Birdline Victoria Weekly Update

Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 23 Nov 2014. Sun 23 Nov Red Necked Avocet, Black Winged Stilt, Red Kneed Dotterel & Grey Teal Thompsons Rd cnr William Thwaites Bvd, Cranbourne North Some welcome new residents at the developing wetland/stormwater treatment basin. It has recently been drained for planting and this has attracted the avocets, stilts and family of dotterels – great to see in developing suburbia. Ziggy, Claire & Eva Wolinski Latham’s Snipe, Intermediate Egret McDonalds Swamp After good views of dowitcher, we visited McDonalds Swamp. 1 Latham’s Snipe, 3 Intermediate Egrets, 5 Glossy ibis and 4 Spotted Crakes but no Aust. Bitterns seen. Pam Smith and Paul Taylor White-cheeked Honeyeater (2), Black Bittern (1) Croajingolong National Park Located a pair of White-cheeked Honeyeaters along the road that passes the boardwalk in Howe Flat in Croajingolong National Park. About 100 metres down the track past the boardwalk, we heard an unusual call which we pssshted in. Single bird shot across path noticeably larger than New Holland Honeyeater. On second view as it flew about we viewed the large white patch on cheek and confirmed White-cheeked Honeyeater. Over the next 20 minutes we struggled to get photos but eventually succeeded and confirmed a pair of birds when seen together flying about the area. Many photos taken and photo of exact spot where birds located also available to interested twitchers. Also of note, single Black Bittern flushed from under bridge outside Mallacoota on the previous day. James Mustafa & Steve Davidson Channel-billed Cuckoo Lake Glenmaggie, Victoria A pair has been visiting for 4-6 weeks during the last 4-5 springs, generally to clean out our Mulberry bush. JOhn & Marg Gwyther Eastern Koel Lake Glenmaggie, Victoria Observed in light box bushland on the Eastern edge of the lake. Second one heard but not sighted nearby. John & Marg Gwyther Sat 22 Nov Glossy Ibis (10) Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) 10 Glossy Ibis seen in pond on 145WA lagoon (opposite Walsh’s Lagoon) about 200m east of the ford. Paul Dodd & Beth Baisch Ground Cuckoo-shrike Minyip 10′ Cell Ground Cuckoo-shrike seen about 10 km north of Minyip on Donald Rd Allan and Rob Benson Pectoral Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)–T Section Ponds 1 juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper seen mainly on the southern side of the first T-Section lagoon, Also a Black-tailed Godwit present, 1 Brolga & plenty of other waders, conditions looking good. Kevin Bartram, Scott Baker, Merv Marsh Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Bird reported as still present this morning simon starr per facebook Eastern Koel corner Curtis and Quick streets Bendigo The male was high up in a pine tree calling from 7.00 a.m. While watching I could hear another male calling in the distance. The bird changed its normal cooee call to a warbling call. I recorded this call and played it back to the bird, it flew away toward the other caller. Peter Weinstock White-fronted Chat South West of Numurkah A small group of 6 – 8 White-fronted Chats seen in Central Mundoona Road along a fence line of a harvested wheat field. Time : late morning. Richard & Catarina Gregson Fri 21 Nov Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop South East Corner Hot windy and overcast morning. Dowitcher was among a group of waders. An flight-takeoff photograph (good view of white-edged barring on flank) attached. A big thank-you to birders who left a location message on our windscreen while we at the North-east corner. Ivan Traverso & Russell Cockman Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Seen in am by 10+ birders on north east shore Frank Pierce Freckled Duck Eynesbury Golf Course 4 birds on the ornamental lake adjacent to the golf course pro-shop. Other good birds in the area included several separate sightings of Diamond Firetail around the golf course and a Crested Shrike-tit in the woodland. Richard Nowotny & David Wimpress (UK) Square-tailed Kite Eynesbury Forest and Grasslands Single bird over the woodland, rising rapidly on a thermal. Richard Nowotny & David Wimpress (UK) White-throated Needletail Mallacoota Airfield Whilst watching a White-bellied Sea-eagle carrying Little Penguin prey and buzzed by a White-throated Needletail our attention soon turned to a vast gathering of swifts. A conservative estimate of around 1300 WTNT was milling over the airfield; the flock moved slowly westward and soon disappeared completely. Steve Davidson & James Mustafa Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Bird still present this morning on North East side of Lake. Feeding, sleeping and generally relaxed. Gavin Masters and Mal Chicksen Forest Raven Ocean View Caravan Park, Marlo Single bird heard then seen in Norfolk Pine, 0620hrs. Steve Davidson & James Mustafa Thu 20 Nov Eastern Koel Park Orchards One individual heard calling from a nearby tree at 5:00am. Tim Currie Long Billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop As reported on south east side of lake.Had good view took plenty of pictures. Tony & Stephanie Dawe Danny Rogers Bruce Collier & David Andrew Dollarbird Oswin Roberts Reserve, Phillip Island Surprised to find a suspect Dollarbird this morning on Phillip Island, perched in distant dead branches in the Oswin Roberts Reserve in overcast conditions. Unable to bush-bash any nearer, the best we could do was take some long shot photos to get better diagnostics. One has been supplied to the Moderator for confirmation purposes. Alan and Hazel Veevers, Michele Grant Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop The bird was seen this morning on the southern shoreline. Peter and Helga Waanders per Simon Starr Purple-crowned Lorikeet Chirnside Park This morning at approximately 7:15 I heard the distinctive harsh screeching call of a single Purple-crowned Lorikeet passing over my house, most likely attracted to the flowering Eucalypts in the area at present Tim Nickholds Wed 19 Nov Black-faced Monarch Cody Gully track, Foster Seen at 8:30 in the morning in the gully rohan bugg Freckled Duck Balnarring Community Wetland 9 Freckled Ducks this morning, a pair of Blue billed Ducks, Chestnut. And Grey Teal, a family of Australian Shelduck, Hoary headed Grebe, a pair of Red kneeded Dotterel and an adult White-bellied Sea Eagle low overhead at 11am Richard, Elliot and Toby Hook Eastern Koel Hawthorn East (Camberwell) First Koel that I’ve heard in Victoria, probably resident in large Fig-tree on top of hill on Burke Road -37.835347, 145.055837 Tom Tarrant Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint Ricketts Pt, Beaumaris A flock of 13 Sharpies and 3 Red-necked Stints roosting this morning. The first Sharpies at the site I have recorded in 3 years and only about the fourth record of the stints for me. Sean Dooley Channel – Billed Cuckoo Edrington Park Retirement Village,Berwick 1 flew from east to west through the village at 8.40 am . Graham Beal & James Grant Tue 18 Nov Channel – Billed Cuckoo Edrington Park Retirement Village, Berwick 2 birds watched from 2.40 pm for approx.15 mins.,being harassed by Little Ravens in the trees.Flew off into the neighbourhood east of the village. The Village is private property. Graham Beal and James Grant Australasian Bittern McDonald Swamp Wildlife Reserve Flushed from roadside. Glossy Ibis and possible Intermediate Egret present. Malcolm Cousland Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Arrived around 1030 (having dipped last Wed) to find Bill and Jack Morehead had it lined up for us! Thanks guys Dave Torr, Iian Denham and Mark Buckby Eastern Koel Black Rock Following on from Kim Cocker’s report, a male bird was calling from the outer branches of the same fig tree next to the Black Rock shops this morning at about 8:15. Sean Dooley Mon 17 Nov Dowitcher sp. Lake Tutchewop Seen for 3 hours this morning, east side of the lake, in company with sharp-tailed & curlew sandpipers, and resting terns. Lovely viewing conditions in morning light, much more pleasant than the afternoon spent fruitlessly searching last week. Gregg Muller Long-billed Dowitcher? Lake Tutchewop The LBD was located on the east side of the lake mid-afternoon today. Bernie OKeefe Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Bird observed and photographed on Northern shore of the lake this morning. Many birders present. Warren Palmer, Warwick Remington, Trevor Lumb. grey-crowned babblers Kerang Ibis Rookery a family of 5 birds seen at Ibis Rookery on way back from Lake Tutchewop. Just on left of path leading to bird hide… Murray & Chambers & Ian Mayo long-billed dowitcher Lake Tutchewop excellent views of dowitcher today….along north-eastern shoreline Murray Chambers & Ian Mayo Scarlet Honeyeater-male Ensay Doctors Flat Road This morning photographed Scarlet Honeyeater near Ensay, East Gippsland Victoria Robert Plumtree Dowitcher Lake Tutchewop Seen at north end from 10 am simon starr via facebook Sun 16 Nov Splendid Fairy-Wren (Malurus splendens) Thunder Swamp Wildlife Reserve, Dingee Vic Unconfirmed immature bird sighted August 2014, November same transect, young male approaching full plumage sighted. [Ed note. significant range expansion: most south-easterly confirmed record.] Greg Licence Long-billed Dowitcher Lake Tuchewop Bird located in the southern section at 08:30. Observed for twenty minites before it was spooked off by a Whistling Kite. Roly Lloyd and Eddy Smith Brolga Wetland near Hexham On my way to Cobra Killuc Reserve near Hexham Victoria, i stopped in at a wetland on Wordleys Lane on dusk. From only a quick, distant scan i spotted 2 X Brolga, 100+ Banded Stilt and lots of Pink-eared Ducks. It may be worth a better look if anyone is in the area: -37.961274, 142.746805 Peter Fuller Swift Parrots Manrico Crt, Sunbury Single bird first heard and then sighetd in Yellow Gum at the bottom of the court this morning. Heard again mid afternoon. Around 27mm of rain last night had all the resident birds active and feeding in the gums throughout the day. Gerard O’Neill Sat 15 Nov White-winged chough Iluka St Black Rock My granddaughter and I heard the most unusual bird call coming from high in a tree in my backyard. It was a mournful call and I would have said that it was two notes but would like to hear a recording. We could only see the bird from below, but it was large and black with a much slimmer beak than a crow. We have many crows and currawongs here, so I know it was neither of those. Our neighbours also came outside to see as it was such an unusual call. I also heard it two days later, but further away, and I think I heard it yesterday but much further away. The only bird I can find in my bird books that matches the description is a chough. I have never seen or heard one before. Mrs Heather Hanstein Satin Flycatcher Buttongrass Walk, Bunyip Pair displaying near start of Buttongrass Walk close to small bridge near road intersection. Also present in same area 2 Rufous Fantails, Crested Shrike-tit and Cicadabird heard. Tom Tarrant Eastern Koel Black Rock, Victoria Heard calling at Black Rock shopping strip and spotted in Fig tree in car-park in Balcombe Rd Kim Croker Mon 3 Nov Koel Brookfield Village at Arnolds Creek, Melton South One Koel heard at Lifestyle Brookfield Retirement Village in Melton, beside Arnolds Creek, by Community Manager Roslyn Mohr . “Not sure if this is an unusual observation but last Friday morning we heard the distinctive call of a Common Koel here in the community. I know theyare not a regular visitor to Victoria (I commonly hear them on my brothers property near Brisbane) but wondered if theyave been sighted in the area before? I didnat see the bird but do know the call well” Ros Mohr (per Daryl Akers)