Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 21 Dec 2014. Sun 21 Dec Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop At around 5:30 p.m., the Long-billed Dowitcher was sleeping amongst the strings of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in the southeast corner of the lake. Logan Lalonde Dollarbird Seymour River Walk 5 Dollarbirds calling loudly from both sides of the river & in a paddock tree. 2 appeared to be immature, ie with dull-coloured beak & feet. Several Little Friarbirds seen. Val La May Sat 20 Dec Eastern Koel Eltham Calling from treetops beside Kerrie Crscent, 6.30 to7.15 Danny Rogers Eastern Koel Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne) Koel heard calling from tall trees near the Arid Garden (started from around 1745). Jason & Jo Caruso Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop The Long-billed Dowitcher was observed between 1000 hours and 1330 hours on the eastern shoreline (not the north-western shoreline) of the lake in company with a number of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. The bird was located and as reported on Thursday 18/12/2014. The bird was also observed at this location by Laurie and Heather (bird observers and photographers) for some five hours the previous day (Friday 19/12/2014). Also present at the lake were approximately 3000 Banded Stilts. Peter Gibbons and Maarten Hulzebosch White-winged Black Tern Western Treatment Plant–Beach Rd Boat Ramp (restricted access) Two birds with many Whiskered Tern and one Latham’s Snipe on pond near gate. Tom Tarrant, Dr David Bird (from Canada) Long Billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Seen at the NW end of lake at 10 am ~ Still in breeding plumage Giles Daubeney Fri 19 Dec Grey-tailed Tattler Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) At high tide (11.35am) a Grey-tailed Tattler was found on rocks between Beach Rd and Kirk Point. Also at this location were 13 Red Knots. Other interesting birds were Pectoral Sandpipers, one at T Section lagoon pond 5 and another one on the foreshore near the bird hide (at high tide). 11 Pacific Golden Plovers at Kirk Point, two Arctic Jaegers along the foreshore, a dark and a light morph. Also, 28 Glossy Ibis at Walsh’s lagoons (first ponds to the left if you cross Little River). Maarten Hulzebosch Arctic Jaeger Avalon Beach Dark-phase bird harassing Silver Gulls Tom Tarrant, Brett Lane Thu 18 Dec White-throated Nightjar Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park–Honeyeater Picnic Ground At exactly dusk, one White-throated Nightjar came swooping in to feed above Cyanide Dam, and it stayed for less than 10 seconds. Logan Lalonde Long Billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop seen on Eastern side of lake in with flock of Sharp Tailed Sandpipers. Des Palmer Eastern Koel Oak Park Koel heard calling several times this morning. Bird was heard from our house but was a fair distance away. Possibly in the tall gums/pines along the northern or western boundary of the Northern Golf Course. Jason & Jo Caruso Wed 17 Dec Eastern Koel Ivanhoe Koel heard calling several times morning, evening and night both 17th and 18th of December. The Koel was in a suburban area but near Darebin Parklands. Seen briefly in flight once. Robin Massey Dollarbird Seymour 2 Dollarbirds seen along Goulburn River Walk at 11:00 am. Also several Little Friarbirds. Warren Palmer & Warwick Remington Scarlet Honeyeater Silvan Reservoir Park 3 Scarlet Honeyeaters initially heard around the Greygum-Olinda Creek Track junction, after about 15 minutes of searching I was eventually able to locate a male actively feeding in the canopy. As I headed south down Greygum Track (towards the Overflow Carpark) I heard a further 5 more calling from the canopy. Also good numbers of Red-browed Treecreepers around at present with at least 6 heard in their usual area around the Greygum-Olinda Creek Track junction and an adult, with juvenile in tow, providing excellent views near the Overflow Carpark Tim Nickholds Tue 16 Dec Eastern Koel Viewbank One calling pre-dawn Richard Loyn Eastern Koel Millgrove One Eastern Koel heard calling 7.15am around Wonga Rd Millgrove. Not sighted. PWatson Magpie Goose Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands–Edithvale 6 Magpie Geese observed from viewing platform off Edithvale Rd. Greg Thompson Terek Sandpiper (1), Lesser Sand Plover (3), Grey-tailed Tattler (4) Ram Island, French Island All waders seen today along the beach and mud flat areas on the southern part of French Island near Ram Island. Terek Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plovers and Lesser Sand Plovers were in a restricted, private property area. James Mustafa Magpie Geese Williams Landing Wetland Observed 3 Magpie Geese from the train at 5.15pm Mark Helle Grey Goshawk (white morph) Dandenong Ranges National Park–Grants Picnic Ground Seen gliding overhead about 9.30 am causing alarm among the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Ian Wilson Song Thrush Large residential allotment in Hoppers Crossing 3029 At 0650 hours, I observed a single Song Thrush at a bird bath in my rear yard. I have observed this species only occasionally in this area. Peter Gibbons Mon 15 Dec Latham’s Snipe Lake Colac Bird Sanctuary 12+ Snipe flushed from grassy verge. Corrie & Ian Macartney,Will Bridgeman Red Knot Stockyard Pt. At least 12 Red Knot mixed in with other waders along the spit area. No sign of race affinis gull-billed tern or any sand plover species. James Mustafa Sun 14 Dec Square-tailed Kite Hicks Road Echuca east After the completion of the Birdlife Echuca and district AGM, and with just a few people still present, a Square-tailed Kite arrived in the area, and landed in a large Red Gum right next to the house where we held the meeting ! Over the next 45 minutes it ate a fledgling bird….species unknown, had a snooze, preened and finally did another couple of laps of the property before heading off to the west. Simon Starr et al Eastern Koel McLean Street Maffra, Vic Eastern Koel heard in tree in rear of yard in Mclean Street, Maffra Vic. No observation. Calling late evening Sat 13 Dec and early morning 14 Dec. Calling again evening 14 Dec, sounding like similar location. Sharna Cole Sat 13 Dec Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Present on SW side of lake near some nest boxes around midday, in warm, near still conditions. It flew to the east around 2pm. Peter Shute, Bill Stent, Russell Woodford Fri 12 Dec Grass Owl Myall Grass Owl seen again in grass swamp area. Eric Finder, Malcolm Eyles Thu 11 Dec Australian Pratincole Speed Single Australian Pratincole seen soaring elegantly over the Sunraysia Highway about a kilometre south of Speed. Light sandy brown coloured bird with dark black underwings and lighter belly/breast clearly observed from the car. It continued east across a farming property that had been recently ploughed. Could not relocate in despite scoping. James Mustafa, Clancye Milne Wed 10 Dec Inland Dotterel (4), Pratincole sp. (1) Neds Corner Station After 6 visits and over 10 nights spent out looking for Inland Dotterel this year, finally managed to locate some birds along Old Mail Rd heading out towards to Lake Wallawalla. 3 birds originally located in the middle of the road (almost ran over first bird) and a 4th bird flushed from the side of the road when out of the car. Light brown with dark black stripe on face and breast, slight streaking in wings and dumpy, fat little bodies. The dotterels all ran off the road and could not be located once in the salt bush area. Also of interest was a bird I believe to be a Pratincole species which was located in the middle of the road near the entrance to Murray-Sunset (heading towards Lindsay Island). Light brown/tawny colour with dark/black wings when it elegantly flew up from the road. There has been very light spiting rain early evening over Neds Corner – I wonder if this has inspired the activity from the birds? James Mustafa Tue 9 Dec Little Button-quail, Red-chested Buttonquail, Stubble Quail Terrick Terrick National Park Two nights at Terrick unfortunately did not reveal any Plains-wanderer but did provide many experiences with Little Button-quail and Stubble Quail. Second night included a Red-chested Buttonquail, overall darker bird with rufousy flanks clearly observed when flushed. Large numbers of White-backed Swallow and Rainbow Bee-eater also observed in site. James Mustafa, Clancye Milne