Month: November 2014

Victorian Election – grim results in the upper house

Hi everyone I’m not much of a political animal, but the results coming through from yesterday’s Victorian state election have rung some alarm bells. The Greens have probably won a lower house seat and up to 5 upper house seats. That could be good news for the environment, and particularly for legislation which affects habitats under pressure from development. However, of far graver concern is the fact that the Shooters Party (aka Shooting and Fishing Party) looks like having 3 seats in the upper house. The Country Alliance also has a seat, to be held by someone who has a hunting background. The Labor Party holds a clear majority in the lower house, but legislation may have trouble getting through the upper. Look at the numbers: Labor 13 seats Coalition 15 or 16 Greens 4 or 5 Shooters 3 Other parties 3 or 4 The Shooters and other minor parties received 2-3 percent of the vote, yet may hold the balance of power. That’s not good news for those of hoping to see an end to duck hunting. Let’s hope we don’t follow NSW and allow hunting in national parks. Russell

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Trip report: Shepparton and Reedy Swamp

Aaaaah!! Thanks, Tim! LFB is already in the list. Bill On 30/11/2014, at 3:20 PM, Tim Dolby <Tim.Dolby@vu.edu.au> wrote: > Hey Bill, > > Nice report. The call in question is a Little Friarbird – nice recording. > > Cheers, > > Tim > ________________________________________ > From: Birding-Aus [birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org] on behalf of Bill Stent [billstent@gmail.com] > Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2014 11:41 AM > To: birding-aus@birding-aus.org > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Trip report: Shepparton and Reedy Swamp > > A couple of weeks ago I asked for some recommendations for birding around Shepparton, and the consensus was that I should visit Reedy Swamp. > > I ended up in Shepparton on Monday and Tuesday, and my work had me busy until about 5pm on Monday, and starting again at 9 on Tuesday. > > On Monday evening I walked along the bike path from the town up towards Cudgee Park. There had been a huge downpour that afternoon (with rain coming in through the roof of the electorate office) and the sky was very heavy. I didn’t have an umbrella or raincoat, but I thought I’d risk getting wet. The path follows the Goulburn River downstream from Shepparton, and the river flows through some nice forest areas. There were quite a few birds, but in the gathering darkness I wasn’t able to get much, although the calls were good. Best bird there was the Little Friarbird, which, coming from Melbourne, was a bit of a treat. I turned for home when the rain started again, and got home in time for a huge dinner at the local RSL. Chicken Parmigiana, and a pint of Bulmers, of course. Mmm-mmm. > > On Tuesday morning, I got up at 5 and grabbed the fleet car (a nice brand-new AWD Territory with immaculate brown metallic paint). I made it to the northern end and worked my way back southwards. At the north end of the track (which winds up the eastern side of the swamp) there were Bee-eaters, and they appeared to be burrowing in the sand at the side of the road, which at this point is along the crest of a sand ridge (would you call it a lunette?). When I arrived they retired to a nearby tree, and posed nicely in the sunrise. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969029736445314&set=gm.10153270367029881&type=1 > > Further south, the road goes through some forest before getting closer to the swamp itself. I stopped the car (which by now, after the rain the previous day, was sporting quite a lot of mud, including some on the roof) and approached the swamp. Rather than being wet, it was mainly silty mud, which I didn’t walk on for fear of getting stuck. Out in the middle a few stags stand, and on one there was a juvenile Whistling Kite. An adult was cruising up and down the swamp, being seen off by anything that was brave enough. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969564323058522&set=p.969564323058522&type=1. Around the edge, lots of smaller birds, like Superb Fairy Wrens and Red Browed Finches were reasonably common. > > I might be wrong here, but I think I got both Brown and White-Throated Treecreepers here. The Brown TCs were investigating a stump out in the swamp, while the White-Throateds were in the forest around the edge. They were pretty distant, but the calls separated them. > > While on the subject of calls, I’ve put a snippet on the Birding-Aus Facebook page of a call – I know I’ve heard this many times, ut I’m not amazing at calls, and I just can’t bring it to mind. Can anyone help me? It’s the repeated “kwow, kwow”. https://www.facebook.com/download/813033198759829/ReedySwamp.wav > > All in all, a nice way to spend the spare time while out with work. I had a bit of explaining to do when returning the car, but the rest of the guys thought it lent an air of “rural cred”. Many thanks to those who made suggestions! > > The list for the two days is as follows: > > Species Name > Pacific Black Duck > Brown Quail > Australian White Ibis > Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) > Whistling Kite > Masked Lapwing > Spotted Dove > Laughing Kookaburra > Sacred Kingfisher > Rainbow Bee-eater > Dollarbird > Galah > Long-billed Corella > Sulphur-crested Cockatoo > Eastern Rosella > Red-rumped Parrot > White-throated Treecreeper > Brown Treecreeper > Superb Fairy-wren > White-plumed Honeyeater > Noisy Miner > Red Wattlebird > Little Friarbird > Spotted Pardalote > Striated Pardalote > Australian Magpie > Black-faced Cuckooshrike > Rufous Whistler > Willie Wagtail > Grey Fantail > Magpie-lark > Australian Raven > White-winged Chough > Welcome Swallow > Silvereye > Common Blackbird > Common Myna > Common Starling > House Sparrow > Red-browed Finch > > > > >

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Pale-vented Bush-hen

Hi Folks, At least one Pale-vented Bush-hen has returned over the last week. This weeks blog has a photo of an adult and a chick from last seasons breeding plus all our other sightings and photos from the last two weeks. Cheers, Keith & Lindsay — Keith & Lindsay Fisher Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge RN 6 Mt. Kooyong Road Julatten QLD 4871 Ph : (07) 4094 1263 Web Site: www.birdwatchers.com.au Blog: http://kingfisherparkbirdwatchers.blogspot.com/

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Trip report: Shepparton and Reedy Swamp

Hey Bill, Nice report. The call in question is a Little Friarbird – nice recording. Cheers, Tim ________________________________________ From: Birding-Aus [birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org] on behalf of Bill Stent [billstent@gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2014 11:41 AM To: birding-aus@birding-aus.org Subject: [Birding-Aus] Trip report: Shepparton and Reedy Swamp A couple of weeks ago I asked for some recommendations for birding around Shepparton, and the consensus was that I should visit Reedy Swamp. I ended up in Shepparton on Monday and Tuesday, and my work had me busy until about 5pm on Monday, and starting again at 9 on Tuesday. On Monday evening I walked along the bike path from the town up towards Cudgee Park. There had been a huge downpour that afternoon (with rain coming in through the roof of the electorate office) and the sky was very heavy. I didn’t have an umbrella or raincoat, but I thought I’d risk getting wet. The path follows the Goulburn River downstream from Shepparton, and the river flows through some nice forest areas. There were quite a few birds, but in the gathering darkness I wasn’t able to get much, although the calls were good. Best bird there was the Little Friarbird, which, coming from Melbourne, was a bit of a treat. I turned for home when the rain started again, and got home in time for a huge dinner at the local RSL. Chicken Parmigiana, and a pint of Bulmers, of course. Mmm-mmm. On Tuesday morning, I got up at 5 and grabbed the fleet car (a nice brand-new AWD Territory with immaculate brown metallic paint). I made it to the northern end and worked my way back southwards. At the north end of the track (which winds up the eastern side of the swamp) there were Bee-eaters, and they appeared to be burrowing in the sand at the side of the road, which at this point is along the crest of a sand ridge (would you call it a lunette?). When I arrived they retired to a nearby tree, and posed nicely in the sunrise. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969029736445314&set=gm.10153270367029881&type=1 Further south, the road goes through some forest before getting closer to the swamp itself. I stopped the car (which by now, after the rain the previous day, was sporting quite a lot of mud, including some on the roof) and approached the swamp. Rather than being wet, it was mainly silty mud, which I didn’t walk on for fear of getting stuck. Out in the middle a few stags stand, and on one there was a juvenile Whistling Kite. An adult was cruising up and down the swamp, being seen off by anything that was brave enough. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969564323058522&set=p.969564323058522&type=1. Around the edge, lots of smaller birds, like Superb Fairy Wrens and Red Browed Finches were reasonably common. I might be wrong here, but I think I got both Brown and White-Throated Treecreepers here. The Brown TCs were investigating a stump out in the swamp, while the White-Throateds were in the forest around the edge. They were pretty distant, but the calls separated them. While on the subject of calls, I’ve put a snippet on the Birding-Aus Facebook page of a call – I know I’ve heard this many times, ut I’m not amazing at calls, and I just can’t bring it to mind. Can anyone help me? It’s the repeated “kwow, kwow”. https://www.facebook.com/download/813033198759829/ReedySwamp.wav All in all, a nice way to spend the spare time while out with work. I had a bit of explaining to do when returning the car, but the rest of the guys thought it lent an air of “rural cred”. Many thanks to those who made suggestions! The list for the two days is as follows: Species Name Pacific Black Duck Brown Quail Australian White Ibis Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) Whistling Kite Masked Lapwing Spotted Dove Laughing Kookaburra Sacred Kingfisher Rainbow Bee-eater Dollarbird Galah Long-billed Corella Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Eastern Rosella Red-rumped Parrot White-throated Treecreeper Brown Treecreeper Superb Fairy-wren White-plumed Honeyeater Noisy Miner Red Wattlebird Little Friarbird Spotted Pardalote Striated Pardalote Australian Magpie Black-faced Cuckooshrike Rufous Whistler Willie Wagtail Grey Fantail Magpie-lark Australian Raven White-winged Chough Welcome Swallow Silvereye Common Blackbird Common Myna Common Starling House Sparrow Red-browed Finch

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Spotted Whistling-ducks at Mission Beach

Just got in from watching 21 Spotted whistling-ducks in the rectangular farm pond opposite the “transfer station” on Wheatley Road, Mission Beach (well, really Wongaling Beach). Jeff is downloading photos now. Don’t know how long they have been there as I just got home from Sydney Friday evening and today was my first day out and about looking for birds and enjoying being hot and sweaty again. The ducks were bathing in a group but keeping a wary eye out – easily viewed from the road; the farm is private property. We were actually hoping for a cassowary dad with chicks at the time, but these were welcome visitors. Helen <')/////==<

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Immature Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo supported by adult?

When we were puzzling over the identity of a self-sufficient immature Horsfield’s we were helped by the appearance of the adult with full stripes and bronzed wings. I wonder whether adults often hang around the immatures once they have left their host parent? A group of Superb Fairy-wrens seemed to be unfazed by the presence of this healthy fellow happily finding its own juicy grubs. Julie Neumann 0247393063 if unanswered please leave message if urgent try 0429130679

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Fwd: Lake Tutchewop: Take 2.

Ignore all that increasing salinity blather – the Dowitcher is still at Lake Tutchewop. I’m looking at it now – it’s on the southern shore a few hundred metres west of the creek, among a large collection of mixed waders and Stilts. Persistence rewarded (I drove right around the lake-shore). Richard Begin forwarded message: > From: Richard NOWOTNY <richardnowotny@me.com> > Date: 30 November 2014 11:17:00 am AEDT > To: B-Aus <birding-aus@birding-aus.org> > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Lake Tutchewop > > I’m at the lake now. There do not appear to be any other birders here, unlike yesterday when there were 10 or more looking for the Dowitcher around midday. > As far as I know, no-one saw it yesterday, and I have not seen it so far today. Ten or so Marsh Sandpiper and a single Pacific Golden Plover are the pick of the waders. > The large numbers of Banded Stilt, Avocet and Red-capped Plover suggest high (and increasing?) salinity – perhaps now too high for the Dowitcher, which was last reported (on Facebook I am told) around 10am on Friday morning. > If anyone has any more recent information I would appreciate a call on 0438 224 456. > Regards. Richard Nowotny >

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Trip report: Shepparton and Reedy Swamp

A couple of weeks ago I asked for some recommendations for birding around Shepparton, and the consensus was that I should visit Reedy Swamp. I ended up in Shepparton on Monday and Tuesday, and my work had me busy until about 5pm on Monday, and starting again at 9 on Tuesday. On Monday evening I walked along the bike path from the town up towards Cudgee Park. There had been a huge downpour that afternoon (with rain coming in through the roof of the electorate office) and the sky was very heavy. I didn’t have an umbrella or raincoat, but I thought I’d risk getting wet. The path follows the Goulburn River downstream from Shepparton, and the river flows through some nice forest areas. There were quite a few birds, but in the gathering darkness I wasn’t able to get much, although the calls were good. Best bird there was the Little Friarbird, which, coming from Melbourne, was a bit of a treat. I turned for home when the rain started again, and got home in time for a huge dinner at the local RSL. Chicken Parmigiana, and a pint of Bulmers, of course. Mmm-mmm. On Tuesday morning, I got up at 5 and grabbed the fleet car (a nice brand-new AWD Territory with immaculate brown metallic paint). I made it to the northern end and worked my way back southwards. At the north end of the track (which winds up the eastern side of the swamp) there were Bee-eaters, and they appeared to be burrowing in the sand at the side of the road, which at this point is along the crest of a sand ridge (would you call it a lunette?). When I arrived they retired to a nearby tree, and posed nicely in the sunrise. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969029736445314&set=gm.10153270367029881&type=1 Further south, the road goes through some forest before getting closer to the swamp itself. I stopped the car (which by now, after the rain the previous day, was sporting quite a lot of mud, including some on the roof) and approached the swamp. Rather than being wet, it was mainly silty mud, which I didn’t walk on for fear of getting stuck. Out in the middle a few stags stand, and on one there was a juvenile Whistling Kite. An adult was cruising up and down the swamp, being seen off by anything that was brave enough. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=969564323058522&set=p.969564323058522&type=1. Around the edge, lots of smaller birds, like Superb Fairy Wrens and Red Browed Finches were reasonably common. I might be wrong here, but I think I got both Brown and White-Throated Treecreepers here. The Brown TCs were investigating a stump out in the swamp, while the White-Throateds were in the forest around the edge. They were pretty distant, but the calls separated them. While on the subject of calls, I’ve put a snippet on the Birding-Aus Facebook page of a call – I know I’ve heard this many times, ut I’m not amazing at calls, and I just can’t bring it to mind. Can anyone help me? It’s the repeated “kwow, kwow”. https://www.facebook.com/download/813033198759829/ReedySwamp.wav All in all, a nice way to spend the spare time while out with work. I had a bit of explaining to do when returning the car, but the rest of the guys thought it lent an air of “rural cred”. Many thanks to those who made suggestions! The list for the two days is as follows: Species Name Pacific Black Duck Brown Quail Australian White Ibis Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) Whistling Kite Masked Lapwing Spotted Dove Laughing Kookaburra Sacred Kingfisher Rainbow Bee-eater Dollarbird Galah Long-billed Corella Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Eastern Rosella Red-rumped Parrot White-throated Treecreeper Brown Treecreeper Superb Fairy-wren White-plumed Honeyeater Noisy Miner Red Wattlebird Little Friarbird Spotted Pardalote Striated Pardalote Australian Magpie Black-faced Cuckooshrike Rufous Whistler Willie Wagtail Grey Fantail Magpie-lark Australian Raven White-winged Chough Welcome Swallow Silvereye Common Blackbird Common Myna Common Starling House Sparrow Red-browed Finch

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