Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 19 Dec 2010.

Sun 19 Dec	Stilt Sandpiper (update) T-Section, Western Treatment Plant Rohan Clarke just phoned to say that he was watching the Stilt Sandpiper in the Austin Road T Section Lagoons. So it has moved from yesterday's spot. It is on the pond closest to Geelong adjacent the Point Wilson access road. This is good news for those that have not been inducted as it is in the area covered by an ordinary permit! Rohan Clarke per Mike Carter
Sat 18 Dec	Plumed Whistling-Duck Goldfields Two were present on a small farm dam on the west side of Wareek-Homebush Road 150 m south of its intersection with Porteous Rd all day Saturday. 37 00 44 S, 143 36 16 E. (Degrees, minutes, seconds). Not present Sunday. Robert Berry & Gail D'Alton
	Common Koel Marlo A single Common Koel was heard calling from tree lined areas adjacent to the Old Marlo Road very early this morning. Len and Jacquie Axen
	Crested Shrike-tit Mallacoota: Double Creek Nature Walk Seen from the car park along with Lewins and other HEs. Michael Norris
	Stilt Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee We found a single bird by itself in the 85WC-9 Conservation Pond and observed, sketched and photographed it from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m. We later told Dave Torr and friend and they phoned us at 4 p.m to say they'd seen it. We sent average quality photos to Mike Carter, who confirmed the ID and said it was a juvenile. Marilyn Hewish, Grace Lewis, Dean Hewish, Joanne Van den Broek
	Possible Stilt Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Following a phone call from Geoff Jones who had been tipped off earlier by a group that included Marilyn Hewish, we found the bird on 85WC fairly easily, Seemed to have all the diagnostic features of a Stilt Sandpiper, but we have no photo. Dave Torr, Peter Gibbons
Thu 16 Dec	Grey-tailed Tattler, Ruff etc Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Grey-tailed Tattler at Kirk's Point still present. Found feeding the Melb side of the marker at the point. Got nice photos which show it to be a worn juvenile. Good numbers of Common Terns there too, 42 counted & 1 Caspian Tern flew past. Ruff first found on southern pond of T-Section with Greenshank, which is very flighty & very hard to approach, they flew off to the lagoon just south of Austin Rd Lagoon. White-winged Black Terns on rocks north-east of Beach Rd gate, including juveniles, also 3 Fairy Terns Kevin Bartram
	Common Bronzewing, Chestnut Teal Newport Park early afternoon, Common Bronzewing: well camouflaged on mulch beside a clump of shrubs, perhaps visiting from Newport Lakes (1). Chestnut Teal: pair flushed from stunted mangroves in drain along the southern spit (2). Peter Booth
Wed 15 Dec	Common Koel Lakes Entrance - Lookout just NW of town boundary Male heard often and glimpsed evening of 15/12 and heard early morning 16/12 (please ignore if outside usual range in December) Michael Norris
	Budgerigar, Mallee Emu-wren, Regent Parrot Konardin Track, Hattah-Kulkyne NP At least 10 Budgerigar present, with one male observed feeding a female (no nests apparent). Also present were two groups of Mallee Emu-wren (including one family group which contained 3 juveniles), and a loose foraging flock of around 100 Regent Parrots feeding on Dodonaea. Dean Ingwersen and Ashley Herrod
	Ruff Western Treatment Plant, Werribee The Ruff is still present where it was previously reported near the T- Section lagoons in flooded grassland at the bend on 29 Mile Rd, bordering the Western Lagoons. Also one Caspian Tern at the Spit and the area from the Spit to Kirk Point, 72 Common Terns, 3 Little Terns, 22 Fairy Terns and 6 White-winged Black Terns. Grey-tailed Tattler still at Kirk Point. Maarten Hulzebosch
Tue 14 Dec	Pink-eared Duck Wymlet Tank, Murray-Sunset NP Two Pink-eared Ducks on very full Wymlet Tank. Note to anyone visiting this area - the intersection surrounding Wymlet Tank is flooded and impassable (see photo). We were able to get in via Meridian Rd though, and traverse all of the sections of Honeymoon Hut Track from Wymlet to Pink Lakes region. Dean Ingwersen and Ashley Herrod
	Common Sandpiper Kororoit Creek, Altona One bird seen near the ford at the Altona Coastal Park and two birds seen in flight near the birdhide at the end of Maddox Rd, Williamstown. Paul Randall (wingsonwire.com)
	Blue-winged parrots Glenburn, Eucalyptus Rd Small numbers , 6-8 observed and heard flying overhead throughout the day. Also Sacred Kingfisher seen and heard along the creek. Greg Cobern
	Channel- Billed Cuckoo Edrington Park , Berwick After not being heard or seen for over 2 weeks my work collegues heard one at approx.11.45am. Still waiting for fruit on Moreton Bay Fig trees to ripen ! ! Michael Collins & Graham Dean per Graham Beal
	Grey-tailed Tattler Western Treatment Plant, Werribee First spotted with scope from Beach Rd towards Kirk Point at approx.1040hrs. Seen again very well from approx. 1120-1145 looking south from the northern side of the Point, feeding amongst rocks with Stints. Chris Lunardi
	Common Koel Camberwell (nr Boroondara Park) 1 adult male seen in a tall old Liquid Amber tree after being heard at 6.45 am. George Appleby
Mon 13 Dec	Painted Button-Quail Kamarooka State Park Single bird seen crossing Millwood Road. Apparently were quite common once but now not often seen in this area Murray Chambers
	Little Button-Quail Tullaroop Reservoir I'm fairly confident that I flushed a Little button-quail while setting up for a photo of a Great-crested Grebe on the edge of the Tullaroop Reservoir. The attached photo of the button quail might help someone confirm it for me. [Ed note: really interesting photo and yes a LBQ. TD] Gary Oliver
	Grey-tailed Tattler Western Treatment Plant, Werribee. Between 1710 and 1800hrs, Single Grey-tailed Tattler observed on and amongst rocks at Kirk Point. The bird flew on two occasions and returned to the Point at about ten minutes intervals after leaving. Thanks to Maarten Halzebosch, for posting on 6 December and information on 12 December and ID confirmation today. Peter Gibbons.
Sun 12 Dec	Red-chested Button-quail, Little Button-quail, Stubble Quail Northern plains Stubble Quail are in good numbers and calling right across the northern plains...... the most for many a year. Little Button-quail are in numbers I have never seen before. They are in every bit of native grassland, aswell as many farmers paddocks. I heard one calling at home for the first time, in a neighbours pea crop. Red-chested Button-quail are also present and widespread. I and others have heard them calling in "Yarran" paddock in Terrick Terrick NP. They have been reported from a number of Trust for Nature and Bush Tender grasslands..... I personally saw 6 in a private grassland on the Patho plains, and they have also been reported in grassy woodland near Mt Terrick picnic ground track. They seem to like relatively tall,dense and wet ( well its mostly wet at the moment)grassland with good diversity of flora. A great season to have a walk on the plains. ! Simon Starr
	Elegant Parrot Little Desert National Park (Nhill-Harrow Road) Two Elegant Parrots seen at Merrett's Bushland Reserve on Nhill-Harrow Reserve. One flew through and one perched, a juvenile. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Little Button-quail Nhill Flushed from grass on corner of Nhill-Yanac and Sandsmere Roads (north of Nhill, on way to Yanac and the Murrayville Track). Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Gull-billed Tern Lake Natimuk A couple of birds hawking over eastern side of lake, working their way towards the north. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Banded Stilt Oliver's Lake Oliver's Lake is usually a dry saltpan, but with all the rain we've had in Victoria, it is now completely full. Approx. 30 Banded Stilt seen with two Red-necked Avocet to the western side of the lake (quite some distance from the shore). Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Beautiful Firetail Walkerville North One bird observed feeding Grant Griffin
	Latham's Snipe (3) Heathdale Glen Orden Wetlands, Werribee 3030. At 15:40 hrs, two Snipe briefly observed then flushed and another flushed shortly after, one more bird than my previous visit. Observation somewhat difficult and parts of wetland inaccessible due to rank grass and abundant water. It is most likely more Snipe are present. Peter Gibbons
	Common Koel Grattan Street Bendigo Koel heard and observed in and around Grattan Street located behind the hospital between 5pm and 8pm. It was being mobbed at one stage by a welcoming committee of Red Wattlebird, Magpie and Mudlark. Adrian Martins
	Plumed Whistling-duck Lake Cooper, western bank Two birds in a farm dam immediately west of the Lake Cooper Road. Other birds of note included at least 7 Great Crested Grebes, Musk and Blue-billed Ducks Stuart Cooney and Golo Maurer
	Musk Lorikeet Cheltenham Park Two Musk Lorikeets foraging in flowering gum opposite cricket pavilion. Also Pied Currawong with fully-grown but fluffy juvenile near dam in golf course, and in dam, Pacific Black Duck pair with nine ducklings. Debbie Lustig
Sat 11 Dec	Little Button-quail St James (Small town in north central Victoria) Flushed from the edge of a field - flew across the road in front of us to the grass on the edge of the opposite side of the road. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Dollarbird Violet Town Single bird seen in a eucalypt over Honeysuckle Creek opposite playing fields.. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Australasian Shoveler Braeside Park A pair of Australasian Shoveler was roasting beside a small pond about half way along the Red Gum Trail. The male had very dull plumage. Andrew McCutcheon
	Ruff, Great Knot Western Treatment Plant Werribee Single Ruff in emergent grass in new lagoon near T section. 2 Great Knot roosting north of beach road. Mark Stanley
Thu 9 Dec	Common Koel Sunbury Common Koel heard at 3.00am from Jacksons Hill, Sunbury - Melways Ref 382 E8. Aaron Organ

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