Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 8 Jan 2012.

Sun 8 Jan	White-throated Needletail, White-backed Swallow, Dollarbird Wilby A big flock of over 250 White-throated Needletails were seen overhead, circling and spiraling in a flock for over an hour during the afternoon. They were also joined by 3 White-backed Swallows (first record here in over 4 years) and a Dollarbird actively feeding on insects. Michael Ramsey
	Nankeen Night Heron Crowther Place -Brighton seen on roof of house in middle of the day. Philip Lee
Sat 7 Jan	Fork-tailed Swift, White-throated Needletail, White-throated Nightjar Bunyip State Forest 3 Fork-tailed at Bunyip River Rd around 2pm, with 50 or so Needletails in the same area about 30 mins later. Then 40 or so Needletails at the Helipad around dusk and 3 Nightjars. And on Sunday morning a few Needletails at the Buttongrass Walk. Dave Torr, Peter Gibbons, Christine Shelley, Iian Denham, Chloe Youl, Arthur and Denise Carew
	Common Tern (77) Altona Seventy-seven counted on rocks off Surf Street at around 11:30. By far the largest number I've seen at this site. P.S. Lansley
	Spotted Harrier Shelford Whilst driving back from a mates place near Enfield I observed an adult Spotted Harrier patroling over a wheat paddock just near the town of Shelford. Geoff Jones
	Square-tailed Kite Mount Eliza While inspecting the backyard of a property in Bellbird Rd, Mount Eliza at 3:00pm, a Square-tailed Kite landed in a tree in the backyard, then took off and circled overhead giving wonderful views for a number of minutes. Luke Shelley
	Cicadabird Noojee - at Testle Bridge turn-off area First heard calling then male Cicadabird seen in gumtree devouring a praying mantis. Also heard calling in Powelltown at creek below picnic area (Reids tramline walk). G. Santos
	Australian Spotted Crake, Baillon's Crake, Spotless Crake, Buff-banded Rail, Australian Hobby Lake Tom Thumb, Eaglehawk Nice selection of crake and rail species at this site. David McInnes
	Golden-headed Cisticola, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne Best birding along Botanic Drive between park boundary and adjacent farmland. Huib Ottow
Fri 6 Jan	Great Crested Grebe Lake Hamilton beach, Hamilton Great Crested Grebe (1) hanging out with the Hardheads Samantha Greiner
	Intermediate Egret Braeside Park 3 Intermediate Egrets and 1 Great Egret in the most south-easterly pond at Braeside. Melways 93, 1F. (-38.009, 145.132) Aidan Sudbury
	Dollarbird Upper Goulburn Rd 37 05 26S 145 11 25 E A pair of Dollarbird seen feeding a begging and recently fledged juvenile in tall red-gum along Goulburn River, around mid-morning as I drove through. Steve Davidson
	2 BAR-TAILED GODWIT, 10 thousand plus Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Red-necked Avocet, Caspian Tern Fosters Swamp, Kerang Bar-tailed Godwit 2, my first ever sighting of this species in inland Victoria. Grey Teal 10,000 plus (probably many more) spread evenly across the lake ! Pink-eared Duck a few hundred mixed with the Teal Red-necked Avocet small numbers right around the lake, maybe 200 total Caspian Tern 1 Simon Starr
	Diamond firetail, Beautiful Firetail Carlisle River heathland (Otway Nat Pk) An unexpected Diamond Firetail was seen and photographed calling incessantly in heathland this morning. Beautiful firetails, Rufous Fantails, Satin Flycatchers, countless Emu wrens and many Blue-winged parrots were more predictable sightings. 2 small dark quail flushed from recently burnt swampy heath, identity unknown. John Newman
Thu 5 Jan	Spotted Harrier Tower Hill Juvenile Spotted Harrier perched next to track. Very approachable. See photo. Also, a minimum of 10 Australian Spotted Crake, several Black-winged Stilt and plenty of Red-kneed Dotterel along the muddy shores of the large lake to the left of the entrance road. (Eremaea List # 106603) Bernie McRitchie
	Diamond Dove Greater Bendigo National Park (Kamarooka Section) Diamond Dove (1) Burnside Track, landed in a dead tree on northern side of the track. Red eye-ring and spotting on the wings showing brilliantly in the bright sunlight. Brett Whitfield
	Australian Koel Newport A Koel has just started calling in my street in Newport at around 11.20pm. It's just over two years since I last recorded the species here. Steve Davidson
Wed 4 Jan	Black Falcon, Spotted Harrier, Pectoral Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant Watched a Black Falcon fly over Beach Rd, on the Avalon side, near Point Wilson Rd. It glided along and attacked a juvenile Spotted Harrier. I have photos of the Harrier carrying something that looks like cow faeces! Both flew around, having a go at each other for a few minutes, giving me the chance to get some decent photos. I have never seen these 2 species interracting before. Had a Pectoral Sandpiper on the next pond north of Walsh's Lagoon, not sure if it's the same bird that I found last week. Kevin Bartram
	Turquoise Parrot Canni Creek Racecourse, Buchan South Small flock of Turquoise Parrots in trees around the stables and toilet block. Nicole Spillane & Paul Jacobson
	Diamond Dove, Budgerigar, Hooded Robin Leaghur State Park Diamond Dove 1 seen well and calling Budgerigar c.10 seen Hooded Robin a male Simon Starr
	Cicadabird, Brush Cuckoo Samaria Wells (Mount Samaria State Park) Super close views of a male Cicadabird perched and calling. A Brush Cuckoo could also be heard in the distance and a Leaden Flycatcher was also found here. Michael Ramsey
Tue 3 Jan	Square-tailed Kite Murrungowar Forest Drive (near Orbost) We stopped to look at the old growth Banksia Forest on the Murrungowar Forest Drive and saw a Square-tailed Kite flying low over the tree tops. Nicole Spillane & Paul Jacobson
	Eastern Koel Melbourne Botanical Gardens Heard a few times around 4PM in afternoon, on southern side around Birdwood Avenue. Kevin Bartram
	White-fronted Chat Longlea Lane Dam White-fronted Chat (7) on far edge of dam. Marlene Lyell
	Grey-tailed Tattler Craigie Beach, Mt Martha Single Grey-tailed Tattler still at Craigie beach, Mt Martha - on the rocky shoreline between Craigie beach and Birdrock beach. Neil Shelley
Mon 2 Jan	Latham's Snipe, Azure Kingfisher Snowy River near Forest Park, Orbost One Latham's Snipe on a sandy bank on the Snowy River opposite Forest Park near town centre. An Azure Kingfisher flying along billabong nearby. Nicole Spillane & Paul Jacobson
	Southern Emu-wren Point Roadknight A pair seen on the track to the back beach. While there were numerous parties of emu-wrens in the heathland west of Anglesea, (as well as a pair of Chestnut-rumped Heathwren) this pair was a surprise as the habitat was Moonah-dominated coastal scrub and was immediately adjacent to the car park for a beach that has had hundreds of holidaymakers swarming all over it. Sean Dooley
	Yellow Rosella Lilydale Lake Crimson Rosella flaveolus. Flew over the beach area - pale yellow body with blue wings. Gave definite Rosella flight call, different from Crimson Rosella call. Escapee? Didn't hang around for a follow-up view. Jackson Airey
	White-throated Needletail Stanley Approximately 120 White-throated Needletails were seen circling over the surrounding hills near Stanley during the morning. Michael Ramsey
Sun 1 Jan	Black Bittern Double Creek Inlet, Mallacoota, Vic Walking East from Bridge on Mallacoota- Genoa Road, I flushed a Black Bittern on the narrow inlet about 200m E of bridge. I was able to follow up for a brief view before it flushed again and could not be relocated. Also seen red browed treecreeper, crested shrike-tit, grey goshawk, scarlet honeyeater. Giles Daubeney
	Australian Painted Snipe, Freckled Duck, Pectoral Sandpiper, Latham's Snipe, White-winged Black Tern Eastern Treatment Plant The numerous highlights of the monthly Eastern Treatment Plant survey included 27 Freckled Duck, 16 Nankeen Night Heron, 9150 Eurasian Coot, 1 Australian Painted Snipe, 31 Latham’s Snipe, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 White-winged Black Tern. Partially drained, with extensive areas of mud, providing excellent habitat for many species. Ducks and waders have returned in big numbers. Mike Carter, D Neylan, Al Kuiter, A Silcocks, D Stabb, J Loy & D Lustig per T Dolby
	Banded Stilt, Gull-billed Tern, Fork-tailed Swift The Honeysuckles (near Seaspray) Highlights of a relaxing few days near Seaspray included Banded Stilts, many 100's around 'The Island' and into Lake Reeve. Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage, my first record here for around 8 years. Fork-tailed Swift, a single bird seen a number of times on evening of the 2nd January. Tim Bawden
	White-throated Nightjar, Painted Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, White-browed Woodswallow Killawarra Forest A great list of birds to start of 2012 were found in the forest this evening. Michael Ramsey
Wed 28 Dec	Pectoral Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant (Borrow Pits) A lone Pectoral Sandpiper with some Red-necked Stints in the Borrow Pits which flew off in SW direction. Happy New Year! Ed Williams

Birdline Victoria is sponsored by Birds Australia - Victoria and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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