Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 12 Feb 2012.

Sun 12 Feb	Magpie Goose, Black Falcon, Hooded Plover, Sanderling Killarney Beach Chris and Rosameary Lester
	White-throated Needletail Mt Eliza Regional Park A flock of approximately 100 feeding overhead, and a first for my house list! Stuart Cooney
Sat 11 Feb	Intermediate Egret Serendip Sanctuary, Lara Our first record of this species at Serendip Sanctuary. Seen initially on the Marshland around 8:15am, seen subsequently on North Arm (near foot causeway), then on far side of Lake Serendip. Extremely flighty. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Eastern Curlew Western Treatment Plant, Werribee. middle spit Confirming the report of 2 days ago I was able to get good views and reasonable photos despite the inclement weather this morning. The Curlew was on its own feeding in the shallows of the middle sandbar of the Spit. Excellent views of a Spotted Harrier as it landed on a fence post at the southern end of 29 Mile Road Hedley Earl
	Black-faced Woodswallow Picola Stopped by the roadside just west of Picola to look at a group of 3 birds on a power line. Another was on a fence post nearby. One was a juvenile that was begging for food (see picture). Not expected to see here at all, let alone breeding. Michael Ramsey
Fri 10 Feb	Pacific Golden Plover Breamlea tidal flats Excellent viewing over the tidal river flat opposite the town picnic car park. About 10 PGPs, 6 Red-capped Plovers, similar number of Sharp-tailed sandpipers plus a Common Greenshank, some lapwings, gulls, ibis and a single Pacific gull. In the street there were some Red-browed Finches and a pair of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos. Hedley Earl
	Fluttering Shearwater, White-winged Black Tern, Southern Boobook Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Fluttering Shearwater - freshly dead specimen near Gate 4. White-winged Black Tern - c.25-30 Lake Borrie and Pond 9. Southern Boobook - roadkill Pt Wilson Rd. Also seen a juvenile Spotted Harrier along Beach Rd opposite Gate 4, 30+ Common Tern on low tide rocks, plus 3 juvenile Sacred Kingfisher and one juv + 2 ad Dusky Woodswallow along Pt Wilson Rd. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Thu 9 Feb	Regent Honeyeater (1) Briar Hill area, Greensborough Unconfirmed sighting but possible, seen feeding in an Ironbark and emu-bush in garden. "like a new-holland but bigger". There is Box-Ironbark woodland through Plenty and Diamond Creek area and Montmorency has quite a lot of Ironbark street planting also that could be coming into flower. Regents have been recorded in Montmorency in the mid 80's. Perhaps birdos could keep an eye-out to confirm. Greg Cobern's Mum
	Freckled Duck, Eastern Curlew, Spotless Crake, White-winged Black Tern, Spotted Harrier etc Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Five freckled Duck in Lake Borrie, two Eastern Curlew on North Spit, Spotless Crake feeding in open in T-Section, three White-winged Black Terns on coast near beach road, six species of tern, two Spotted Harriers, two White-bellied Sea-Eagles and a Wedge-tailed Eagle not a bad day for three visitors from NSW. John Barkla et al
Wed 8 Feb	Black Falcon Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Black Falcon arrived and circled overhead on beach track near 85WB whilst I was observing 2 Whistling Kite. Good day for raptors - 7 species seen. Also Lewin's Rail and Spotless Crake at bird hide. Many Eastern Great and Little Egret about. Arthur Carew
	Spotless Crake Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Lots of Australian Spotted Crake seen today, as well as a very obliging Spotless Crake. They are usually quite difficult to see, let alone photograph. A great day at the WTP, with 78 species seen. Not a lot of variety in the waders, however. Ian Miles
	Lewin's Rail Sybella Ave. Wetlands 1 Lewin's Rail feeding in drain at the western end of wetlands near Sybella Rd. It was flushed into a large clump of Reeds and heard calling but after 10 minutes it did not re-appear. Also at this site were 3 Baillon's and 7 Spotted Crakes. Colin Mulvogue
	Royal Spoonbill (1) Yarra Glen 1 bird seen from the road feeding in billabong near Yarra River bridge. I dont see royals as often as yellow-bills. Greg Cobern
	Broad-billed Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Spit Road Lagoon I located a single BBS today feeding in the shallows of the last lagoon on the left hand side of the track that runs parallel to The Spit. Presumably this is one of the 2 birds that were seen at the end of last year in the pond by the entrance gate to Western Lagoons. This sighting was the highlight of what was otherwise a very ordinary day at the WTP. Hedley Earl
Tue 7 Feb	Topknot Pigeon Cabbage Tree Creek Flora Reserve Topknot Pigeon (20) perched in large Mahogany Gum near creek, visible from walking track. A group of 14 flew off at one stage, but several remained in the tree. Later another group flew into the tree, so there may have even been more than 20. Janine Duffy
	Little Corella Lancefield Road, Sunbury A huge flock of 500+ Little Corellas broken into two major groups and a smaller thid group. Wheeling around over farmland and houses either side of Lancefield Road. Deafening! No Long-billed Corellas seen in a cursory scan. Lawrie Conole
	Banded Stilts Moolap saltworks ponds opposite Millers Rd About 50 stilts, a number still in breeding plumage but most non-breeding and immatures, scattered among about twice as many Red-Necked Avocets, providing excellent views from edge of Portarlington Road. john Watson
	Plumed Whistling Duck, Black-faced Cormorant, Nankeen Night-heron Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Plumed WD on Paradise Rd Lagoon, BF Cormorant on 15E Jetty (with the 4 other species of cormorant and Darters), immature Night-heron at corner 15E and 280S Dave Torr et al
	Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Greensborough Railway Station Two Scaly-breasted Lorikeets again seen in trees next to the station (by a work colleague while waiting for a city bound train this morning). Numerous Rainbow and some Musk Lorikeets about as well. Gary Backhouse per Martin O'Brien
Mon 6 Feb	Rufous Songlark Mooresford Track, Yalmy Rufous Songlark (1) female (small), clearly seen low in thick gully vegetation. Perched briefly and looked at me, then flew off showing rufous rump Janine Duffy
	Spotted Harrier Yalmy Rd south, Orbost, East Gippsland Spotted Harrier (1) flying low over farmland to east of Yalmy Rd at 9.29am. Harrier without white rump and with very black wingtips (see pic). Stayed around area for some minutes, at one point landing amongst grassy tussocks then flying around harrying again. Janine Duffy
	Spotted Quail-thrush Yalmy Rd south, Orbost, East Gippsland Spotted Quail-thrush (1) male, on roadside at 4.50pm. Ran into forest when we approached Janine Duffy
	Hoary-headed Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Intermediate Egret, Banded Stilt, Latham's Snipe, Little Te Hollands Landing Settlement Notable observations from today's outing included 220 Hoary-headed Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Intermediate Egret, a small party of 9 Banded Stilt, 17 Latham's Snipe and 5 Little Tern which regularly use Victoria Lagoon as a stopover when migrating west along the Gippsland coastline 13 BirdLife East Gippsland members per Len Axen
	Intermediate Egret Westgate Park During our regular monthly survey we saw a single Intermediate Egret, a first record we have of this species in the park. Andrew McCutcheon, Euan Moore & Rob Youl
	White-throated Needletail Marlo 400-450 White-throated Needletails were observed over the Marlo township this morning. Actively feeding at all levels, they remained over the Snowy River estuary for 2+ hrs until the slow moving high pressure system eventually forced them to move further east. Our largest number recorded so far this year. Len and Jacquie Axen
Sun 5 Feb	Little Tern, Australian Magpie Raymond Island Little Tern (1) on jetty timbers with Crested Terns, Silver Gulls and Little Pied Cormorants. Non-breeding plumage. See pic Australian Magpie several seen, including one family with 2 juveniles. One juvenile walked up to us as we were sitting watching an Echidna, then ran toward the Echidna, watched for a while with a fascinated look, then approached and appeared to probe in the ground several times, right next to the Echidna's beak. Echidna seemed completely unconcerned by all this. Magpie did not appear to glean any food, and then trotted off. Janine Duffy
	Nankeen Night-Heron, Azure Kingfisher, White-throated Gerygone, Western Gerygone, Leaden Flycatcher Yea Wetlands Hard going in the strong winds but some cracking birds. An adult and juvenile Nankeen Night-Heron, great long views of an Azure Kingfisher, brief views of both White-throated Gerygone and Western Gerygone and a pair of Leaden Flycatcher. Jackson Airey
Sat 4 Feb	Channel-billed Cuckoo Badger Creek Weir One bird observed in flight, flew across the main entrance road into the reserve. Chris Doughty, Christine Doughty and Kevin Miller
	Lewin's Rail, Turquoise Parrot, Sooty Owl, Pilotbird, Brown Gerygone, Beautiful Firetail Bunyip State Park Lewin's Rail (2) separate birds heard calling in sedgy creeklines along Bunyip River Rd Turquoise Parrot (3) male & female Labertouche Nth, another female along Bunyip River Rd Sooty Owl (1) falling bomb call heard 4 times plus much chittering from bird along creek below Helipad Pilotbird (7) 2 seen well, five others heard, mostly along Forest Rd in forest regenerating after Black Saturday. Dead canopy trees and 3-4m regrowth, birds heard and seen along drainage lines therein. Brown Gerygone (3) strange sight of 3 birds in open forest along edge of farmland, Tea Tree Rd. Beautiful Firetail (1) adult bird that landed in same tree as male Turquoise Parrot, Labertouche Nth. Others heard Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
	Painted Button-quail, Cicadabird Tarago State Forest Painted Button-quail - tiny chick on trackside, in regenerating Black Saturday forest. All dead canopy trees and 3-4m regrowth of Eucalyptus and Acacia. Adult bird heard clucking in scrub. Bird was stuck below steep enbankment and thus required assistance to be re-united with Mum. Cicadabird (2) pair seen along Forbidden Rd, others heard further west along Tarago Rd. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Tue 31 Jan	Little Black Cormorant Lake Hume, Tallangatta Very large flock of Little Black Cormorants and some Silver Gulls seen flying low (1 metre approx) along southern shoreline, 6 or seven abreast in easterly direction. Thousands of birds in large groups took approx 10 to 15 minutes to pass. Donald Mudge
Sun 29 Jan	White-winged Fairywren Mitiamo Following on from the sighting of another one on Thursday we again returned to Mitiamo and did locate another family of White-winged Fairywrens on private property which has the Bendigo Creek running through it. The creek is lined with lignum bush and the wrens were located in that. Sorry about the quality of the photo it was the best I could get. Greg McKay
Thu 26 Jan	White-winged Fairywren Mitiamo ! male with 2 females observed in lignum bush Elmor Mitiamo Rd, Mitiamo. Coming from Elmore dry swamp area 200mts before Bendigo Creek. Greg and Janice McKay

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