Birds Australia's regular monthly count at Melbourne Water's Eastern
Treatment Plant (ETP) near Carrum, SE of Melbourne on Sunday 23 October
produced 77 bird species 46 of which were wetland dependant. The exodus from
central Australia began some months ago but is now accelerating. Migrant
waders, many of which stopped on the inland floods last year are not pausing
in such numbers this year. Highlights of this count were 7 FRECKLED DUCK,
1300 Grey Teal, 185 Pink-eared Duck, 7 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 80 Australasian
Grebe (down from >300), 180 Hoary-headed Grebe, 160 Australian Pelican, 4
White-necked Heron, 8 Great Egret, 5 INTERMEDIATE EGRET, 6 GLOSSY IBIS, 5
Royal Spoonbill, 8 Yellow-billed Spoonbill, 2 Buff-banded Rail, 6 Australian
Spotted Crake, 1 Black-tailed Native-hen, 5600 Eurasian Coot, 3 AUSTRALIAN
PAINTED SNIPE, 41 LATHAM'S SNIPE, 4 Common Sandpiper, 410 Sharp-tailed
Sandpiper, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 120 Black-winged Stilt, 39 Red-necked Avocet,
9 Red-kneed Dotterel and 35 Whiskered Tern. And on 24 October, an AUSTRALIAN
LITTLE BITTERN was calling at the nearby Edithvale Wetlands.
Unfortunately, access to both sites is restricted as the hide at Edithvale
is yet to reopen although the wetland can be viewed from external elevated
platforms.
Alison Kuiter has a gallery of bird photographs taken at the ETP on the web
site below. The last ~20 shots are from Sunday's survey.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1263672552387.2035940.1246929841&type=1&l=0043bafc80
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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