Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 5 May 2013.

Sun 5 May	Freckled Ducks Lake Guyatt, Sale A good-sized flock of grey-brown ducks was resting at the far end of a large mud-bank. All were resting with heads turned onto their backs, but the characteristic triangular peak on the head was present. Many had heads somewhat darker than the body and several had a slightly rufous tone on the breast. When a Pelican came ashore and walked through the flock, a few raised their heads very briefly and the characteristic dished profile was seen. I counted about 45. Anthea Fleming
	Freckled Duck & Pink eared Duck Serendip Sanctuary, Lara 5 Pink-eared Duck and 3 Freckled Duck spotted from hide on North Arm. Andre & Maria Rasquinha
	Olive-tailed Thrush (Bassian Thrush) Oswin Roberts Reserve, Phillip Island Two Bassian thrush foraging near the southern car park.Not often reported or seen on the island. Derek & Sally Whitehead
Fri 3 May	Australasian Bittern Western Treatment Plant, Werribee A visit to T-Section to look for the Australasian Bittern (and Western Lagoons). Strong N wind Australasian Bittern (1) It's still there. A long search, finally flushed at NE corner of Austin Rd Pond 2. It flew towards T-Section Angus Hartshorn
Fri 3 May	Freckled Duck, Black Falcon Thompsons (Bream) Creek, Connewarre While canoeing Thompsons Creek came across a single Freckled Duck, was able to get very close. Black Falcon flying low across swamp scattering Red-kneed Dotterels everywhere. Rodney Long
	Swift Parrot, Freckled Duck Serendip Sanctuary, Lara 3 Swifties in flowering gums along path towards Ponding Site, then flew to Red Gums near the lake. At least 13 Freckled Duck on the lake along with large numbers of other waterfowl. Also Black-Chinned Honeyeaters, Little Eagles, Crested Shrike-tit, etc. Simon Starr
Thu 2 May	Australasian Bittern Western Treatment Plant (T-Section Ponds) Flushed from reeds at pond 4 and chased first by a harrier and then by a whistling kite, flew towards drain opposite gate 2 entrance and disappeared. Wayne Butterworth
	Red-capped Robin 5km north west of Bairnsdale An adult female observed on the farm. An adult female also obsvered at the same location two weeks ago, so possibly the same individual. Rohan Bilney
	Powerful Owl Marong Primary School First reported to Emma Wolters by the principal of the school. Kids in the playground sighted it in a peppercorn tree near Bullock creek. Subsequent inspection by Emma confirmed the sighting. It flew off upstream of the creek under escort by several Noisy Miners. Adrian Martins via Emma Wolters
	Banded Stilt Clayton Banded Stilt (1) Sighted on the lake/dam at the rear of Lantrack quarry, Sth Clayton. Single bird, in the shallows, inter mingling with ~50 Pacific Gulls, ~100 Silver Gulls and 2 Pelicans. The closest record to here I could find for the Banded Stilt is Ricketts Point, 2004. David Fleming
Wed 1 May	Freckled Duck Winton Wetlands (Dam Wall and Borrow Pits) Three members surveyed sites around the south-west side of the Reserve for our quarterly atlassing. The weather was cool and breezy; clouds clearing about 1pm. Two spotting scopes used. Report by V. La May, M & A Kerr. BirdLife Murray Goulburn
Wed 1 May	Double-banded Plover Winton Wetlands (Boat Ramp) Six members in 2 teams surveyed sites around the Reserve for our quarterly atlassing. This list is the significant sightings en route to atlas sites. The weather was cool and breezy; clouds clearing about 1pm. BirdLife Murray Goulburn
	Swift Parrot Bell Avenue, Altona 2 Swifties over flying South East. Also imm Golden Whistler in my garden for the second day this week. Colin Clark
	Diamond Dove St James A single bird sitting quietly on a farm gate on the east edge of town. Michael Ramsey
	Freckled Duck Barmah Lakes Camp Ground 3 Freckled Ducks on Moira Lake at Barmah Lakes Camp area, 7km north of Barmah Marlene Lyell per Jenny Spry
	Pink-eared Ducks Mill Park Lakes A quick walk around the lakes before going to the dentist. Two Pink-eared Ducks flew in and landed right in front of me (within 20m) just before the rain came. SKI
Tue 30 Apr	Freckled Duck Jells Park Freckled Duck on log near the island in the south-east corner of the lake. Brendan McDonald
	Spotted Harrier Patterson Road, Clyde A single bird flying alongside road and creekline, following James' observation yesterday in Pearcedale and an unprecedented string of sightings in Melbourne's SE in recent times Stuart and Sam Cooney
Mon 29 Apr	Black Honeyeater Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park Black Honeyeater (1) Near the Barnawatha sewerage ponds while chasing down regent honeyeaters. Linda Hayes
Mon 29 Apr	Spotted Harrier Pearcedale, North Rd. Amazing close views of a Spotted Harrier working its way parallel to North rd heading West. First spotted when it crossed the rd in front of us shortly after we turned in from Craigs rd. It shadowed our vehicle for a few hundred metres partially crossing a number of times then fully crossing the rd to the South side where it was soon met by a pair of Magpies that then escorted it off in a Southward direction. Magic close views, but no camera :-( James Peake
	Pink-eared Duck Lakewood Reserve Knoxfield A pair has been present most of this year, but 6 loafing, then feeding today. The Australian Shelducks from yesterday were not evident today. Tony Bushell
Sun 28 Apr	Barking Owl, Speckled Warbler 'Kolora', Rochford, Macedon Ranges, Victoria Private land, no public access. Barking Owl Heard multiple times in evening, and over the past week. Speckled Warbler seen and photographed in cape-weed, travelling with little bird co-hort. Tania Begg
	Double-barred Finch Foothills Warby Ranges - Glenrowan 1 Double-barred Finch visited our bird bath along with our usual Red-browed Finches. Rarely seen here. Jan Osmotherly
	Speckled Warbler, GIlbert's Whistler, Chestnut-rumped Heath-wren etc Bailieston Historic Area (central section) Delighted to find 3 Speckled Warblers in the area. Quite a few birds around, including an adult male Gilbert's Whistler & Chestnut-rumped Heath-wren on the ridge. Also White-browed Woodswallows still about, Red-capped & Flame Robin, Noisy Friarbird, Black-chinned Honeyeater. Kevin Bartram
	Swift Parrot Whroo Information Centre A flock of 18 SPs flew around the information car park, to land in one large tree bursting with honeyeaters & silvereyes. The tree was directly above a tent set up for Orienteering event & was very busily frequented by lots of people. Despite this the Swift Parrots stayed, but it was difficult getting good photos out of it. Also Noisy Friarbirds all throughout area (including the Swift Parrot tree) & especially along the roadside between Rushworth Forest & Bailieston. Kevin Bartram
	Freckled Duck Lake Lorne, Drysdale 250+ (probably 50 or more in positions where they could not be easily counted). The ducks were mainly perched beneath the willows on small islands in the lake although some were out in the open. The rather poor photo included to give an indication of density of birds across the two small islands. Euan Moore
	Spotted Harrier,Little Eagle,Freckled Duck,Baillon's Crake Western Treatment Plant, Werribee 3 Spotted Harriers together at Paradise Rd, 2 Black-tailed Godwits (1 in full breeding), Freckled Duck (1 Nth Borrie, 40 Conservation pond E9), Little Eagle near Farm Rd, Baillon's Crake at Borrow Pits, 2 Brolga in 85WC-9. A pair of Grey Shrike Thrush was interesting, only the 2nd time I've seen this species at the farm. Large numbers of Banded Stilt in several locations, also many Black & Whistling kites. Flame Robins present, the list goes on..... Brian Johnston & Beth Carr
	Black Falcon, Spotted Harrier Western Treatment Plant Werribee It was, as noted by Gil Langfield on Thursday 25th, a good day for raptors. Seen today were 2 Black Falcons at the Lake Borrie Grasslands and 1 at Beach Rd. Spotted Harriers - 2 at Beach Rd (1 adult & 1 juv.,) also 1 adult at Kirk Pt and another adult at Paradise Rd. Elsewhere, a total of 10 Black Kites, 7 Brown Falcons, 1 Nankeen Kestrel, 1 Australian Hobby, 51 Whistling Kites, 11 Black-shouldered Kites, a minimum of 37 Swamp Harriers and two Wedge-tailed Eagles at the Lake Borrie Grasslands. Maarten Hulzebosch
Sat 27 Apr	White-bellied Sea Eagle Chiltern Mt Pilot NP A pair leisurely circling above Pipeline track near Magenta Mine site. Kate Daniel
	Black Kite Merri Creek, Fawkner A single bird seen drifting over Merri Creek at the end of Jukes Rd. Neil Macumber per Sean Dooley
Fri 26 Apr	Gang-gang Cockatoo Yandoit Creek, south of Newstead Family group of four feeding on Hawthorn berries. This is my first record of the species in almost 30 years in the district, although there have been a number of recent local reports. Geoff Park

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