Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria

Published sightings for the week ending 8 Dec 2013.

Sun 8 Dec	Peaceful Dove & Ruff Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Peaceful Dove seen about 4:00 pm, on post, boundary fence with Avalon Airport. Ruff where seen previously, about 100 m south of hide on pond between road and beach. Adriana Bianchi & Bill Ramsay
	Latham's Snipe. Heathdale Glen Orden Wetlands, Werribee 3030. At 1400 hours observed and/or flushed twenty one (21) Latham's Snipe at the Wetlands. This is the best number of Snipe I have observed at this reliable site. Peter Gibbons.
Sat 7 Dec	Australian Koel, Rufous Whistler, Rufous Fantail Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Beauteous conditions today in the gardens, truly a top shelf location. Not only was the koel seen but we had some other unusual birds for here in the shape of a Rufous Fantail and a Rufous Whistler. Sacred Kingfisher also still in situ. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Sat 7 Dec	Rufous Songlark Woodlands Historic Park (Greenvale) Rufous Songlark perched in dead tree near dam at southern end of the park. Richard Arnold
Sat 7 Dec	Ruff, Brown Songlark, Grey Plover Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Ruff seen in pond just south of hide, as reported previously. 1 unfortunate female/immature Brown Songlark found hit by a car on Beach Rd. Bird still alive, but eventually died. It's pretty sad with the number of roadkill animals around this area. 4-5 Grey Plovers on the Spit. 1 heavily moulting adult Spotted Harrier at the end of 29 mile Rd. 10 or so Turnstone and 1 Golden Plover on beach a few hundred metres north of 85W outlet on coast. Heaps of waders everywhere! Kevin Bartram, Scott Baker, Merv Marsh
	Rufous Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher, Sacred Kingfisher Shepherds Bush, Glen Waverley Shepherds Bush Conservation Area has been very productive suburban birding for the last few months. Recent arrivals include Rufous Fantail and Leaden Flycatcher, and Sacred Kingfishers, Shining Bronze-cuckoo and Olive Backed Oriole have all been present for a few months. There is also a pair of Tawny Frogmouths that have recently fledged and often roost close the to carpark out the front of the tennis club. The reserve is excessively overgrown and a number of snakes have been sighted over the last month, so watch your step! Luke Shelley
	Gang-gang Cockatoo Eynesbury Forest and Grasslands 1 male Gang-gang by the homestead. Nice surprise during lunch. Chris Lunardi
	Bar-tailed Godwit Barwon River Mouth 84 Godwits accompanied by upwards of 200 Red-Necked Stints. Also 3 Fairy Terns arrived as I was leaving. Denis Sleep
	White-winged Triller Merri Creek, Fitzroy Single, male Triller singing his lungs out in the Peppercorn trees immediately north of the St George's Rd bridge. An uncommon visitor to these parts. Stuart Dashper
Fri 6 Dec	Ruff, Cox's Sandpiper and Grey Plovers Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Finally found the elusive Ruff! Found it feeding alongside the coast road 100 metres south of bird hide. Cox's sandpiper feeding next to it and in the background on the shore 2 Grey Plovers. Hedley Earl & Irena Earl
Thu 5 Dec	Arctic Jaeger (18) Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Amazing sight of large number of skuas of various phases moving south-west along coast during foul weather. Watched from The Spit, the Hide and at east end of plant near 15E outlet. A few flew right past the front of the Hide and we could clearly see pointed tail streamers, although all looked to be this species. Also past the Hide in a south-westerly direction went 4 Sanderling and over 3000 other small waders during a 40 minute watch, a Ruff was in South Borrie Pond 26(near Beach Rd) and there were 2 Grey Plover on the North Spit. Could only find 3 Blue-billed Duck, and White-browed Woodswallow look to be nesting along Pt Wilson Rd near Paradise Rd entrance. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Thu 5 Dec	Pomarine Jaeger Point Addis 2 pale phase skuas, possibly immatures, seen flying past the point early this morning. Heavy-set and barrel-chested with broad wings, one of the birds clearly showed double pale patches on the underside of the primaries and underwing coverts, with large white flashes on uppersurface/base of primaries. Wingbeats were slow and deep. The other bird was further out and not seen well enough to note features, but looked a similar build. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Thu 5 Dec	Wood Sandpiper McDonalds Swamp, Cohuna 2 Woodies at McDonalds swamp near Cohuna. Seems to be a favoured site for them. Seen down the east side. Also adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle trying to catch ducks, and lots of BTNativehens and Red-kneed Dotts. Simon Starr with Trevor and Jennie Franks
	Beach Stone Curlew Nooramunga Marine Park (McLoughlins Beach) Seen in McLoughlins Beach boat ramp carpark by Parks Victoria Ranger David Farrar. Probably same bird seen at Pt Albert last week. Report listed by Jonathon Stevenson. Listed by Jonathon Stevenson
	White-throated Needletail Mallacoota - Township 10-12 White-throated Needletails preceding storm at 7.30 p.m. Eastern Koel also calling along Foreshore Caravan Park. Single Hooded Plover seen foraging yesterday. Arthur Carew
Wed 4 Dec	White-throated Needletail Greater Bendigo National Park A small party of 3 White-throated Needletail was seen early this afternoon heading south-east over Campbells Rd, with a loose flock of Fairy Martin. Steven Davidson - The Melbourne Birder
Wed 4 Dec	Common Koel, Little Tern. Marlo We seem to be encountering Koels everywhere we go on our three week trip to East Gippsland. There we three at Mallacoota two weeks ago, one at Cann River all of last week & two over the past five days at Marlo. Little Terns busy feeding their young at the sandspit near the Snowy River entrance. Keith & Judy Humphreys
	Nankeen Night -Heron Reed Vessel sculpture, Docklands This morning as I crossed the bridge over the Reed Vessel pond about 7am, there was a Nankeen Night-Heron sitting on the other end of the bridge. As I approached, it didn't fly off, but stepped down onto the concrete edge of the pond and walked a couple of metres down it. Never seen one here before, never seen one so approachable. Photo taken with phone. White-plumed Honeyeaters giving warning calls, maybe because of its presence. Peter Shute
Tue 3 Dec	Unusual wader - Cox's Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Highlight of the day was the discovery of an unusual wader whilst searching for the Ruff. With some help from Steve Davidson in reviewing our photos we determined the bird was a Cox Sandpiper. Distinctive features of the bird were the uniform grey brown colouring of its head and neck, slightly larger than sharpies around and it had a decurved bill like that of a curlew sandpiper. Photos taken of rear view plus side shots of head and neck. White-bellied Sea-Eagle (1) Very large specimen seen roosting on a post along South Rd Latham's Snipe Flushed 2 just inside Beach Rd gate Hedley and Irena Earl
	Common Koel Baranduda (Wodonga) A friend of mine has been mystified by a loud and annoying bird - his rendition sounded Koel - his sound bite confirmed this. Koels have been in the Wodonga/Albury region for the last 3 summers. Derek Bowey (per Matt Weeks)
	Australian Common Koel Ocean Grove, south of Thacker St Heard calling about 4.35am and is probably the same bird Barry Lingham heard last Sunday evening. Tom Fletcher
Mon 2 Dec	Brush Cuckoo Warrandyte State Park Bird calling in the afternoon. Would consider this an unusual record but second consecutive year have recorded this species at this location so perhaps becoming regular. Scott Baker
Sun 1 Dec	White-browed Woodswallow Licola Road , Glenmaggie North 50+ birds in burnt out bush alongside road - very active and vocal. Also present several Rufous Songlarks , 2 White-winged Trillers , Varied Sittella and a group of 5 Brown Treecreepers. Bush is re-generating well. Colin Mulvogue
	Nankeen Night-Heron Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary 5 Nankeen night-heron, otherwise pretty standard evening. I thought I saw a 6th but could only count 5. Adam Fry
	Silver Gull Banyule Flats Swamp For several years a single pair of Silver Gulls have made attempts to nest at Banyule Flats Swamp - usually in a lidless duck-box out in the water, once in the fork of a large dead Red Gum standing in the water. This year they squeezed into the mouth of a duck-box attached to the dead tree; it had been blocked from Common Mynahs and other pests with a large plastic jar. Today a young bird was resting on the log beneath the nest-box, with its parents in attendance. Two other adult Silver Gulls were also present -this is unusual. I have only once before seen a young Silver Gull here, some years ago. [Moderator: An interesting breeding report.] Anthea Fleming
Sat 30 Nov	White-throated Needletail Paradise Camp, Glenmaggie North 6 birds over ridge behind camp , at times just above tree tops. Joined by a large group of White-browed Woodswallows ( 50+) . Also at camp, Juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle , 1 Black-fronted Dotterel, family group of Jacky Winters, Rainbow Bee-Eaters and 1 White-throated Nightjar at dusk. Colin Mulvogue
Fri 29 Nov	White-winged Fairywren, Orange Chat Lake Tutchewop White-winged Fairywren (20) 3 mature males with their families and a number of other sightings where a male was not seen Orange Chat (14) one 'flock' of 8 and some others. Superb views. Angus Hartshorn
Thu 14 Nov	White-browed Woodswallow Marlo-Cabbage Tree Rd White-browed Woodswallow (4) or more, several clearly seen. Photographs taken (awful ones though! It was very dark, and it was only later I realised how special this sighting was). This little strip of cleared land surrounded by bush was absolutely pulsing with birdsong and life that morning, many drier-country species: male Rufous Songlarks, male White-winged Trillers, Jacky Winters, Pallid Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo, Dusky Woodswallows, Tree Martins and others. Amazing considering the warm temperate rainforest just up the road at Cabbage Tree Palms. Janine Duffy

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