Hi all,
Well, yesterday the WTP turned out better than could have been imagined. The wind was howling but the sun was out and, maybe because it was so cold, the light was spectacular.
Because of the terrible forecast, 30+ knot winds and rain, we made a late start and didn’t get to the “T” section ponds until about 0930. Not expecting too much we were pleasantly surprised as the day started out with a very nice gathering of 22 +/- Avocet on the Summer Lagoon and a further 25 +/- on the flooded paddock opposite. The day may become interesting yet, we thought. And it did, WTP should never be underestimated. A movement beside the track turned out to be a very early Horsefield’s Bronze-Cuckoo. To prove it wasn’t an exception we then found two more across the road at the Western lagoon, and they were looking very amorous.
In the lagoon inside the spit we had the first of a series of large flocks of birds. Twenty or so Little Egret were feeding along the shallows on the sheltered side of the lagoon and, out in the bay beyond the spit, was a feeding frenzy of Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants, Silver Gulls, Fairy and Crested Terns and a couple of Gannets for good measure; probably over 200 birds in all.
When we got to the boat ramp gate the flock had moved up the bay, still feeding, as they went, following the fish well up past the bird hide when we last saw them. On land we had more than 50 Zebra Finch in a flock so I guess they had a very successful summer of breeding.
The variety of ducks was low and the normal flocks of Aus Shelduck (Mountain Duck on my day list) were not to be seen. In their place though were enormous flocks of Chestnut and Brown Teal, probably up to 500 in one of the flocks. And the Coot had decided to get all communal as well and out near the Borrow Pits we found a flock of 60 +/-. The only other duck in good numbers were the Hardheads.
We even had a “black and white” flock along the coast near the new groin. For some reason the Willie Wagtails, Magpie-larks and Magpies had all got together for a convention. Of course the Welcome Swallows were swarming over the ponds as usually and to add to the out of season birds there was a Fairy Martin in their midst.
As I mentioned, the lighting was spectacular and the Chestnut Teal, Cuckoos and Straw-necked Ibis literally radiated kaleidoscopes of colour. Some photos are on BOCA.
The downside of a day like yesterday is the dust. The inside of my car will no longer pass the “white glove test”, not that it ever would – it’s actually a mobile hide after all rather than a car, and our teeth were grinding gritty particles that had flooded in with every breath and word. We tried, not to think about the ingestion of dust though, it doesn’t bring good images to mind while birding at Werribee.
But really, after a day like yesterday all one can say is, thank heavens that back in 1892 the town planners of Melbourne decided to send all their raw sewage to settle in wide, open ponds on the distant, flat and barren plains of coastal Werribee.
Cheers
Jenny ===============================
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