Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 9 Nov 2014. Sun 9 Nov Wood Sandpiper Killarney Wetlands, Middle Swamp Single Wood Sandpiper observed in the Killarney Wetlands. It was in the swampy area which is to the right of the road when travel towards Killarney Beach. A handful of Sharpies also present. Scott Baker, Kevin Bartram, James Mustafa Sat 8 Nov Dollarbird Jaycee Island, Benalla I read the report by Fiona Parken re this bird. Decided to take a look today on the way back from Wangaratta and was in luck Tim Van Leeuwen White-headed Pigeon Toolangi, Spraggs Rd – Private Property For the last week and a half (on and off), we have had a White-headed pigeon loitering around our chicken pen, presumably after the free seed. Phil Rance Eastern Koel Private Gardens Murchison East Eastern Koel still present in Murchison East. Neighbors have seen it eating in Loquat tree. Anne Finlay Common Koel, Cooee Bird Quarry Hill, Bendigo Victoria We have heard the distinctive male and female call in our neighbourhood for the last 2 years at the same time of year. The male sits in a large fig tree on Peel Street. He’s very easy to spot. “Ranger” Cameron Smith and “Detective” Samuel Pitson (9 year old wildlife adventurers) Channel-billed Cuckoo Middle Park, inner Melbourne Visiting from Sydney for the weekend and surprised to hear the unmistakeable calls of a Channel-billed Cuckoo – glimpsed briefly flying over. Alistair Poore Fri 7 Nov Glossy Ibis Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) Spotted & photographed 7 Glossy Ibis at the Borrow Pits in the early afternoon. Ray Fox Rose-ringed Parakeet (Indian Ringneck) Bentleigh East A green long-tailed parrot flying overhead with some Rainbow Lorikeets in the late afternoon, calling loudly. Presumably an escapee… Lewis Hiller Thu 6 Nov Royal Spoonbill Royal Park Wetlands A pair of Royal Spoonbills in treatment pond of Royal Park Wetlands sighted at around 9:00am. Chris Nicholson White-throated Gerygone Stone Street, Heywood One adult bird observed, calling as it foraged in eucalypts. Peter Barrand Whiskered Tern Albert Park Lake About 25 terns seen flying and diving into Albert Park Lake, at least 2 of which were definitely breeding plumage (dark-bellied) Whiskered Terns. Presumably the rest were Whiskereds too. May have been around for a while as I usually don’t drive home this way. Good to see so close to the city. Sean Dooley White-throated Gerygone Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve 1 very vocal bird in crisp plumage singing continuously in this dry grassy woodland 25 km west of Geelong. It was being harassed constantly by white-throated treecreepers when it sang. Rare in the Geelong district. John Newman Banded Stilts Lake Victoria A flock of probably over 2000 Banded Stilts are now feeding in the shallows of Lake Victoria near the golf club pond. Rod Corinaldi Wed 5 Nov Turquoise Parrot x2 Stanley State Forest–Gapsted Block 9 km from Myrtleford Scott Jessup Painted Honeyeater Stanley State Forest–Gapsted Block 9 km from Myrtleford Scott Jessup Eastern Koel (Australian Koel) North Valley Rd, Highton Unmistakable repetitive “coo-ee” call heard; 18:00. Still calling from grove of tall trees opposite Gweneth Ave corner; 18:50. Lynne Clarke per Craig Morley Painted Honeyeater Fighting Gully Rd near Beechworth Good sighting in heavy mistletoe growth on the roadside near Ryans Lane. Thanks to Richard Loyn for the tip off. Linda and Bill Hayes Tue 4 Nov Freckled Duck Albert Park Lake This afternoon David Eades alerted me to the presence of a (probably immature male) Freckled Duck in the NW section of Albert Park Lake. When I arrived it was resting on a dead Juncus tussock on the SW of the larger of the two mud islands. We had crippling views of this cracking bird on the island, which got even better when it swam within about 4m of us! This is the second known record of this species in the City of Port Phillip. The other also being a single bird found by David in January of this year. Video footage of the duck should be available soon at https://www.youtube.com/user/gioecoenviro David W. Eades and Gio Fitzpatrick Mon 3 Nov Osprey Darby River beach Wilsons Prom Escorted by a dozen or so Pacific Gulls. Jeff Davies Mallee Emu-wren Murray-Sunset National Park Large (8-12) group on Pheeneys Tk just east of Underbool Tk. Gavin Masters & Mal Chicksen Dollarbird (2) Jaycee Island Lake Benalla Best views from playground looking over opposite side of river treetops. Same spot as previous years. Birds very vocal and territorial at dusk. Attacked Galahs, Eastern Rosellas and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Fiona Parkin Channel-billed Cuckoo Cemetery Track (Cann River) Channel- billed Cuckoo identified by its distinctive call from a forested area along Cemetery Track near Noorinbee around midday today. James Turner and Len Axen Eastern Koel Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Single male Eastern Koel calling and then seen at 3pm in a tall tree outside Gardens House. John Barkla & Alison Street Eastern Koel Private Gardens in Murchison East Eastern Koel sighted on Saturday 1st November being harassed by Red Wattlebirds and Willie Wagtails in our garden, heard again early this morning in the neighbours gardens Anne Finlay Sun 2 Nov Cicadabird and Blue-billed Duck Lake Kerford, near Beechworth A male Blue-billed Duck on lake, where the only other waterbirds seen today were Coot and Wood Duck. Blue-bills are rare in this area of NE Vic. A Cicadabird calling in nearby forest, also White-throated Gerygones etc. Painted Honeyeaters still at Buckland Gap. Richard Loyn Eastern Koel Trees ~50-100 m north of 1 Chum St Bendigo Single Koel calling 8:20 pm on 1 Nov and 8 pm on 2 Nov when leaving St. John’s Hospital (visiting from Sydney). Spotted one Koel in patch of eucalypts across the road from Bendigo Day Surgery. Charles M Allan Male Koel 3 Nelson Street, California Gully 3556 A male Koel has been sitting in the canopy of our very large Morton bay fig tree for a number of days now. Today was the first time we observed and identified him by his call and description on google. We will keep our ears out for the call of the female. Jane and Lily Melhuish Marsh Sandpipers and Banded Stilts Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) 30+ Marsh Sandpipers and 150 + Banded Stilts In Pond 7, T Junction. Also a possible Long Toed Stint (with lone Sharp-tailed Sandpiper) on beachfront rocks in vicinity of 145 WB Lagoon. Corrie and Ian Macartney Australian Spotted Crake Lake Sambell, Beechworth One feeding regularly along rushy shore near caravan park, from 29 Oct to today. Very faithful to a short 20m stretch of shore, and quite easily seen despite dense cover of rushes behind. This species is rare at this lake (>500m asl, and water levels often higher than at present). Also present are 3 Latham’s Snipe, 2 Red-kneed Dotterel, an Australasian Shoveler (all scarce at this lake), 2 Hardhead, a Buff-banded Rail, a Darter, Black-fronted Dotterels, Little Grassbirds, 8 Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage (on 31 Oct), etc. Painted Honeyeaters calling nearby. Richard Loyn Glossy Ibis Reed Cres. wetland, Wonthaggi 1 Glossy Ibid in full breeding plumage feeding along muddy margins 25m from bird hide. Poor phone photo only! Mike Tesch, Geoff Glare Sat 1 Nov Topknot Pigeon Gipsy Point Flock of 25 birds seen on Genoa river. A subsequent flock further upstream probably same birds. Another single bird recorded at Adobe Flats same day. Scott Baker, James Mustafa, Tim Bawden,, Kevin Bartram, Rob Farnes and Neil Mcumber Osprey Mallacoota Bird observed from Adobe Flats. Apparently has been other recent reports on the Genoa river. Scott Baker, James Mustafa Brush Cuckoo Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary Linton Vic A couple of birds calling strongly from 6:00 am Saturday morning at two separate sites on the sanctuary. Light rain falling and quite calm, by 7:00am, wild, wet and windy. David Coutts Fri 31 Oct Square-tailed Kite Gipsy Point Single bird observed flying over forest near river. Scott Baker, James Mustafa and Rob Farnes Australasian Figbird Mallacoota Are presently 6-10 Figbirds in Mallacoota township, mostly seen in trees near supermarket and easily located by distinctive call. Another single bird recorded at Adobe Flats. Scott Baker Painted Honeyeater Buckland Gap near Beechworth A few in treed farmland, lots of mistletoe, 29-31 Oct. Also White-throated Gerygone, etc. Richard Loyn