| Tue 18 | | Baillon's Crake
Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) |
|
| Unusual for this time of year. A single Baillons Crake in the company of an Australian Crake about 100 metres along Kirk Point Road in the adjacent channel. |
| Iian Denham & Mark Buckby 18/7 #231380 |
| Mon 17 | | White-browed Woodswallow, Swift Parrot
Bailieston Historic Area Block 1 inc Bailieston Quarry |
| Quite a lot of Ironbark flowering at the moment. A mixed flock of around 150 Woodswallows were literally dripping from the trees feeding on nectar. Perhaps two thirds Dusky and a third White-browed. Good numbers of White-browed for mid winter, and it was extremely cold. Also a small group of Swift Parrot (maybe 6) flew past in the forest perhaps 2 kms west of the quarry seen from Baileston track. Could not be relocated. |
| Simon Starr 17/7 #231375 |
|  | Osprey
Werribee River at K Rd |
|
| The Osprey is back. My first visit to this site and I wasn't even looking for an Osprey. As soon as I parked, it was in front of me, perched in a dead tree on the river bend. Soon after, two birders appeared also. It sat for quite a while at fairly close range, before flying off with a raven soon taking up chase. |
| Bernie McRitchie 17/7 #231372 |
| Sat 15 | | Azure Kingfisher
Banyule Flats Reserve |
|
| I caught an azure flash fly along the creek between Banyule swamp and the Yarra River near the cattleyards - followed it as best I could and got some blurry shots before he or she took off again. eBird checklist |
| Steve Camilleri 17/7 #231370 |
| | Australasian Bittern
Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)--Lake Borrie |
|
| Bird flushed from reeds beside the track heading towards the bird hide. Also seen two Brolga at Borrow Pits, Buff-banded rail and Black-tailed Native Hen at the ford near Paradise road. |
| Nick Talbot 16/7 #231364 |
| Fri 14 | | Powerful Owl
Eagle Point Nature Reserve |
| In tree to north of path between Gates 3 & 4 eBird checklist |
| Jack Winterbottom 14/7 #231352 |
| Thu 13 | | Crescent Honeyeater
Ironbark Basin |
| The ironbarks are flowering profusely and there is a cacophony of honeyeater calls, including at least 100 Crescent Honeyeaters (could easily be more than double that number.) I have never encountered so many of this usually furtive species in the one place before. A memorable, uplifting experience. |
| Sean Dooley 17/7 #231371 |
| | Scarlet Honeyeater
Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park--Chandlers Track |
| Male and female on ironbark blossoms at intersection of Rileys Rd and Stringybark Trk. Winter record seems unusual. |
| John Kelly, Ewan Kelly 14/7 #231356 |
| Wed 12 | | Southern Boobook
St Kilda Botanic Gardens |
| A Southern Boobook was hunting Gould's Wattled Bats as they emerged from my roost boxes in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens tonight at 18:00. |
| Gio Fitzpatrick 18/7 #231381 |
| | Intermediate Egret
Moonee Ponds Creek just south of Dynon Road |
|
| Intermediate Egret is an uncommon sighting in southern Victoria. I haven't seen one along Moonee Ponds Creek before. (Sorry about the picture - it was taken with my phone.) |
| Chris Lester 14/7 #231350 |
| | Black Chinned Honeyeater
Bannockburn Recreation Reserve |
|
| eBird checklist |
| Ian Llewellyn 13/7 #231346 |
| | Australian King Parrot
Burnley Gardens |
| Surprised to see one female Australian King Parrot in a tree opposite the Burnley Gardens (river bank) this morning as I drove to work. Have not noticed this species here in the past. |
| Andrew Hogg 12/7 #231338 |
| Mon 10 | | Beach Stone-curlew
Snowy River Mouth |
|
| Seen by 14 Birdlife East Gippsland members on south bank of the estuary within 200 metres of the actual river mouth. Continuing bird apparently resident here. Already posted to Birdlife Vic FB page. eBird checklist |
| Jack WInterbottom, Birdlife East Gippsland x 14 10/7 #231333 |
| | Song Thrush
Banyule Flats Reserve |
|
| One bird observed by myself and James Cornelius in the late afternoon, perched in exotic trees at the top of the bank on the west side of the main lake. Calling often, including mimicry of Blackbird and Magpie-lark. Last reported at Banyule almost 3 years ago. eBird checklist |
| Leigh Pieterse 10/7 #231332 |
| Sun 9 | | Swift Parrot, Gang-gang Cockatoos
Bannockburn Bush Reserve |
|
| A short visit to the Bannockburn bush this morning yielded some beautiful parrots. The Swift Parrots were feeding on nectar from the Yellow Gums and the Gang-gangs came from the golf course. Plenty of honeyeaters and wattlebirds there too. eBird checklist |
| Bernie McRitchie 9/7 #231326 |
| Sat 8 | | Azure Kingfisher
Wilson Reserve |
|
| Went to the reserve Saturday morning hoping to catch a glimpse of this hard to see species as it was reported the previous weekend, and was surprised to be able to get a photo as it was showing well not far from Chelsworth park bottom oval. |
| Phillip West 9/7 #231323 |
| | Pied Currawong
West Hamilton, Wedge St/Digby Rd |
| 2 birds heard calling, 9ish in morning, from trees near rail reserve or town tip, possibly the bird/s Larry Storer saw on 20th June at North Hamilton |
| Samantha Greiner 8/7 #231314 |
| Fri 7 | | House Sparrow x Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Hybrid)
Royal Park, Parkville |
|
| Bird associating with House Sparrows on the sports oval adjacent the wetlands noticeably smaller and keeping to itself on the fringes of the flock. Red-brown cap, narrow pale collar extending to the nape, warmer chestnut upperparts, relatively smaller size and diffuse dark ear coverts were all features observed that are consistent with Eurasian Tree Sparrow. Features observed that were not consistent with Eurasian Tree Sparrow but with House Sparrow was extensive black bib down to the breast, grey base colour to the ear coverts and grey crown wedged in the red-brown cap. Thought worth noting as i have not seen many reports of hybrids before, perhaps under reported. eBird checklist |
| Dan Ashdown 7/7 #231312 |
| Wed 5 | | Little Stint
Stockyard Point |
| Lots of waders at high tide at the point and the Little Stint was found by
some sharp eyed birders amongst the many roosting birds. The stint eventually gave some good views allowing for positive identification as it fed actively on the mud flats. |
| Clive Kaplan and Aidan Sudbury 6/7 #231298 |
| | Little Stint
Stockyard Point |
| Much reported bird still present. At 9am, 2 hours before high tide it flew in with other waders and spent the next couple of hours mostly napping. eBird checklist |
| Hedley and Irena Earl 5/7 #231289 |
| Tue 4 | | Olive-backed Oriole
River Gum Walk, Heidelberg |
| Surprised to see and hear one along River Gum Walk where it crosses Salt Creek, just before it comes out near Beverley Road. First time I've seen one in winter in this region. eBird checklist |
| Owen Lishmund 4/7 #231280 |
| Sun 2 | | Whimbrel
Ocean Grange (Albifrons Island) |
| 3 juvenile Whimbrels feeding on the northern shoreline. |
| Robert Wright 2/7 #231270 |
| | Azure Kingfisher
Wilson Reserve |
| Great views of two birds at various points around the dam between Wilson Reserve and Chelsworth Park. Also had a Buff-banded Rail run across the path in front of me into thick vegetation, at the south end of the same dam. eBird checklist |
| Leigh Pieterse 2/7 #231262 |
| Sat 1 | | Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit
Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) |
| Good number of overwintering Red Knot (14) on Foreshore Rd, later confirmed by Dez Hughes near the hide. Also a single Bar-tailed Godwit flying past at the same location. 'Barwits' have been scarce at the farm over the last summer season so was surprised to see one let alone at this time of year. eBird checklist |
| Dan Ashdown & Steven Ashdown 1/7 #231259 |
| Thu 29 | | Shining Bronze-cuckoo
private bushland in Elphinstone |
| Calling loudly! I was so surprised I recorded the call so I could confirm with another birder, and yes, it's a shining. |
| Tanya Loos 29/6 #231250 |
| Mon 26 | | Little Stint and South Island Pied Oystercatcher
Stockyard Point |
| First found yesterday by Scott Baker and others, re-found today... a breeding plumage Little Stint amongst a large flock of Red-necked Stints, Curlew Sandpipers about 2 to 2 1/2 hours before high tide. "Orangey" bird with white throat and diagnostic white 'tram-tracks' visible on back. "Syd" the SIPO was still around and at least one Terek Sandpiper. |
| R. Bruce Richardson, James Cornelious, Bill Twiss, Owen Lishmund, Carolyn Edwards and others 26/6 #231238 |
| Sun 25 | | Little Stint, South Island Pied Oystercatcher
Stockyard Point |
|
| A breeding plumage Little Stint found roosting amongst large flock of Red-necked Stints, Curlew Sandpipers, etc. at high tide. Bright orange bird with white throat and diagnostic white 'tram-tracks' visible on back. Also got the well documented SIPO, Terek Sandpiper and good variety of overwintering waders. |
| Scott Baker, Kevin Bartram, Paul Peake and others. 25/6 #231222 |
| Thu 22 | | Powerful Owl
Devilbend Reservoir Reserve--Bittern Reservoir |
| Two birds sighted during a bird survey. |
| S and S King with Dennis, Ben and Tyrone. 22/6 #231204 |