Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 31 Aug 2014. Sun 31 Aug Marsh Sandpiper Yarrawonga A single bird seen on a drying wetland by the Boomahnoomoonah Rd. A good sighting locally, waders are rare in NE Victoria. This is the third wader species seen in the Yarrawonga area over the late week with a Wood Sandpiper and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers also seen. Michael Ramsey White-winged Chough, Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Laughing Kookaburra Royal Park, Parkville An immature White-winged Chough was east of Elliot Avenue (as reported by Rohan Long on Thursday) close to the circular bike/walking track, a Fan-tailed Cuckoo was in the skink grassland above Trin Warren Tam-boore waterhole and a Laughing Kookaburra was in and around the Zoo. Chris Lester Sat 30 Aug Turquoise Parrot, Masked Owl Bunyip State Park Five Turquoise Parrots flushed from the borrow pit at the southern end of Bunyip River Road, seem to becoming more common in the area. Single Masked Owl of note as it was in an area extensively burnt in the Black Saturday fires. Tim Bawden Marsh Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)–T Section Ponds Three Marsh Sandpiper today in Pond 4. Some Sharpies, Red-necked Stint and Curlew Sandpipers with good colour. Jen Spry Grey-Tailed Tattler (possible) Altona Coastal Park Not 100% sure about my identification- bird was partially hidden behind rocks and quite far away. Bird was located along Racecourse Road, to the left of the ‘bridge’ above the Kororoit Creek. Would love to hear about any other possible IDs for this bird. Nick Koutoulis Australasian Bittern Lark Street, Altona In flight above my backyard, heading south then east. I am very near to Truganina Swamp which is likely where it came from and looks like it was heading towards Kororoit Creek. David A Richardson Fri 29 Aug Glossy Ibis Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) Single bird flying west over Borrow Pit on a very foggy morning. Large numbers of Black-shouldered Kites, two Brolgas in sea east of Murtcain Outlet. Brown Quail at Beach Rd Gate. Several reports of Blue-wings in Western Lagoons but they hid from us. Dave Torr and 4 UK visitors Swift Parrot Gilpin Park, Brunswick Following everyone else’s reports, found at least 10 swift parrots in trees near Pearson St.. Philip Peel Thu 28 Aug White-winged Chough Royal Park, Parkville Really odd to see this bird here, but got a clear, unmistakable view. Single bird flew in and perched in a medium-sized tree just east of where MacArthur Rd crosses the tram track. Clearly saw down-curved beak and white-wing detail when the bird made a preening motion. Would have liked to have seen if there were more choughs but I occupied and couldn’t follow it up. (Also saw female Golden Whistler in more or less the same spot.) Rohan Long Swift Parrot Gilpin Park, Brunswick At least 10 birds close to Pearson St as previously reported. Pete Kyne & Micha Jackson Wed 27 Aug Wood Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) North side of Paradise Road near Little River estuary [East of quarantine area]- with Dotterels. Feeding quietly and not bothered by very close car. Also one Glossy Ibis and many Black-shouldered Kites with immature plumage. Mal Kidson Tue 26 Aug Wood Sandpiper Hicks Road Wetland (Yarrawonga) Tipped off by Michael Ramsey waders were at this wetland and photographed a Wood Sandpiper late afternoon. Two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers also present. Ros King Little Eagle Price Park, Viewbank 1 bird soaring high being hassled by ravens. Also, the Noisy Friarbird is still present below the toilet block Greg Cobern Eastern Barn Owl Forfar Rd, Hamlyn Heights Was attending to maintenance around my parents home at lunch time today when I disturbed an Eastern barn owl from roosting low in a shrub next to the swimming pool. It flew out and looked at me before flying into a large tree two houses down the street. I will never forget this unique experience. Julian Earl Rose Robin Woodlands Historic Park Located about 300 metres from the cemetery car park amongst flowering wattle, near the old entrance road to the hospital. Richard Arnold Little Eagle Monash University Clayton Campus Noisy Miner and Magpie alarm calls alerted me to the presence of a dark morph Little Eagle soaring over the uni carpark at 10:40am. Also observed were three Little Lorikeets. Lewis Hiller Rufous Songlark Fairhope (12 km N of Bairnsdale) Calling in paddock. Unusually early record for the season at this locality. Felicity & Chris Healey Mon 25 Aug White-bellied Sea Eagle Donald Aerodrome White-bellied Sea Eagle sighted on ground at the Donald aerodrome at 10 a.m. this morning. It took flight after being harassed by a pair of magpies only to be chased by a pair of circling Wedge-tailed Eagles. David and Ann Dunstan Sun 24 Aug Dusky Woodswallow Strathtulloh Woodland 30 – 40 Dusky Woodswallows in Strathtulloh Woodland, in Toolern Regional Park, beside Toolern Creek, south of Melton. Very actively feeding both on the ground & in the air. Daryl Akers Fri 22 Aug Freckled Ducks Coolart A few Freckled Duck plus plenty of Blue-billed Ducks. Also 20 or more Ibis (mainly Sacred Ibis) building nests, incubating eggs,raising chicks and quarreling, all within 20 metres of the hide Philip Robinson