Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 5 Oct 2014. Sun 5 Oct White-Bellied Cuckoo -shrike Toolern Creek Park – Strathtulloh Woodlands Melton South At least 7 birds heard and observed in the north-west corner of this predominately open Grey Box woodland. The birds were actively feeding and moving between the ground and foliage in the woodland, my first observation of the species in the immediate Melton area since 1990. Amongst other observations of many local and migratory woodland species were nice views of Crested Shrike-tit and nesting Jacky Winter and Dusky Woodswallows. Micah Kawalek Sat 4 Oct Mallee Emu-wren Wyperfeld National Park ~4 Mallee Emu-wren were seen along the Discovery Walk. A different location to Matthew Crawford’s previous reports. Large areas just to the west of the Discovery Walk were burnt out in January. This probably resulted in the birds moving from these large burnt zones to areas along the Discovery Walk. Although reluctant to fly over open areas and considered relatively sedentary, this population of Mallee Emu-wren seems to indicate they will move some distance and across different habitats types. Fiona Parkin and Tim Dolby Gull-billed Tern Werribee River, Werribee South Pair in breeding plumage a few km upstream from the river mouth. Ian Sutherland Great Crested Grebe Hattah-Kulkyne National Park–Lake Mournpall 2 Grebes building a nest. Also Pink-eared, White-eyed Duck a Shoveller and at least 20 Grey Teal chicks, many other waterbirds (and other species). The lakes have been flooded, near to highest level ever Angus Hartshorn Lathams Snipe, Eastern Curlew, White-bellied Sea-eagle and Lewins Rail Inverloch foreshore caravan park/screw creek 20 lathams snipe discovered in a locked proposed urban development site adjacent to caravan park will be contacting birdlife regarding the proposal and the significance of the area. 30 eastern curlews were seen on the exposing mudflats and Lewins rail was heard calling for 30 minutes in early morning in the mangroves alongside the mudflats of screw creek….. Side note the Beach Stone Curlew has been absent so far over the last 2 days Philip Peel Fri 3 Oct Brolga Point Wilson Victoria Two adult brolgas feeding nonchanantly, 70 metres South of Point Wilson Road adjacent to the boundary fence of the security area. A sunny afternoon at 2:15 pm. martin williams Brown Gerygone Toolangi Black Range State Forest–Wirrawilla Rainforest Single adult bird around carpark of above site, singing constantly. A new location for this species which seems to keep expanding westward. Steve Davidson – The Melbourne Birder Malleefowl Murray Sunset National Park One bird located near the start of Mt.Crozier Track from the Pink Lakes end while searching for Striated Grasswrens. Bernie OKeefe Thu 2 Oct Gull-billed Tern, Banded Stilt Lake Tutchewop Two Gull-billed Tern standing in the shallows on the north side of the lake. Hundreds of Banded Stilt, Black-winged Stilt and Red-necked Avocet in mixed flocks around the lake. Hundreds of Whiskered Tern standing in the shallows and flying over the lake. Malcolm Cousland Wed 1 Oct Red-lored Whistler Murray-Sunset National Park A single male observed along Honeymoon track was highlight of trip out west. Many of the mallee specialties also recorded in area including Chestnut Quail-thrush, Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren. Scott Baker, James Mustafa and Owen Lishmund Square-tailed Kite Brackenbury Rd, Creswick Regional Park One, just above canopy, mid afternoon Geoff Park Spotless Crake Liverpool Rd Retarding Basin Des Palmer Pink-eared Duck Victoria Harbour Docklands On my way to work at 8:15 on the morning of 1/10/2014 I noticed a single pink-eared duck on Victoria Harbour, about 5 metres offshore at Harbour Esplanade and 10 metres off the south side of Central Pier. I’ve worked in Docklands for two years and while swans, teals, black ducks, and coots are all relatively common sightings on Victoria Harbour, this is the first time I’ve seen a pink-eared duck in the area. Harry Saddler Rufous Songlark Westona Station, Altona Heard a Rufous Songlark calling from a back yard adjacent to Westona Station around 6:15am. Did not see the bird. Peter Shute Tue 30 Sep White-browed and Masked Woodswallow Wilby A small flock overhead this afternoon arriving in a typical manner on strong warm northerly winds. Michael Ramsey Fan-tailed Cuckoo (heard) Kensington This morning I heard the unmistakable call of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo in Kensington Anne Palamountain Mon 29 Sep Square-tailed Kite Between Lakes Bittarang and Woterap, Hattah-Kulkyne NP Seen over Black Box/sandhill veg. George Appleby Freckled Duck Kyabram Fauna Park Still plenty of Freckled ducks roosting under the Willow trees and on the centre bank in the big water in front of the glassed observatory and several roosting on logs and feeding in the late afternoon in the South pond with all the dead trees etc. No drakes with coloured bills. Photos taken. Barney Enders Pink-eared Duck Elsternwick Park, Brighton Single PE Duck on lake. First record since December 2012. Debbie Lustig Sun 28 Sep Whiskered Tern Macleod Morass, Bairnsdale Flock of 70-100, some in partial breeding plumage. Uncommon visitor to area. John Saxton (per Chris Healey, BirdLife East Gippsland) Great Crested Grebe Lake Bolac, lake Eight birds close to shore near rest-stop on Glenelg Highway, (-37.70033, 142.86362). Steve Clark Beach Stone-curlew Screw Creek, Inverloch Still there east of Screw Creek on the southern edge of the mangroves. Kevin Bartram Whiskered Tern Ricketts Pt, Beaumaris One in transition into breeding plumage on the ‘triangle’ rock platform at 0845 and later to at least 1030 on the sandbars to the east. Only the second record here of one on the ground. The first was also on a day of blustery winds (1/10/05). Thanks to Kim Croker for the pics taken in such difficult conditions. Michael Norris Sat 27 Sep Latham’s Snipe Hearnes Swamp A single bird flushed twice on the eastern boundary of the treatment plant near the rail reserve (South Station Street extension). Marc Freestone, Warren Tomlinson