Bird Sightings and Observations Last update

Hot News: What great Spring birding we are having!!
Swift Parrot - At least one heard at Stewarts Reserve 11/11/09. Very late-season record. CMo
White-browed Woodswallows - major influx to the Bellarine Peninsula. Over 600 birds noted at 13 locations 10/11/09
Glossy Ibis - Reedy Lake 10/11/09
Dollarbird, Wallington 25/10/09. PB
Eastern Koel, Gum Flat 22/10/09. TFl;GMc
Red-backed Kingfisher, OGNR, 21/10/09. (BELLBOCA)
Woodswallow (White-browed and Masked) seen in large numbers 11/10/09
Flame Robins nesting in the You Yangs 1/10/09
Irruption of Black-tailed Native-hen September 2009
Speckled Warbler nesting at Long Forest 30/9 (MHe)

Bird Species	No.	Date	Location	Comment	Observer Code
Little Egret	10	15/11/2009	Corio	In their nesting tree at Geelong Grammar, with several gathering nesting material .	BAt
Swift Parrot	1+	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. The unmistakeable “swit swit swit” of a Swift Parrots call was heard 3 or 4 times at ~ 0755hrs.	CMo
Masked Woodswallow	2+	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. At least one pair.	CMo
White-winged Triller	2	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. Two males.	CMo
Restless Flycatcher	1+	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. Heard for extended period of time giving “tu whee tu whee” call and scissors grinding call.	CMo
Olive-backed Oriole	1+	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. Heard calling once in reserve and then to South.	CMo
Laughing Kookaburra	1+	11/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. Heard.	CMo
Australasian Pipit	1	11/11/2009	Waurn Ponds	Deakin Uni.	DE
Coot		11/11/2009	Waurn Ponds	Deakin Uni.Still sitting, but also still building; they seem to be always carrying more stuff back to the nest (2^nd bottom lake)	DE
Australasian Grebe	6	11/11/2009	Waurn Ponds	Deakin Uni. 4 still small enough to hitch a ride on mum/dad’s back (2^nd bottom lake)	DE
White-browed Woodswallows	200+	10/11/2009	Mt Duneed	Stewarts Reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road. 200+ and many other localities... Rice Reserve 20, Fisher Rd. 80+, Dans Reserve, Minya ~50, McCanns Rd. 20+, Taits Pt. ~20 Hd., OGNR 20+, St. Leonards 20+, Swan Bay Jetty 20+ , Indented Head 20+, Portarlington Sewage works 80+, Moolap Station Rd. ~40, Gateway Sanctuary, Leopold hd... a total of well over 600 birds @ 13 locations.	CMO;BL
Hardhead	2	6/11/2009	Leopold	Gateway Sanctuary.	DR
Black Swan	2+3	6/11/2009	Leopold	Gateway Sanctuary. Family with 3 cygnets.	DR
Eurasian Coot	2+5	5/11/2009	Leopold	Gateway Sanctuary. At the west edge of the water were a pair of adult coots with 5 young. All followed parents in for a swim, but were fighting and dunking each other vigorously	DR
Purple Swamphen	2+1	5/11/2009	Leopold	Gateway Sanctuary. Close to the car park area were a pair of purple swamp hens with 1 chick (size of a softball).	DR
Common Greenshank	5	4/11/2009	St Leonards salt lagoon.	Five loafing with Godwit and at least another five spread out across open water.	CMo
Black-tailed Godwit	1	4/11/2009	St Leonards salt lagoon.	One bird. Overall plumage colour darker and more uniform fawn colour. Larger than nearby Greenshanks and considerably larger than Marsh Sandpipers. Straight and long bill. In flight, black tail band and wingbars noted.	CMo
Marsh Sandpiper	25	4/11/2009	St Leonards salt lagoon.	At least 25, mainly in loafing group with Common Greenshanks and Godwit.	CMo
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper	10	4/11/2009	St Leonards salt lagoon.	10 birds made up part of a flock of ~150 wary birds, in total, which flew in and alighted briefly near Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Greenshanks and Marsh Sandpipers.	CMo
Curlew Sandpiper	40	4/11/2009	St Leonards salt lagoon.	40 birds made up part of a flock of ~150 wary birds, in total, which flew in and alighted briefly near Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Greenshanks and Marsh Sandpipers.	CMo
White-winged Triller	6	4/11/2009	St Leonards	Old St. Leonards Rd. near Grassy Pt. Track. At least 6 birds, possibly more, in and around Casuarinas in roadside reserve and adjacent agricultural land. Also some birds further to W along Old St. Leonards Rd.	CMo
Nankeen Night Heron	1	1/11/2009	Highton	01/11/09 8:15 am One flying away from garden pond Aringa Ave, Highton. 01/11/09 about	RW
Fairy Martin	4	1/11/2009	Barwon River	1km upstream of Buckley Falls weir. 11:15 am. Four perched on fence wire	RW
Masked Woodswallow	1+	30/10/2009	St Leonards.	With flock of White-broweds settling in trees along along St Leonards Road are where they bred two years ago.	DR
White-browed Woodswallow	Many	30/10/2009	St Leonards.	Flock settling in trees along along St Leonards Road are where they bred two years ago.	DR
White-browed Woodswallow	350+	30/10/2009	Newtown	Fairmont Rd. From 1550 to 1610h. A total of at least 350 birds, in three “waves” of 150, 100+ and 100+ in 10s, 20s and 50s. All birds moving to NNW. Even, high overcast and birds quite high. Warm and humid with light N breeze, then eased off to SSE sea breeze. Perhaps wind change coincided with last of birds passing overhead. No positive ID of Masked Woodswallows in these flocks.	CMo
White-browed Woodswallow	1+	30/10/2009	Newcomb.	Bellarine Highway,@1400h Heard overhead. One bird seen with naked eye. Very restricted view of the sky.	CMo
White-browed Woodswallow	Many	30/10/2009	Point Addis	Noted flying SW in small groups, high above the Ironbark Basin Carpark	JN;WH;TFl; BL
White-browed Woodswallow	100	29/10/2009	Wallington.	Cnr of Swan Bay Rd. and Caldwell Cres.A total of 100 birds in 5s and 10s flying and gliding N into a light N wind. One male Masked. 1100h.	CMo
Masked Woodswallow	1	29/10/2009	Wallington.	Cnr of Swan Bay Rd. and Caldwell Cres. Masked W/swallow positively identified with black mask contrasting with whitish breast in group of White-browed Woodswallows. 1100h.	CMo
White-browed Woodswallow	80+	26/10/2009	Ocean Grove	Ocean Grove Nature Reserve. Circling at about 200metres above the reserve, then flying much higher and out of sight before descending again a little later.	BL
Dollarbird	1	25/10/2009	Wallington	Grubb Rd, north of Swan Bay Road. A bird perched on a wire.	PB
Horsfield's Bushlark	3	25/10/2009	Little River	A juvenile Horsfield's Bushlark (Singing Bushlark) on the ground in grassland on rail reserve at Little River. Parents nearby were distressed until we moved on.	LPh, MHz et al
Red Knot	1	24/10/2009	Avalon Beach	Still partially in breeding plumage	TSc, LSt
Banded Lapwing	2+2	24/10/2009	Avalon	Beach Rd, 1.8 to 2.0 km past the entrance to the airport in the meadow land to the north (with cattle): 2 adult banded lapwings and two banded lapwing chicks about 2 weeks of age	TSc, LSt
Ruddy Turnstone	1	24/10/2009	Avalon Beach	At the end of Beach Road.	TSc, LSt
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo	12	23/10/2009	St Leonards	A few rested in a gum tree for several hours.	DR
Eastern Koel	1	22/10/2009	Anglesea Heath	Gum Flat. The call was new to both of us and was similar to the last of the Koel calls on Simpson & Days 'Birds of Aust.' disc. We later saw it being chased by a wattlebird. It was on the north side of the road up the wooded gully to the right & later down near the roadway.	TFl;GMc
Black-chinned Honeyeater	2	22/10/2009	You Yangs	Hovells Creek area (private property). Building a nest.	CMo; GL
Restless Flycatcher	2	22/10/2009	You Yangs	Hovells Creek area (private property). Building a nest.	CMo; GL
Brown Treecreeper	3	22/10/2009	You Yangs	Hovells Creek area (private property). Two adults and a juvenile.	CMo; GL
Weebill	3+	22/10/2009	You Yangs	Sandy Creek Rd. carpark. Adult feeding young.	CMo; GL
Buff-rumped Thornbill	2+	22/10/2009	You Yangs	Sandy Creek Rd carpark. Building a nest.	CMo; GL
Brown Songlark	1	22/10/2009	Lara	Windamere Rd.	CMo; GL
Singing Bushlark	1	22/10/2009	Lara	Windamere Rd.	CMo; GL
Rufous Songlark	1	22/10/2009	Lara	Corner of Plains Road and Forest Road.	CMo; GL
White-winged Triller	4+	22/10/2009	Lara	Corner of Plains Road and Flinders Avenue. Numerous	CMo; GL
Red-backed Kingfisher	1	21/10/2009	Ocean Grove	Ocean Grove Nature Reserve. Bird seen along Banksia Trail, in the semi-open area south-east of Cuthbertson Track, at approx 0840hrs.	BELLBOCA per PB
Australian White Ibis	colony	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands - 10+ pairs nest building & sitting in same place as small colony reported on 17/10/07	RGa
Australian Spotted Crake	1	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands	RGa
Little Egret	3	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands	RGa
Royal Spoonbill	2	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands	RGa
Black-tailed Native-hen	36	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands - large number & probably more. Species seen here on 17/10/08	RGa
Little Grassbird	26	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands	RGa
Striated Fieldwren	4	12/01/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands - low number for this time of year.	RGa
Black Swan	many breeding	19/10/2009	Pt Henry	Alcoa wetlands. 2adults+ 5young; 2+ 4; 2+ 4; 2+ 4; 2+ 4; 2+ 4; 2+ 1; 3 birds on nests.	RGa
Black-tailed Native-hen	1	19/10/2009	Ocean Grove	Bluewaters Lake. Our first record at this site.	BL; BML
Southern Emu-wren	1+	18/10/2009	Pt Addis	Hurst Road. Perched in low bushes.	GFNC exc.
Owlet Nightjar	1	18/10/2009	Pt Addis	Hurst Road. A bird heard calling over night. A bird seen perched in an ironbark tree during the day.	GFNC Exc
Sacred Kingfisher	1	18/10/2009	Winchelsea	Casuarina woodland just east of Winchelsea (Trust for Nature). Bathing in puddle and calling. No other woodland for some distance.	JN
White-necked Heron	5	18/10/2009	Birregurra	Airies Reserve, near on Princes Hwy	JN
Black-winged Stilt	4	18/10/2009	Birregurra	Airies Reserve, near on Princes Hwy. 2 pairs of stilts building nests.	JN
White-necked Heron	3	18/10/2009	Birregurra	In farmland.	JN
Black-tailed Native-hen	46+	18/10/2009	Birregurra	Birregurra Creek, Roadknight Rd.	JN
Australian Shoveler	2	18/10/2009	Birregurra	Birregurra Creek, Roadknight R.	JN
Olive-backed Oriole	1	16/10/2009	Ironbark Basin	A bird calling near the car park.	BL
Scarlet Robin	1	16/10/2009	Ironbark Basin	A male bird hunting insects near the car park. Seen in same area on 18/10	BL
White-winged Triller	1	16/10/2009	Aireys Inlet	At the treatment works. Male in eclipse plumage. A brown mantled bird with pure white central breast, belly and throat. Some mottling to the sides of the breast. Distinctive dark eye stripe, dark crown, dark edge to wings. Noted foraging for insects on the ground in a sparsely grassed area.	BL
Great Crested Grebe	1	16/10/2009	Jerringot	In main pool at southern end.
Little Black Cormorant	1	15/10/2009	Batesford	Moorabool River. In a big waterhole.	SQ
Sacred Kingfisher	1	15/10/2009	Batesford	Moorabool River. In the same tree that the birds nested in last year.	SQ
Tawny Frogmouth	2	15/10/2009	Batesford	Moorabool River. Nesting in red gum.	SQ
Willy Wagtail	2	15/10/2009	Batesford	Moorabool River. Nesting in tree overhanging Primrose Creek..	SQ
White-browed Woodswallow	40	11/10/2009	You Yangs	White-browed and Masked Woodswallows, You Yangs, Eastern Paddock. At 1 p.m., a flock of about 10 White-browed, with one Masked, flew in ahead of a big black rain cloud and landed in trees around a dam. Numbers gradually increased and by 2 p.m., there were about 40 circling overhead.	MHe; DHe
Masked Woodswallow	1	11/10/2009	You Yangs	White-browed and Masked Woodswallows, You Yangs, Eastern Paddock. At 1 p.m., a flock of about 10 White-browed, with one Masked, flew in ahead of a big black rain cloud and landed in trees around a dam.	MHe; DHe
White-browed Woodswallow.	400+	11/10/2009	Newtown.	Fairmont Rd. 1245h. At least 400+ in groups of 20 to 100+ flying in WNW direction into a light WSW wind. Even overcast conditions. This is a conservative estimate as the observer was looking at individual birds, with binoculars, in an unsuccessful attempt to find Masked Woodswallows amongst the masses of White-brows. @1400h ~50 White-browed Woodswallows gliding and flying W into stronger and warmer WNW wind. Brighter and sunnier conditions. @1430h briefly heard again to the W with dark clouds gathering in the W	CMO
Magpie Lark	2+	9/10/2009	Point Lonsdale	B110, just W of turn off for Queenscliff-Portarlington Rd. at the foot of “Suma Park hill”. First noticed on 9/10/09. A pair with a nest on crossbar of power pole. The nest is more central and is protected from the “noonday sun” in the shadow of the central insulator (see photo). Both birds apparently incubating (possibly brooding?)sitting low on nest.	CMo
Little Corella	60+	10/10/2009	St Leonards	Commenced evening flights towards the north of St Leonards, as they did in late summer.	DR
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo	Several	10/10/2009	St Leonards	Commenced evening flights towards the north of St Leonards, as they did in late summer.	DR
Robin sp	1	10/10/2009	Barwon River	Downstream of Buckley’s Falls. Heard an unusual call for a few minutes @1240h around the picnic ground. A repeated “drrrrrrt” at intervals of 20-40 seconds, not unlike the last notes of a Rose Robin song.	CMo
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike	2	10/10/2009	Barwon River	Downstream of Buckley’s Falls. Pair building a nest in a horizontal fork of an Ash, almost over path.	CMo
Chestnut-tailed Heathwren	1	8/10/2009	Anglesea	Cnr. Gundry’s Rd. and Forest Rd. Beautiful tuneful subsong heard briefly from heathy from shrubs at the foot of a small tree where Magpie briefly perched in the bare upper branches. Not certain, but the most sensible explanation for the identity of the singer, given the locality, habitat and tuneful quality of the song was for a Heathwren singing whilst under stress from proximity of the Magpie. Singing stopped when Magpie flew away and singer could not be located.	CMo
Peregrine Falcon	1	8/10/2009	Airey’s Inlet	Split Point. Bird first noted hanging in wind to NE. Then slowly but deliberately glided SSW along edge of cliff as it came nearer, slightly closed wings and rapidly gained speed and lost from sight in the direction of the lighthouse.	CMo
Black-tailed Native-Hen	1	1/10/2009	Reedy Lake	Woods Rd. One bird seen in daylight along gutter near fence adjoining reserve. In fading light, towards the end of twilight and after, at least 30 birds came at from reed beds and were actively foraging on edge of open water. Observed in telescope with characteristic profile and behavior in fading light and moonlight. (bittern survey)	CMo
Brolga	3+	1/10/2009	Reedy Lake	Woods Rd. One bird flew in from NNW @ sunset. As it landed, out of sight in front of observer, calls could be heard, possibly from more than one bird. Calls of more than one bird (2?) heard once or twice in fading light from SSW. (bittern survey)	CMo
Australasian Bittern	1	1/10/2009	Reedy Lake	Woods Rd. One bird seen at sunset and after (~5 min). Looking about with head and beak (in vertical posture) above level of reed beds. None heard. (bittern survey)	CMo
Rufous Songlark	1	1/10/2009	Wallington	B110 Hwy, W boundary of Adventure Park. One bird heard at least 4 times in 20 minute period in area of trees and long grass. 1600h	CMo
Australian Magpie	82	1/10/2009	Mannerim	In one large paddock on N side of road at E end of Knight Rd. Total of 82 birds spread across one paddock in small groups of 2 or 3 to ~6. Only two birds, with pale breast and plain bill, noted in sub-adult plumage. Adult bill blue-grey with black tip. On 4/10 ~ 50 birds in and around the same paddock.	CMo & LM.
Flame Robin	2+2	1/10/2009	You Yangs	Nest with two small young, on bark on side of dead eucalypt, about 1 metre from the ground. Parent birds feeding the young.	BL
Scarlet Robin	15	1/10/2009	You Yangs	Six pairs noted on a day spent walking around the You Yangs. One pair had two fully fledged young accompanying them and another pair had 1 fledged young. Young birds very "brownish" with tan coloured wing bars.	BL
Brown Quail	1	1/10/2009	Reedy Lake	Bird flushed from long grass beside track.	BL;BML
Pacific Golden Plover	9	1/10/2009	Blue Rocks	13th Beach.	TFl; GMc
Ruddy Turnstone	4	1/10/2009	Blue Rocks	13th Beach. 4 plus one dead on beach behind the rocks, head chewed off.	TFl; GMc
Red-capped Plover	2	1/10/2009	Blue Rocks	13th Beach.	TFl; GMc
Red-necked Stint	20	1/10/2009	Blue Rocks	13th Beach.	TFl; GMc
Black-tail Native-hen	9	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Fan-tailed Cuckoo	2	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo	4	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Pallid Cuckoo	2	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo	7+	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Swamp Harrier	1	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.First in this area for me	RGa
Rufous Whistler	numerous	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Spotless Crake	1	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Red-kneed Dotterel	2	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property.	RGa
Purple-crowned Lorikeet	pair	29/09/2009	Batesford	Private property. Seen entering & remaining inside knot-hole.	RGa
Brown Goshawk	pair	29/09/2009	Batesford	Continually circling overhead, culminating in an arial-tumbling display including talon clasping. Sometimes breaking off & flying fast at tree-top level in an attempt to flush prey.	RGa
Yellow-rumped Thornbill/ Shining-bronze Cuckoo	2 + 1	29/09/2009	Batesford	Pair feeding a juvenile	RGa
Black-tailed Native-hen	53+	22/9/2009	Freshwater Creek	Hendy Main Road. Near large farm farm dam. Part of an influx of birds to southern Victoria over the past 10 days.	BL
Hooded Plover	2	22/9/2009	Breamlea	Bream Creek estuary. Loafing on sand at low tide.	BL
Rufous Songlark	1	20/9/2009	Wallington	Swan Bay Road. Bird calling loudly. GFNC Excursion.	per BL
Crested Shrike-tit	2	20/9/2009	Wallington	Swan Bay Road. Pair gleaning insects from bark of Manna Gums. GFNC Excursion.	per BL
Dusky Woodswallow	4+	18/9/2009	Barwon River	At 3pm today Dusky Wood Swallows flying over the Barwon River at Queens Park .	BAt
Masked Lapwing	2+1	16/9/2009	Corio	Bacchus Marsh Road. Two parents and chick on grassy side of the road.	HSc
Eastern Great Egret	1	15/9/2009	Barwon River	Near Red Gum Island. Fishing.	HSc
Satin Bowerbird	1	23/8/2009	Wensleydale	Constructing and maintaining bower.	JN
Pallid Cuckoo	1	23/8/2009	Wensleydale	First sighting for the spring.	JN
Hooded Plover	1	15/8/2009	Aireys Inlet	On Painaklac Estuary beach, on dune side	SQ
Rufous Bristlebird	1	15/8/2009	Aireys Inlet	In clearing on cliff top in lighthouse reserve	SQ