Saturday's big storm filled up the Banyule Flats Swamp and the pair of
Black Swans have moved back there. (I haven't been there for a week or
two and they may have been there before the storm hit). The water was a
level green sheet of Azolla and duckweed and no emergent Water-ribbons
to be seen. Nothing to hide the Black Ducks' low-level courting
behaviour, nor the 3 or 4 families of young Australian Grebes.
A few Wood Ducks resting on a fallen tree and some Chestnut Teal
sitting on posts.
Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens round the margins and some Coots - one
Coot standing on a clump of floating vegetation, being blown along by
the northerly breeze; it went on preening as if it hadn't noticed.
It's worth going through the west gate of the dry Billabong fence and
walking round the south side. Inside the bend of the Billabong are a lot
of young wattle saplings with a lot of mistletoe - it is always worth a
look there for small bush birds, particularly Mistletoe-birds. They were
there this morning, with Grey Fantails, and Silvereyes (light coloured
flanks). I have also seen Brown and Yellow Thornbills, whistlers, New
Holland, White-plumed Honeyeaters and E. Spinebills there. Occasionally
Kangaroos snooze thereabouts. The eastern fence of the Billabong is
broken in several places, so one can return to the south paddock and
follow round to the Yarra bank.
Anthea Fleming
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