Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 4 Aug 2013.

Sun 4 Aug	Black Falcon Woodlands Historic Park (Greenvale) Black Falcon (1) bird seen in back paddock, not great pictures taken but have been confirmed as a black by a few other birders will attach photos to birdline if it gets approved, only the 3rd record on eremaea in 20 years! Philip Peel
Sun 4 Aug	Freckled Duck, Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeet, Silver Gull Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park (Chiltern) Dull, cold and cloudy around Chiltern this morning but some great birds were seen. At No.2 dam there were 7 Freckled Ducks which included some immature birds. At Bartleys Block 4 Swift Parrots flew quickly over early in the morning. Great views were had of three of the released captive-bred Regent Honeyeaters nearby as well. Also two firsts for Chiltern today. A Silver Gull was observed at No.1 dam, never seen them here before. Also a single Rainbow Lorikeet over Chiltern town with a Musk Lorikeet. This is the first record for Chiltern. This species is very rarely seen in North East Victoria. Michael Ramsey - Bronzewing Birding Services
	Olive-backed Oriole Gateway Sanctuary, Leopold Olive-backed Oriole (1) Male. On Bellarine Hwy side of the park. David Fleming
Sat 3 Aug	Blue-winged Parrot, Freckled Duck, Spotted Harrier & Black Falcon Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Counted exactly 50 Blue-winged Parrots together in former ICI herbfield south of T-Section, around 30 Freckled Ducks on Lake Borrie & Walsh's Lagoons, 2 adult Spotted Harriers Murtcaim area and 2 Black Falcons were highlights of a very cold wet day. John Barkla & Ruth Akie
Thu 1 Aug	Australian Spotted Crake Herriotts Glen Reserve Australian Spotted Crake (1) I was pleasantly surprised to find a Spotted Crake here. On some exposed mud in a heavily vegetated area by a drain that runs into the eastern side of the southern waterway. David Fleming
Wed 31 Jul	Rose Robin Castlemaine Botanic Gardens The Rose Robin I reported on the 2nd of this month is still here. Sighted today near the old fish hatchery shed. The male has become quite used to being approached and its quiet easy to get to within 5 mtrs when you find him (walk just off the tracks and watch for a bird flying from the ground to low tree branches). Also seen today with him but a lot shyer and higher up in the trees was a female. Greg McKay
	Diamond Firetails Guilford Iintersection of Newstead Guilford Rd with Stewarts Rd at the railway crossing.First noticed 2 birds on power line and then 2 more on a fence when I stopped for a look at least another 20 flushed from the paddocks both sidse of the road that were ground feeding. Greg McKay
	Striped Honeyeater, Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, Banded Lapwing. Wyperfeld National Park (Casuarina Area) Great views of a pair of Striped Honeyeaters feeding on saltbush/samphire berries this morning at the Campground. Major Mitchell's Cockatoo at the Snowdrift Picnic Area & returning along the Outlet Creek Track we were able to get very close to and photograph a Banded Lapwing. Keith & Judy Humphreys
	Spotted Harrier Braeside Park Single bird sighted amongst trees West of Red Gum Trail halfway between Sherry's Bridge and Red Gum Picnic Area. Dark wing tips and barred tail clearly visible but uncertain if sub-adult or adult bird. First seen as it moved in from paddock beyond into tree area gliding just metres from ground to land on a log then after a minute moved 100m or so further north to land once again. Also observed single Little Eagle(pale morph) gliding about over Eastern woodlands and paddocks beyond, plus single Brown Goshawk operating North of vehicle trail that runs from southern park entrance to park office. James Peake
	Rose Robin Glynns Reserve Rose Robin (1) Great views of a male. Grey back and rich, pink breast seen really well. Interesting to see it flicking the wings forward when perched. Unfortunately didn't have the camera with me. Wonder if it's the same one from Pound Bend which is just across the river. Owen Lishmund
Tue 30 Jul	Long-billed Corella Jumping Creek Reserve (Warrandyte State Park) Long-billed Corella in a tree hollow along the Yarra river. No previous reports of a Long-billed Corella at this site. D & S Redman
	Australasian Bittern Braeside Park Seen on the flooded paddock, to the west of the large lake close to Grosvenor Rd as it was flushed, probably by the Swamp Harrier, together with about 30 Purple Swamphen. Large bird with heavy and slow wing beats which then dropped down into another flooded area out of sight. Bruce Wedderburn
	Swift Parrot Muckleford Saw two swifties this morning flying overhead. Heard more in bush behind Golf Course Debbie Worland
	White-bellied Sea Eagle Karkarook Pk, Moorabbin A Sea Eagle was flying over Karkarook Pk, Moorabbin this morning, being harassed by a large group of Magpies, Ravens & others. Brian Johnston
Mon 29 Jul	Red-necked Avocet Crusoe Reservoir, Bendigo A pair of rather nervous avocets at edge of lake this morning. At one stage they were flushed by a swooping Masked Lapwing. Noel Young
	Barn Owl Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Mid-morning visit to check out a few special birds. Barn Owl flushed from a eucalyptus tree around Ryans Swamp. Hedley Earl & Irena Earl
	Orange Chat, Brown Songlark. Murray-Sunset National Park What seemed to be unseasonal sightings today after strong northerly winds yesterday. Returning from the Shearers Hut along North-South Settlement Road through saltbush habitat we encountered a male & female Orange Chat near the T-intersection with the Millewa Road. Great views with our binoculars as they hopped around on the road less than 20 metres away. Too slow with the camera. Dozens of male Songlarks singing loudly while doing their usual hovering flight display. It felt as though Spring had arrived a month early. Keith & Judy Humphreys
	Speckled Warbler You Yangs Regional Park Two Speckled Warbler at the stockyards. Angus Hartshorn
	Australasian Bittern Braeside Park Australasian Bittern flushed on the Governor Rd side of the big lake. Slow, heavy and low flight towards the Woodlands Industrial Estate. Brett Harman
	Cape Barren Goose North Geelong industrial area Flying very low honking through industrial area flying north at 8:00 am this morning. Rodney Long
Sun 28 Jul	Barn Owl Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Outing with a few members from facebook page Australian Birds, Barn Owl (1) Flushed from tree in ryans swamp, followed and photographed it many times as it was attacked by small birds Philip Peel
Sun 28 Jul	Grey Goshawk Fourth Street, Black Rock Grey Goshawk (1). One white morph clearly seen and heard in neighbours backyard throughout the day, then seen flying over our house on Beach Road. A very amazing and unexpected sighting! Matthew Roach
Sat 27 Jul	Southern Giant-Petrel, Northern Giant-Petrel Port Campbell National Park (The Grotto) Morning Tourist visit. Cool and Breezy. Many Albatross off-shore and several (3-4) imm Giant Petrels. Southern Giant-Petrel (1) Single Adult: Pale morph found on water afterwards while scanning photos to determine bill colours Northern Giant-Petrel Various dark immature birds. Scanning enhanced photos some show 'Reddish' bill tips rather than 'Greenish' Gavin and Mal
Fri 26 Jul	Diamond Dove Lake Rowan A single Diamond Dove seen by the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road near Christian Street. A small population is possibly present in this local area with some earlier records this year nearby at St James. Michael Ramsey
	Australian Pelican Goorambat Approx 100 pelicans in a paddock on our family property - they have been swimming in the broken creek , circling around until there are many fish inside the circle, then feasting. This is an unusually large number of these birds, which are generally only seen here in pairs or small groups. [Moderator's Note: Not far are the Winton Wetlands where there are currently hundreds. MR] Gerard Lomer
	Freckled Duck Mill Park Lakes 7 Freckled Ducks, more than 10 Blue-billed Ducks (some of them displaying), 8 Australasian Shovelers, 1 Pink-eared Duck and 6 Black-tailed Native-hen were all seen during a short afternoon stroll. Falk Wicker
Thu 25 Jul	Satin Bowerbird (female) Upper Beaconsfield One female flew across the road on Salisbury Rd, a few hundred metres outside of township. Greg Cobern
	Eastern Osprey Point Nepean Yesterday, Thursday 25 July, David Stabb and I saw one of the two or three Ospreys being reported from the Pt. Nepean National Park on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, and this in spite of a very limited time schedule. We started our search at the point at about 10.45 and worked back from there and departed just after seeing an adult bird at 12.45 on the coast below Cheviot Hill, the site of most observations. The bird was not visible from the lookout itself and we needed to reposition ourselves several times in order to view the beach and lower cliffs. It was a pleasant day made more so by other birds such as single pairs of Sooty Oystercatchers, Kelp Gulls and Peregrine Falcons, 5 Black-faced Cormorants and offshore 5 Shy Albatrosses amid 50 Gannets. Mike Carter and David Stabb
	Superb Fairy-Wren Western Plantation You Yangs A white Superb Fairy-Wren (probably a leucino) . It did have some blueish biack in tail and black bill and eye. By its active behaviour and bill colour l expect it's a male bird. It appeared very confident and was in a flock of 10 birds .It appears very conspicuous which makes me wonder how it's surviving. Also nearby were 4 male Flame Robins in a row atop a wire fence making a striking display. Trevor Lumb
	Chestnut-crowned Babbler, Regent Parrot Lake Cullulleraine Good dry country birding at this location today. Highlight was a large group of Chestnut-crowned Babblers in the saltbush adjacent to the Lake, East of Lock 9 road. This species is not currently listed for this location. Also a flock of 20+ Regent Parrots passing low overhead. Keith & Judy Humphreys
Wed 24 Jul	Swift Parrot Paddys Ranges State Park Saw three, could have been more. Seemingly feeding on lerp near Possum Gully Tk, on the western side of the park. Crested Bellbird calling also. Rustem Upton
	White-browed Treecreeper, Gilbert's Whistler. Yarrara Bushland Reserve Very enjoyable Winter birding at Yarrara this morning. Highlights were White-browed Treecreeper, Gilbert's Whistler, Crested Bellbird, Hooded Robin & Splendid Fairy Wren. Keith & Judy Humphreys
	Grey Currawong Mattamia Lane entrance to Killawarra Forest section of Warby-Ovens National Park A solitary bird has been seen along the laneway several times over the past week, arriving just ahead of the cold weather and rain to actively forage on the ground beneath tall stands of box and ironbark. Rare visitor here. Cath and Richard Watter
	Plumed Whistling-Ducks Corner of Yarrawonga-Wangaratta and Tungamah Roads, Peechelba Flock of 200 or more roosting on banks of farm dam, clearly visible from roadside. Cath and Richard Watter
	Freckled Duck Woodlands Industrial Estate, Braeside Freckled Duck (25) Possibly a few more. On lake nearest to Braeside Pk. David Fleming
Tue 23 Jul	Zebra Finch, Wedge-tailed Eagle Epping North Four days spent working in the Lyndarum Estate. Generally cold and windy. Zebra Finch (4) 2 males with 2 females feeding where the grassland meets the new houses. Wedge-tailed Eagle (1) Low over new houses on far northern section of Edgars Rd. Bernie McRitchie
Mon 22 Jul	Swift Parrots Anakie Primary School Heard approx 10 swifties in school grounds Debbie Worland
Fri 19 Jul	Hooded Plover Ocean Grove 2 Hooded Plovers on beach at Ocean Grove near the 11W marker Debbie Worland
Tue 16 Jul	Swift Parrots Yellow Gum Estate (Ocean Grove) Heard at least 20 swifties in Yellow Gum, lerp on some leaves Debbie Worland
Mon 15 Jul	Swift Parrots Anakie Primary School Approx 20 swifties in school grounds Debbie Worland

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