Andrew Silcocks reports seeing a Ruff/Reeve on the wetland at Braeside Park this morning. There was also a Pectoral Sandpiper and c.1,000 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Not seen were 2 Wood Sandpipers seen last Thursday by David Stabb. Lewin’s Rail has also been reported. On Sunday a few kilometres away, 58 species of wetland dependant birds & raptors, (87 species in total) were encountered on the BirdLife Australia’s monthly count internally at the Eastern Treatment Plant. Highlights included a very tame Pectoral Sandpiper, 118 Blue-billed Ducks, 92 Freckled Ducks, 4600 Pink-eared Ducks and a very photogenic male Spotted Harrier. Surprisingly, in spite of extensive suitable habitat, the only ‘vagrant’ crakes were 3 Australian Spotted and one Black-tailed Native-hen but there are more crakes in the external wetlands. By ‘internal’ I mean the operating section of the plant south of the Patterson River and north of Thompson Road and west of EastLink to the Mornington Peninsula Freeway. This area is securely fenced and entry prohibited. Up until now casual visitors have been allowed to accompany an inducted leader with an electronic gate pass but Melbourne Water has now declared that all count-team members be inducted and that induction shall be renewed every three years.
Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136 ===============================
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