Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 23 Dec 2012.

Sun 23 Dec	Brown Gerygone, Black-faced Monarch Bunyip State Park Brown Gerygone in dense riparian scrub along Ash Landing Rd approximately a kilometre from Black Snake Creek Rd Black-faced Monarch in same location as previous reports on Ash Landing Rd just where it leaves Black Snake Creek Rd. Also a superb male Painted Button-quail on Link Rd and surprising absence of Cicadabird from all areas where recently reported. Scarlet Honeyeater numbers down and those that we found were all feeding on flowering mistletoe high in Mountain Ash forest on Ash Landing Rd. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Sun 23 Dec	Black-faced Monarch Bunyip State Park A great morning 'birding' with Steve Davidson(The Melbourne Birder). Highlights included the Black-faced Monarch, Brown Gerygone, Rose Robin(a spanking male in the sunlight), Red-browed Treecreeper, Scarlett HE, Bassien Thrush, Beautiful Firetail and close up views of a Painted Button-quail. Thank you Steve for locating my targets I wanted to photograph! Bernie O'Keefe
	Latham's Snipe,Buff-banded Rail,Spotted& Baillon's Crakes,Great Crested Grebe. Blue Waters Lake, Ocean Grove. 4 Snipe & individuals of the previously mentioned species observed this morning. ( Snipe unusualy approachable)! Denis Sleep
Sat 22 Dec	Common Koel Torquay Male seen today after being heard for "weeks" in the same area near Taylor Park Per Rob Ganly
	Koel Glen Iris/Malvern Koel woke me at 5:20am. Continued calling for 25 minutes. Fiona Parkin
Fri 21 Dec	Pectoral Sandpiper Old Ocean Road (Gellibrand River-Princetown) Pectoral Sandpiper (2) 2 birds with red kneed dotterrels, photos on Flickr First pond on old ocean road Andrew Bell
	Budgerigar, Peaceful Dove, Brush Cuckoo Brisbane Ranges A morning's birding in the Brisbane Ranges area produced a surprise sighting of 2 Budgerigar in grassy woodland along Reid's Rd at the northern end of the ranges near the park entrance, a Peaceful Dove along Murphy's Rd near Thomson Rd, and a Brush Cuckoo calling strongly in dry ridge forest along the south-east end of Thomson's Rd. Also seen were three pairs of Spotted Quail-thrush on Thomson's Rd and Fairley Track and many White-winged Triller and Rufous Songlark vocalising and displaying along Reid's Rd. Steve Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
	Eastern Osprey Koonya Beach, Mornington Peninsula National Park One bird seen flying east along the dunes at the back of the beach. Val Ford
	Ruddy Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit Western Treatment Plant A quick visit to WTP this afternoon was worthwhile with Ruddy Turnstones(2) located on the rocks 100 metres up from the boat ramp at end of Beach Rd towards Werribee. Also, a single Black-tailed Godwit directly in front of the bird hide (15 metres away) enabled fantastic viewing and photos. Bernie O'Keefe
	Cape Barren Goose Ricketts Point, Beaumaris 1 lone Cape Barren Goose, keeping close to the swans Increase in swans, now numbering 96. only 2 with collars.. Kim Croker #2538
	Topknot Pigeon Fairy Dell Scenic Reserve near Bruthen East Gippsland Four birds seen flying south from Dell and one bird found at the Dell. They are hard to find in the dense rainforest gully. However their slow and heavy wing beats are easily heard when they fly, giving an opportunity to find them. Other species present include Black-faced Monarch, Rufous Fantail, Rose Robin, Brown Gerygone, Large-billed Scrubwren and Lewin's Honeyeater. The Topknot Pigeons appear to be feeding on berries of the Blue Olive-berry (Elaeocarpus reticulatus). John Hutchison
Thu 20 Dec	Pomarine Jaeger (Possible) Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Pomarine Jaeger (1) Was driving along coast track near the Lake Borrie outlet when I noted a significant skirmish happening in front of me between a jaeger like bird and several gulls. They were above the track so I stopped the car to grab a quick photo to confirm later the identity of the bird. Photo submitted to Steve Davidson and also seen by Jeff Davies. Both are of the opinion that it was possibly a Pomarine Jaeger and not the usually seen Arctic Jaeger. Another aspect of the possible identity was the larger and more angular wingspan than we are accustomed to seeing with Arctics on outer Corio Bay. Hedley Earl
Wed 19 Dec	Black-faced Cormorant, Eastern Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone Western Treatment Plant, Werribee All five cormorant species including one Black-faced together at the Eastern end of the plant where the extension of 15 East Rd meets the sea. Also one Ruddy Turnstone and one Eastern Curlew seen on and near the rocks where the terns like to roost (close to Beach Rd entrance). Dirk Tomsa
Wed 19 Dec	Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Penola-Casterton Road At least 80 possibly up to 100 Reds found just west of the recently burnt area in forest and along Cemetery Track. Observed for at least half and hour but moving around alot so very hard to get accurate count. Feeding on messmate nuts. Tim Mckellar, Ian Davies and Kay Campbell
	Freckled Duck Lake Guyatt - Sale Sighted approx 70 Freckled Duck, close to walking path, at the end of the car park at Lake Guyatt. Locals stated approx 300+ most days. They leave the lake around 3pm in the afternoons and are usually back at Lake Guyatt in the morning. John & Leah Beekman
	Red Wattlebird X Noisy Miner Little River There was a hybrid Red Wattlebird x Noisy Miner in roadside trees along Edgar's Rd near the corner of Mouyong Rd north of Little River township yesterday. Don't know of any occurrences since the one at the WTP in the eighties (?). Couldn't get a photo but it had the darkish head (not full black hood) and yellow eye skin of a miner plus streaked back & underparts and long tail of a wattlebird. Weird beast it was.. Steve Davidson -The Melbourne Birder
	Intermediate Egret Ricketts Point 2 Intermediate Egrets, roosting on rocks at high tide. Both in breeding plumage to some degree (reddish bill and legs) with one having traces of the breeding 'flush' in its plumes. Also a Sooty Oystercatcher which has lost a leg. Apparently the bird has been around for a while. 83 Black Swans also counted resting here- a large number for this site. Sean Dooley
Tue 18 Dec	Olive-backed Oriole Hamilton-Coleraine Rail Reserve (Balkins Rd Area) Olive-backed Oriole (1) heard in large red gum for approx 10mins Samantha Greiner
Tue 18 Dec	Freckled Duck Nelson Estuary 87 Freckled Duck resting on the sandbars with other duck sps in the Nelson Estuary. Only very small numbers reported from this site in the past. Robert Farnes
	Australian Painted Snipe Black Swamp, Boorhaman East Australian Painted Snipe (8) At least 8 seen in several small groups on south side of swamp. Daniel Pendavingh
	Plumed Whistling-Duck, Freckled Duck Boort 10' Cell Wetland on Dalgleish Rd west of Boort. Plumed Whistling-Duck (15) Possibly more on distant bank Freckled Duck (2) Seen well with binos. Reasonable photos. Malcolm Cousland
	Little Tern Lake Tyers, East Gippsland Four Little Tern flying over beach area heading out to see for a fish. (Moderator's note: a vulnerable species in Victoria that is worth reporting). Faye Bedford
	Pied Honeyeater Crusoe Res . Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo. A single bird well south of its range. Was attracted by its incessant calling. Good clear observation from apro x 30 metres for 10 mins or so. Was grub eating at one stage. I n the area were Crested Shrike Tit, Rufous whistlers, Grey shrike Thrush. A crested bellbird was calling in the area also.. I took notes of the sighting. Ken Dredge
	Latham's Snipe, Freckled Duck Spavin Drive Dam, Sunbury Two Latham's Snipe sighted at the northern inlet drain. These birds have been present for the last three weeks (or more). Three Freckled Duck roosting on the northern shore. Chestnut Teal, Black Duck, Hardhead and Wood Duck with seven young also present. Gerard O'Neill
Mon 17 Dec	Koel Anglesea Heard calling near Anglesea caravan park and Anglesea River Alison Watson
	Caspian Tern Elwood Foreshore A single Caspian Tern was fishing about 30m off shore from Point Ormond. Gio Fitzpatrick
	Glossy Ibis, Pectoral Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Glossy Ibis (1) Pond 85WC-9 Pectoral Sandpiper (1) Paradise Pond, peninsula Gina Hopkins
	Topknot Pigeon Marlo A tightly knit group of 33 Topknot Pigeons were observed continuously circling above the Marlo-Cape Conran road near "French's Narrows" around noon today. By far the largest number that we have recorded so far this year. A smaller group was subsequently seen flying in an easterly direction over Marlo around sunset tonight. Jacquie and Len Axen
	Gilbert's Whistler, Painted Honeyeater Mt.Korong Nature Conservation Reserve I recommend this place to anyone wanting to see great birds. These two birds were easily found on the track on east side of the reserve. Both calling loudly and allowed close up photos. I heard a number of other painted HE's. Bernie O'Keefe
	Orange Chat Lake Lookout, Kerang area Many Orange Chats sighted. Once you enter the gate follow track up 100 metres and the birds should be there on the left. It is a small area so they were easy to find. A very poor road leading into the area but it was worth it Bernie O'Keefe
	Hooded Plover; Kelp gull Picnic Bay, Wilson's Promontory Single Hooded Plover at back of beach nearby in scrape in sand at base of dunes were two eggs (image attached). Also seen on beach was a pair of Sooty Oystercatchers and a single Kelp Gull among a flock of 20+ Silver Gulls. [Moderator's Note: This report has been forwarded to Paul Manley
Sun 16 Dec	Mallee Emu Wrens Nowingi Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park A party of Mallee Emu Wrens sighted approximately 100 metres in from the southern end of Nowingi Track. Group of approximately six birds with two adult males. Male briefly hopped out of the Triodia onto a low mallee branch allowing the attached photograph. Martin Stokes
	Orange Chat Lake Tyrell I counted 27 birds, possibly a lot more on the northern side of the western track around the lake. Black-faced Woodswallows & usual White-winged Fairywrens & Rufous Fieldwrens about. Kevin Bartram
	Freckled Duck Lake Lorne 30+ birds, with a couple of males in breeding colour Carolyn Edwards
	Painted Honeyeater Forest Camp, Killawarra section, Warby - Ovens NP, Four birds feeding on mistletoe berries near the picnic shelter. Euan Moore & Jenny Rolland
	Australian Painted Snipe Black Swamp Natural Features Reserve, Boorhaman East At least 10 birds along the edge of the water on the southern side of the swamp. Euan Moore & Jenny Rolland
Sat 15 Dec	White-throated Needletail Marlo 30+ WTNTs were observed circling over the Snowy River estuary early this afternoon. Second only sighting so far this year. Jacquie and Len Axen
	Black Honeyeaters Long Lake Road, Lake Boga Several good stands of Emu Bush still flowering along Long Lake Road, Lake Boga. Many Black Honeyeaters actively calling and feeding amongst them. Seem to have moved on from Goschen. Interestingly saw many males (hard to count as so active but estimate 12 - 15) but only one female. Martin Stokes
	Brown Songlark French Island Paddocks, Mosquito Creek Road. There seem to be less Brown songlarks calling on the island recently, but still some there. I am surprised that no records coming in from Phillip Island or Mornington Peninsula Chris Chandler
Thu 6 Dec	Brown Songlark French Island Long grass paddock, Ten Chain Rd, south coast French Island Chris Chandler

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

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 

http://birding-aus.org
===============================