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Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

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Subject: Birdline Victoria Weekly Update
From: "Eremaea Birds" <>
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:31:12 +1000
Birdline Victoria 

Published sightings for the week ending 28 Mar 2010.

Sun 28 Mar      Orange-bellied Parrot Western Treatment Plant 
1 adult (probable female) with metal band on left leg but unable to
detect colour bands. Observed in the 270 S Borrow Pit at 3.30pm and kept
under observation to 4.10pm. For most of the time it sat on top of a
young Malaleuca lanceolata, where we were able to photograph it. Other
good species in our total of 94 species from 11am were Brolga (3), 11
raptors (best were Peregrine attacking a Hobby, White-bellied Sea-Eagle,
Brown Goshawk & Collared Sparrowhawk), 6 species of Tern (Crested,
Little, Fairy, Common, Whiskered & White-winged Black, some in full
breeding plumage), Double-banded Plover (30+), Bar-tailed Godwit (42),
Black-tailed Godwit (5), Red Knot (3), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (20),
Curlew Sandpiper (6) & Red-necked Stint (approx 1,000). Also Glossy Ibis
(1) and all 3 species of Grebe (Australasian, which were once very hard
to find at the WTP, now seem to be increasing in numbers due to improved
water quality). 
John Barkla, Fred Smith & Alison Street 

        
        Black Falcon Private property south of Wills Rd, Streatham 
Flying low, following ute while driving in a wheat paddock. 
Inka Veltheim 

        
        Beautiful Firetail Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve 
Awesome birding this morning in Yellingbo with bush birds in full force
and many species happy to get close to me so some cracking views. This
little guy popped out of the undergrowth, move through a bush towards
me, looked me over, then disappeared back into the undergrowth. A nice
way to see a new bird!! 
Jackson Airey 

        
        Wedge-tailed Eagle Keysborough 
Very surprised to see a pair of Wedgies looking rather sodden in a tree
off Hutton Rd Keysborough 
Tim Bawden 

        
        Swift Parrot Emily St Point Lonsdale VIC 
A flock of approx. 20 swift parrots are moving around the area feeding
on the gums which are flowering at this moment. This is the first time
that I have seen Swift Parrots in Point Lonsdale 
Rod Corinaldi 

        
Sat 27 Mar      Rose Robin You Yangs Regional Park 
Sighted in weedy Hakeas along Branding Yard Trail 
Gavin Masters & Mal Chicksen 

        
Fri 26 Mar      Red-capped Robin Spring Hill Track, Muckleford State
Forest 
Female Red-capped Robin amongst coppice regrowth (firewood harvest
area). This species is not recorded very often in the district. Crested
Bellbirds calling as usual at the same site. 
Geoff Park 

        
        Rufous Fantail Newport Lakes Reserve 
Single juvenile on passage, frequenting dense shrubbery around
Amphitheatre. Also there a juv. Golden Whistler, first for
autumn/winter. 
Steve Davidson 

        
Thu 25 Mar      White-headed Pigeon Ferntree Gully 
Sighted 25, 26 & 27 March 2010 on private land. 
Barbara Oehring 

        
        400 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Lake Mombeong Road 
The largest congregation of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos I have ever
seen. Awesome is one the only way that I describe it. We stopped and
heard the birds and looked up into the tops of the Pine trees and there
were a hell of a lot feeding. The hundreds flying off we saw was
probably over two hundred. Many were uncoloured young birds, and these
were the ones we saw flying from the trees. The calls indicated there
where many more feeding in the pines. We moved down the road and more
birds moved off. I would estimate around 400 birds in a very confined
area. The Black cloud as we left was fantastic, we drove out 15 minutes
later and it was the same. Pine may be doing something good! 
Peter and Julia Booth 

        
        8 Wedge tailed Eagles Pipers Creek Pastoria Rd. Pipers Creek
Vic. 
About 100 metres in from the road eight Wedge tailed Eagles surrounded a
dead sheep,with one bird standing on the carcass.We have a resident pair
with a nest about 4km from the sighting. [eight in total] We see Eagles
circling from tine to time but never more than four. 
Barry Murphy 

        
        Little Corella Highett railway station 
A spectacular sight of +50 Little Corellas at the Highett railway
station and carpark this morning. Often there is a group of about 5 that
wait for food at a house on Train St. I guess the word got around! 
Mel Mitchell 

        
Wed 24 Mar      Buff-banded Rail Eastwood Golf Course, Kilsyth, Victoria
Solitary bird on 2nd tee at South-Western corner. The course is bounded
by Little Bungalook Creek and the rail was foraging on the creek bank. 
David Spicer 

        
        Lewin's Rail, Spotless Crake Mt St Joseph Pond, Altona 
A Lewin's Rail and a Spotless Crake were seen briefly about 8am today.
An even briefer sighting of a Lewin's Rail yesterday around the same
time. All were in the gap in the reeds opposite the south platform.
Water level now 1.13m, still no mud showing. 
Peter Shute 

        
Tue 23 Mar      Lewin's Honeyeater Ferny Creek (Dandenong Ranges) 
Two Lewin's Honeyeater in private garden, feeding on insects in laburnum
and ornamental cherry trees. Coincided with a small flock (10-12)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater in the garden for about an hour. 
Ann and Bruce McGregor 

        
        Brown Booby Bastion Point, Mallacoota 
An immature Brown Booby flying amongst Gannets late this afternoon
100-200m offshore. Almost uniformly mid-brown above, cream-sandy central
part of underwing and light brown underbelly. Not closely associating
with the gannets and seeming a little uncomfortable flying low over the
waves while the gannets wheeled high above and dived regularly after
fish. 
Dale Tonkinson 

        
        Gang-gang Cockatoo Rosanna 
Group of at lest seven, possibly over ten birds feeding in Eucalyptus
and pines at Rosanna Parklands. These birds are regularly seen in the
park. Birds were found easily by calls. (7). 
Bill Stent 

        
        Southern Boobook Point Cook Coastal Park 
Boobook accidentally flushed from thick coastal scrub after being
alerted to its presence by some noisy and irate Singing Honeyeaters.
Circled once or twice before finding a new hiding spot. Brown Goshawk
was hunting over coastal bracken along the beach track. 
Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com) 

        
Mon 22 Mar      Ruddy Turnstone, Great Knot, Wood Sandpiper, Western
Treatment Plant 
Ruddy Turnstone x1 at Beach Rd boat ramp, Great Knot x4 in company with
Bar-tailed Godwit x30+ feeding offshore near Trig point east of Beach
Rd. Also seen there where several Little Terns and several Fairy Terns
amongst mixed flock with Crested, Common and White-winged Black Terns
roosting on rocks. Glossy Ibis x1 at Walshes lagoon, Cattle Egret x1
looking out of place on sand at 145West outlet drain. Wood Sandpiper x3
at 95E South Pond. Black-tailed Godwit x5 at Borrow Pits along with
approx x37 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (only place seen). Cape Barren Goose
x13 at Austin Pond NO2. 
David Richardson and Mark Bennett 

        
        Little Curlew Bulban Road,Werribee/Little River 
Single Little Curlew seen well at previously reported site along Bulban
rd,on south side approx.750-800metres past Newtons rd. at 08:00hrs,edst.
Mark Bennett and David Richardson 

        
        Double-banded Plover, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Cattle Egret
Altona 
2 Double-banded Plover seen loafing in dunes at Laverton Ck mth, which
are the first arrivals for this autumn. A single Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeater was seen nearby in shrubs along Laverton Ck mth, also first
for autumn. 4 Cattle Egret were in slightly unusual habitat, loafing on
low tide rocks just offshore opposite Surf St, Seaholme. 
Steve Davidson 

        
        Australasian Darter Southbank 
male (1). On cutwater of pedestrian bridge at Southbank this afternoon. 
Peter Bennet 

        
        Lewin's Rail, Spotless Crake Mt St Joseph Pond, Altona 
An adult Lewin's Rail and a Spotless Crake, possibly a juvenile, seen
very briefly about 8am today. Both passed quickly from right to left at
the back of the gap in the reeds opposite the south platform. The water
level is back down to 1.15m, still 5 to 10cm above the height required
for good sightings, and dropping very slowly now it's colder at night. 
Peter Shute 

        
Sun 21 Mar      Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Bendigo 
Single Chestnut-rumped Heathwren seen Salomon Gully Flora ReserveBendigo
literally 2 km from the CBD of Bendigo. 
Greg Oakley and Tim Dolby 

        
        1000+ Woodswallows, large n of woodland birds Dam site,
Kamarooka, Greater Bendigo National Park. 
1000+ Woodswallow (mainly White-browed, but also Masked and Dusky)
flocking on mass at the north east section of Kamarooka, feeding around
a small dams along Camp Rd (between Bendigo - Tennyson Rd and East
Kamarooka Rd). Grey Box around dam flowering prolifically, with large
numbers of other sp. around dam (but not elsewhere in Greater Bendigo
NP, which was quiet). Other birds included late Rainbow Bee-eater, Black
Honeyeater (most common HE), Purple-gaped Honeyeater, good numbers of
Crested Bellbird and Diamond Firetail, Chestnut-rumped, Buff-rumped,
Yellow-rumped, Inland and Yellow Thornbill in mixed flock with Hooded
and Red-caped Robin, Jacky Winter, Crested Shrike-tit. Perfect woodland
birding! (See site image attached.) 
Greg Oakley and Tim Dolby 

        
        Crimson Rosella Travancore 
Uncommon in Travancore / Flemington 
Chris Lester 

        
Sat 20 Mar      Rufous Fantail Weeroona, Woodlands Historic Park 
One juvenile, first I've seen here. Got photos, but my internet is down.
Will try & get some through when I can. Also lots of Grey Fantails
(mostly first years) & a juvebnile Rufous Whistler. 
Kevin Bartram 

        
        Cape Barren Goose Mt. Beckworth area, near Clunes 
After birding in Mt Beckworth, heading back to Ballarat along Kierces Rd
surprised to see a small flock of CPG beside a farm dam with Wood Duck. 
Jackson Airey 

        
        20-30 White-throated Needle-tails Bunyip State Park 
A flock of Needle-tails flying quite low - one probably under 5 m - over
the forest and along Tynong North Road as it enters the park. 
Mark Stanley 

        
        3 Little Curlews Western Treatment Plant, Werribee 
One was bathing and another was preening along the west side of the
northern T-section lagoon. They flew up and were joined by a third. They
circled a couple of times, calling, before all three alighted along the
northern shore amongs the boulders. Also a Black Falcon keeping a large
party of Silver Gulls in a tight flock as it made repeated passes.
Around 6PM. 
Mark Stanley 

        
Fri 19 Mar      Rainbow Bee-eater, Restless Flycatcher, Painted
Button-quail Welshman's Reef, near Newstead 
A flock of 8 Rainbow Bee-eater from Gully track in the fields. 1
Restless Flycatcher on Gully Track and 1 Painted Button-quail on
Welshman's Reef Rd. 
Jackson Airey 

        

Birdline Victoria is sponsored by Birds Australia - Victoria
<http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/the-organisation/victoria.html>  and
co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds <http://www.eremaea.com> .
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