoot first ask questions later?
Kevin Bartram
Little Corella Bellevue and Munro Streets - Coburg West.
Upon visiting my in laws today guess who also dropped in for a visit,
The Gilpin Park Corellas! Just as Trevor Manley has previously reported,
I was awoken at 6.00pm this afternoon (from my siesta) by a noisy flock
of about 50 Little Corella's. Stepping outside in the most welcomed
rain, and walking along the street, I saw the birds feeding in Eucalypts
and in small Conifers across the street. Birds were perched on roof tops
eating on small cones and were flying around the area up until 7.00pm
this evening. Sorry, but I had no camera with me!
Con Baltas
Little Curlew Western Treatment Plant
2 Little Curlews on western side of Austin Lagoon. Bit of a puzzle when
I first saw the first bird with shelducks, head was tucked in, looked
very strange & buffy & I couldn't work out what would have a pale
central crown stripe, but when it stuck it's bill out it was short &
slightly downcurved, I knew it was a Little Curlew. Later saw another
bird with it. Unfortunately too closely associated with a flock of
nervous shelducks, so flew away when I tried to get photos, but got
identifiable shots of perched birds & better ones in flight. Had a Wood
Sandpiper in south-west corner of Austin Rd. Nice views of 2 Spotless
Crake on north side of Little River Ford. Too dull for good photos.
Kevin Bartram
Sat 30 Jan Spotless Crake Banyule Flat
One feeding in open at grotty pond in full sunlight late morning.
Richard Loyn
Sooty Owl, Black-faced Monarch, Pilotbird, Satin Bowerbird,
Scarlet Honeyeater, etc Cabbage Tree Palms reserve, near Marlo.
Sooty Owl heard and then seen after dark, 3 or 4 BFMonarchs calling and
seen, 2 Pilotbirds heard, 1 seen next to creek, lots of Scarlet and
Crescent Honeyeaters. 3 Satin Bowerbirds close to a bower, S.Lyrebird,
Rose Robin, Rufous Fantail, Brown Gerygone, Azure Kingfisher,
Olive-backed Oriole, etc !. Also many Grey-headed Flying Fox and
Yellow-bellied Glider.
Simon Starr
Southern Emu-wren, Turquoise Parrot, Powerful Owl,
White-throated Nightjar, Wonga Pigeon, seabirds Cape Conran
Camped a week at Cape Conran coastal park. Seabirds from the cape
included numbers of Fluttering Shearwater, and 3 seperate Jaegers, 2
Arctics and a probable Pomarine. Wonga Pigeon strolling in the
campground, Powerful Owl encountered whilst spotlighting along the Old
Coast Road. Pair of Turquoise Parrots also along Old Coast Road. Scarlet
Honeyeaters, Large-billed Scrubwren and Rufous Fantail in coastal
woodland, White throated Nightjars seen along Old Coast road and also on
Cabbage tree Conran road. Also Black-faced Cormorant, Sooty
Oystercatcher, Azure Kingfisher.
Simon Starr
Thu 28 Jan Common Koel Metung, East Gippsland
One male heard 3 times on two evenings/nights in Metung township. Called
loudly over about 2-3 minute period and gave both unusual "woor woor"
followed by classis "cooeee" call.
Jamie Matthew
Wed 20 Jan Barbary Dove, Common Sandpiper, Singing Honeyeater
kororoit creek estuary
one lone Barbary Dove at the angling club, apparently the last one left,
also 20 Crested Pigeons, several Spotted Turtle-Doves and ~50 House
Sparrows. (And the number of sparrows was more surprising to me than the
number of Crested Pigeons: haven't things changed?). A Comon Sandpiper
beside creek, a few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in nearby saltmarsh. Also
Singing Honeyeater - pair with young.
Richard Loyn
Collared Sparrowhawk Newport Lakes
a male attacked a common myna and then red wattlebird in shrubs
Richard Loyn
Thu 7 Jan Cockatiel, Blue-faced Honeyeater Avenal, Hume Hwy near
Seymour
Cockatiel - One seen flying over paddocks near Seymour, BFHE heard and
seen in trees at roadhouse (south-bound)
Richard Loyn
Fri 1 Jan Little Corella Ascot Vale
I've just read about the northern suburbs Corellas flock and whilst I
was over in Oz over Xmas and New Year, there was a flock that used to
appear late afternoon in Ascot Vale every day between Xmas and New Year.
Don't know if they are still visiting.
Andy Lees
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