Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 22 Apr 2012.

Sun 22 Apr	Grey Goshawk, Australian Hobby Serendip Sanctuary, Lara A real treat this morning around 8:30am - we saw an Australian Hobby harassing and pursuing a Grey Goshawk. We were initially alerted to the disturbance by the alarm calls of small bush birds, then we heard the strident call of the Hobby. After a bit of zig-zagging through the sky, with the Goshawk attempting to out-manoeuvre the Hobby, we eventually saw the Goshawk fly off to the east and out of the park with the Hobby in hot pursuit. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Swift Parrot, Singing Honeyeater Rutherglen I was quite surprised to see a flock of 15 Swift Parrots high up heading south-east (probably to Chiltern) over Great Southern Rd near Rutherglen. I have never seen them around this area before. A Singing Honeyeater was also observed on the outskirts of Rutherglen in some flowering gums, a very rare bird in north-east Victoria. Some other interesting birds seen during the morning were a Spotted Harrier and Pied Butcherbirds at Lake Moodemere. At Boorhaman North some Grey-crowned Babblers, Apostlebirds and a flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks were also seen. Michael Ramsey - Bronzewing Birding Services
	Swift Parrot Muckleford Heard approx 10 to 20 swifties this morning near Castlemaine Golf Course. Debbie Worland
Sat 21 Apr	Olive Whistler, Pink Robin, Forest Raven Distillery Creek, Aireys Inlet These birds seen at Ironbark Gorge, a pleasant walk up from Distillery Creek Picnic Ground John Newman
	Freckled Duck Western Treatment Plant, Werribee One recently dead, no head or feet. 280 South Road. Debbie Lustig and Rustem Upton
	Diamond Firetail Serendip Sanctuary, Lara Diamond Firetail (2) Two Diamond Firetails seen on the track at the far end of the kangaroo enclosure. The first time that we have recorded this species at Serendip. Paul Dodd & Ruth Woodrow
	Spotted Quail-thrush (3), Painted Button-quail(3), Australian Owlet-nightjar, Speckled Warbler, Brisbane Ranges National Park A beautiful morning in the Brisbane Ranges yielded the above-mentioned treats, the highlight being fantastic looks at a pair of Spotted Quail-thrush foraging, oblivious to our presence; another was flushed nearby. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
	Regent Honeyeater, Brush Cuckoo, Rose Robin Chiltern Highlights of a tour around Chiltern this morning were sensational views of a pair of Regent Honeyeaters, a Brush Cuckoo (likely on migration, not usual here) and a lovely male Rose Robin. Michael Ramsey - Bronzewing Birding Services
Fri 20 Apr	Double-banded Plover and Wood Sandpiper Frogmore Swamp, Moolort Plains Single birds feeding in shallow pools on margins of wetland. Plover seen on previous day - possibly a juvenile bird. Single Wood Sandpiper observed at the wetland in late November also. Geoff Park
	grey currawong Morrah St Hastings One grey currawong sitting on my back fence.First time sighted in my back yard after 30 years of observing here. S & S King
	Flame Robin, Black-fronted Dotterel. Bungaree, Bullarook. 2 Female Flame Robins seen on farm fence along Wades Lane Bullarook. Also saw 2 Black-fronted Dotterels feeding along the edge of a farm dam in Reidy's Road Bungaree. First time I have seen either of these species in this area. Warren Palmer
	Swift Parrot Malahang Park, Southern Rd, Heidelberg West 8 Swifties in flowering Mugga Ironbark beside the skate park at about 1330 hrs. Also visited other flowering eucalypts in the park, their calling interrupting my skateboarding session! Peter Menkhorst
Thu 19 Apr	Scarlet Honeyeater Axedale, Central Vic Single Male Scarlet Honeyeater visiting our dry woodland block in the late afternoon is quite remarkable. After a very brief visit for a drink, it could not be re-located. Many Grey Box and numerous Eremophila, Grevillea and other natives in flower at present. We have had 10 honeyeater species on our property this month, but this - at the very limit of its range - was the best. Bob Cook
	Blue-winged Parrot Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Blue-winged Parrot (50) The BWPs were a nice mix of adults, immatures and some very young birds. Hedley Earl
	Weebill, Swift Parrot Newport Lakes Park 14+ Swift Parrot wheeling about and calling with separate group of at least eight seen, then 4 and then 2. 2 Weebill In eucalypts northwest of Amphitheatre with several Grey Fantail, Silvereye, Spotted Pardalote etc. First record here. Steve Davidson
Wed 18 Apr	Swift Parrot Mulga Dam, Kamarooka Sighted 6 Swift Parrots in a large dead tree adjacent to Mulga Dam today at 2pm. Lots of honeyeaters feeding on flowering mallee in the Kamarooka area. Ian Miles
	Swift Parrot Ocean Grove 30+ Swifties feeding with Purple-crowned & Musk Lorikeets, Woodlands Estate. Denis Sleep
	Weebill Mont Albert North A group of about 6 feeding in eucalypts in Koonung Creek Reserve. Knud Hansen
	Swift Parrot Kingower State Forest Swift Parrot (4) Pigeon Rd west of Plantation Rd. Group - fairly quiet and only seen perched or flying. Malcolm Cousland
	Common Sandpiper Tidal creek at far western end of Jawbone Reserve, Williamstown (near Maddox Rd unsealed section) This is the first Common Sandpiper I have seen around Melbourne for some years. [Moderator: This is a very late report as most have already flown north.] Richard Nowotny
	Flame Robin Wilson Reserve Ivanhoe Hawking from dead trees in Reedy Lagoon - south end of playing fields. Peter Thomson
Tue 17 Apr	Broad-billed Sandpiper, Blue-winged Parrot Western Treatment Plant, Werribee One Broad-billed Sandpiper seen among Red-necked Stint at the Western Lagoons. 14 Blue-winged Parrots along Austin Rd. Several Fairy Tern seen on the Spit, two White-winged Black Tern on Lake Borrie. Couldn't find any Freckled Duck. Gina Hopkins & Jenny Flood
Sun 15 Apr	Powerful Owl (large juvenile) Fairways Boulevard, Craigieburn Large juvenile powerful owl ( lots of white within the banding fits the description) sighted flying overhead heading south towards city. Was being harassed by a large conspiracy of ravens, counted 18 of them. Lots of swooping and intimidating with the owl making the occasional evasive manoeuvre. Owl was not letting them distract it too much. Quite spectacular to see. Made my day. Jenni Davis
	Blue-faced Honeyeater Newstead township Single bird seen high up in Yellow Gum behind our house. My last local record was in the same spot on March 10th 2010. Geoff Park
Sat 14 Apr	Peregrine Falcon, Australian Owlet-nightjar Mt Cole Peregrine Falcon (1) Viewed from the top of Ben Nevis with the Wedge-tailed eagles Australian Owlet-nightjar Steve & Judi Duke
Fri 13 Apr	Scarlet Robin Hamilton A male Scarlet Robin spent at least Friday 13th in my suburban Hamilton garden. I was away on the weekend so don't know how long it stayed. I heard it in the morning and saw it in the late afternoon. This is the first I've seen in town in the 30 years I've been here. It is possibly still around because I think I heard it again this (Monday) morning. Steve Clark
Mon 9 Apr	White-bellied Sea-Eagle Eildon An immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle was seen in trees normally occupied by Whistling Kites. Location was at the bottom of McKay Crt, on the east side of the Pondage, where the spillway and power station outflows converge. Richard Case
Wed 4 Apr	Singing Honeyeater Cherry Lake (Altona) 20/4/2012 Singing Honeyeater - north of the lake's levee bank, near the south-east corner of Drake Boulevard, is a small dam surrounded by a cyclone fence. One of these birds that hangs around here appears to be a pale morph/mutation. Peter Booth

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

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