Birdline Victoria
Published sightings for the week ending 28 Dec 2014.
Sun 28 Dec Baillon's Crake Lake Sambell, Beechworth
One sunning itself on marshy shore near caravan park, same place where
the Spotted Crake performed well last month. The Baillon's was also
here on 25 Dec. Other waterbirds include White-necked Heron,
Yellow-billed Spoonbill, etc. Crakes are scarce at this lake where
water levels have usually been higher than at present.
Richard Loyn & Debbie Tully
Sat 27 Dec Painted Honeyeater Buckland Gap near Beechworth
One in scattered trees in farmland, heard calling every day from 25
Dec.
Richard Loyn & Debbie Tully
Southern Boobook Woodlands Historic Park
Perched in tree just outside back-paddock fence on the East-West
firebreak. Just to the East of the sugar gum forest. First time I have
observed a Boobook at Woodlands
Richard Arnold
Magpie Goose Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)
11 seen in T-section, along with lots of Banded Stilts still. Some
White-winged terns amongst the Whiskered. At least 10 Cape Barren geese
around the plant
Dave Torr with Edith from California
Fri 26 Dec Australian Koel Traralgon
A male was heard from Kimberley Drive at 8:10am, calling intermittently
for about 10 minutes. Listened for it that evening at dusk, and the
following morning from 7:45 - 8:15am, but it was not heard again.
Tamara Leitch
Long billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop
Dowitcher still present on northern shoreline, and appears to be losing
color. Despite a day-long search by 5 groups of birders, the Phalarope
or Plover could not be located in the couple of hundred shorebirds
still present on the lake. Banded Stilts have departed.
John Daniels
Thu 25 Dec Eastern Koel, Gang-gang Cockatoo Hawthorn/Burnley/Toorak
Arrived at my parents' house in Hawthorn early this morning and decided
to go for a run to make room for the calories that will be consumed
later today. Their resident Koel was calling from his usual spot on the
corner of Manningtree Road and Through Street. As I ran city-bound
along the Yarra (beginning at Leonda) I heard another calling from just
south of MacRob Bridge, and then another only a matter of minutes
another calling from Como Park. On the way back I stopped running and
walked the short-cut past Burnley Golf Course, where I heard another
one calling to the north of Wallan Road. Although this is probably not
four separate birds, it's at least two, and probably three. As reported
several weeks ago, there are still several Gang-gangs at Burnley, with
4-5 birds immediately north of where the Glen Waverley and
Alamein/Belgrave lines diverge. I was too far away to determine sex or
age, but calls were unmistakable. Seems as though not all head back to
the hills after Winter.
John Gray
Wed 24 Dec Red-necked Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop
Very few migratory waders present early this morning. Whispered Terns
and Banded Stilts also low numbers. Red-necked Phalarope eventually
located at southern end of lake around 1130am (where previously
reported) an earlier sighting of bird in flight with flock of
Sharp-tailed Sandpipers at nearby Lake William was also considered
likely candidate. The Long-billed Dowitcher still present -seen resting
on Northern shore later in day.
Scott Baker, Tim Bawden
Eastern Koel (2) Little Lorikeets(3) Frankston North / Monterey Park /
Mallee Street
Three Little Lorikeets have been seen and heard over the last month in
the area with Musk Lorikeets, whose numbers have increased over the
last two months. Koel has been seen everyday since the 2nd Dec , has 3
favourite trees , one being in our backyard . As of this morning we now
have two Koels calling , one from the park and one in Mallee St.
calling starts around 3am , but on a positive note , saving power usage
,alarm has been disconnected and I'm starting work earlier.
Colin Mulvogue
Tue 23 Dec Eastern Koel Epping
Heard calling a few hundred metres from Epping train station about 9am.
Ian Sutherland
Freckled Duck Mcleods Morass
Located behind cattle sales yards in Bairnsdale. Bridge is closed but
you can still crossover by walking. Take the left hand track until you
come to bird hide. 20 + Frecked Ducks viewed.
Paul Nugent
Channel-billed Cuckoo McAlpin Reserve
Heard calling from a stand of trees just south of the dam, then seen
flying north.
Tamara Leitch
Koel Canterbury Road, Blackburn
Heard calling at 6.30pm
Simon Starr
Red-necked Pharalope Lake Tutchewop
All credit must go to Bob Hughes who located the bird amid hundreds of
waders in the scope, then confirmed by Michael Sturmfels, who are both
familiar with the species. My job was to photograph it so as to
determine its correct ID. It was found this afternoon on the south
eastern section of the lake, about 500 metres from where the pelicans
roost. If you plan to search for it, be aware that it preferred to swim
rather than wade, so it is most likely to be behind the waders feeding
on the shoreline. The bird allowed me to approach very closely and even
then did not flush!
Bob Hughes, Bernie OKeefe, Michael Sturmfels and Russell Hughes
Blue-faced Honeyeater Kilmore
Blue-faced Honeyeater seen feeding one young in the main street of
Kilmore. I first noticed the adult bird catching insects/spiders around
the street lights and then feeding these to the young bird.
Chris Cobern
Mon 22 Dec Eastern Koel Warranwood
Heard a quiet call repeated about 5 times while standing in the front
yard at about 9:30pm. Only called once and quite different from the
daytime loud call. No sign of it in the morning. First record for me
here in 10 years.
Jackson Airey
Brush Bronzewing, Southern Emu-wren Wonthaggi Heathland and Coastal
Reserve
Half a dozen Brush Bronzewings and two groups of Emu-wrens seen/heard
during the day.
Marc Freestone, Tom Schmidt
Oriental Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop
Fresh juvenile Oriental Plover with the Dowitcher, 150 m past the bird
boxes on southern shore at 2 pm.
Dion Hobcroft and David James
Sun 21 Dec Grey Plover Cheetham Saltworks, Point Henry
Banded Stilts (230), Great Crested Grebes (130) and 1 Grey Plover.
Bob & Russell Hughes
Eastern Koel Rhyll
Heard the distinctive call of an Eastern Koel twice at 6.30am and
6.40am on Sunday 21/12/14 at Rhyll, Phillip Island. This is the first
time that we have heard one call on the Island. Unfortunately had no
luck sighting it.
Sally & Derek Whitehead
Nankeen Night Heron Stony Point
13 adult Night Herons on the mudflats south of the boat ramp. Low tide,
7pm. Stony Point is the only place I have seen Night Herons feeding on
mudflats, since 2012.
Chris Chandler
Sat 20 Dec Common Koel Orange Grove, Bayswater
Heard calling from tall tree in suburban backyard in mid morning.
Amber Wallace
Greenshanks and Cape Barren Geese Coast Road, French Island
Friends of French Island NP (FOFI) waterbird survey. 13 Greenshanks on
Tony Rowe's wetland, Coast Road. Good numbers of other waterbirds at
Coast Road wetlands, including ca120 Cape Barren Geese, over 50 Royal
Spoonbills, 5 Yellow-billed Spoonbills (uncommon on French Island), 300
teal, etc. Count data submitted to Biodiversity Atlas.
Chris Chandler
Freckled Duck Heifer Swamp (northern end)
Waterbird survey with Friends of French Island NP (FOFI). Very few
ducks seen at Heifer Swamp but we were amazed to see 9 Freckled Ducks
fly out from among reeds on the north-western shore. Two of this
species seen at Linley's Swamp on 20 September were the first recorded
from French Island since 1940s!
Chris Chandler
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