Recent  BIRD SIGHTINGS AND OBSERVATIONS

in the Geelong Region

Last update 28/06/2011

 Observations submitted since May

Notable Sightings
- Greater Sand Plover, Ocean Grove Spit, 17/6
-White-headed Petrel 13/6/11 Pt Addis
- Satin Bowerbird, 12/6/2011 Belmont
- Brown Skua, 8/6 Point Lonsdale

Latest Observations

Bird Species No.  Date  Location  Comment  Observer Code 
Shy Albatross Some 25/6/2011 Surfcoast Pt Addis, Airies lighthouse and Lorne pier. Surprised how close to shore they ventured. JN
King Parrot 2 26/6/2011 Anglesea Heathland Breakfast Creek. JN
Bassian Thrush 1 26/6/2011 Anglesea Heathland Breakfast Creek. JN
Rufous Bristlebird 1 26/6/2011 Anglesea Heathland Breakfast Creek. Calling. JN
Fan-tailed Cuckoo 1 26/6/2011 Anglesea Heathland Breakfast Creek. JN
Bar-tailed Godwit 6 25/6/2011 Ocean Grove River mouth Spit at 5.00pm. One flagged bird, several with some breeding plumage. With about 200 waders - Red-capped Plover, Double-banded Plover and Red-necked Stints BL;BML
Shy Albatross 10 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. CMo;RGa
Black-browed Albatross 5 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. CMo;RGa
Black-faced Cormorant 2 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. CMo;RGa
Great Cormorant 1 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. CMo;RGa
Fluttering Shearwater ~40 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. CMo;RGa
Australian Gannet 600 21/6/2011 Pt Lonsdale Off shore from the lighthouse. Included a "feeding group" of about 400 off Shortlands Bluff. CMo;RGa
Golden Whistler 1 15/6/2011 Leopold Also on 18/6. Coloured male. Searching for food in a Drooping Sheoke. JHo
White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1 14/6/2011 Leopold Flying overhead, harassed by Little Ravens JHo
Red-necked Stint several 21/6/2011 Ocean Grove River mouth Spit. Some showing reddish neck colour. Also  some Red-capped Plovers. Photo CMo, RGa
Red-necked Stint several 21/6/2011 Ocean Grove River mouth Spit. Some showing reddish neck colour. Also  some Double-banded Plovers Photo TP
Pink Robin 1 19/6/2011 Bannockburn Bannockburn Bush. A gorgeous richly coloured brown bird, well camouflaged in burned acacia paradoxa habitat, feeding on the ground. JN
Greater Sand Plover 1 17/6/2011 Ocean Grove On the river mouth Spit.4.00PM. Single bird, apart from nearby Stints, Red-caps and Double-banded Plovers. Bird 1/3 larger than the Double-banded Plovers. Large eye, beak approx.2/3 length of head & thick at base tapering to a point i.e. wedge-shaped, thick long supercillium, dark through & under eye with sharp cut-off & very white chin down to breast & below.  General colours were Stint -like (greyer/paler). RGa
Double-banded Plover 25+ 17/6/2011 Ocean Grove On the river mouth Spit. Mixed flock. RGa
Red-capped Plover 45 17/6/2011 Ocean Grove On the river mouth Spit. Mixed flock. RGa
Red-necked Stint 25+ 17/6/2011 Ocean Grove On the river mouth Spit. Mixed flock. RGa

Birds seen in May-June (reported at the Bird Group Meeting 16/6/11)

Bird Species No.  Date  Location  Comment  Observer Code 
Spotted Quail-thrush 1 13/06/2011 Brisbane Ranges Pea Track. Male bird heard and seen in late afternoon. TMc;JN
Australian Owlet-Nightjar 1 13/06/2011 Lara Wooloomanata. JN, TMc
Australian Owlet-Nightjar 1 13/06/2011 Lara Hovell's Creek. Bird flushed twice. Perched above the creek, giving good views. TMc;JN
Black-chinned Honeyeater 1 13/06/2011 Lara Wooloomanata, Lascelles Dam. Single bird in River Red Gums. TMc;JN
Brown Quail 13+ 13/06/2011 Lara Wooloomanata & Hovell's Creek. 3 birds then 10+ birds flushed from long grass along Hovell's Creek. At least 2 seen walking along the ground, giving good views. 4 other quail flushed at a different site were paler and probably Stubble Quail. TMc;JN
Diamond Firetail 2+ 13/06/2011 Lara Wooloomanata. Constructing a nest / roost nest in a flooded bush JN, TMc
Crested Tern 1 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430. AM; JP
Fluttering Shearwater 50 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430. AM; JP
Pacific Gull 3 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430. AM; JP
Prion sp. 15 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430. AM; JP
Shy Albatross 8 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430. AM; JP
White-headed Petrel 3 13/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1200 and 1430.We had great views and have good notes, and are both confident that these birds were indeed white-headed petrels. AM; JP
Kelp Gull 2 13/06/2011 Queenscliff Beside the pier. With Pacific and Silver gulls being fed by a local person. BL
Pacific Gull 10 13/06/2011 Queenscliff Beside the pier. 8 juvenile and 2 adult birds with Kelp and Silver gulls being fed by a local person. BL
Satin Bowerbird 1 12/6/2011 Belmont Our 2nd sighting of a single female in Downshire Rd, Belmont. The previous sighting was made here on 10/03/2010. KC
Cape Petrel 1 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 KC
Common Diving-Petrel 20 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 AM; KC
Crested Tern 2 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 AM; KC
Fluttering Shearwater 100 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 AM; KC
Giant Petrel sp. 1 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530. Unidentified Giant Petrel species. AM; KC
Kelp Gull 1 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530. Immature Bird. AM; KC
Pacific Gull 1 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 AM; KC
Prion sp. 10 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530. Unidentified Prion species. AM; KC
Shy Albatross 20 12/06/2011 Pt Addis Between 1330 and 1530 AM; KC
Satin Bowerbird 1 12/6/2011 Belmont. Our 2nd sighting of a single female in Downshire Rd, Belmont. The previous sighting was made here on 10/03/2010. KC
Kelp Gull 1 9/06/2011 Pt Addis Mature bird. TFl; GMc
Little Eagle 1 9/06/2011 Wallington Grubb Road. Overhead. GMc
Australasian Gannet 30 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. Many well out to sea, some closer and some inside the Heads CMo
Black-browed Albatross 1 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. With Shy Albatross. CMo
Black-faced Cormorant 1 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale One bird flying past the lighthouse into the Bay. CMo
Brown Skua 1 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. A large skua with a uniformly brown head, body and tail. Flying into a strong SW wind, low over the water, with purposeful deep wingbeats. Distinctly barrel-chested and solidly built with broad slightly swept-back pointed wings with a pale flash. Proportionally short tail. Viewed for about 1 minute. CMo
Crested Tern 20 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. CMo
Galah 21 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale 21 Galahs sitting on the Jordan Rd power line in Point Lonsdale RSm
Pacific Gull 2 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale An adult flew past the lighthouse and an immature was near the pier. CMo
Prion sp. 2 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. Small birds with "airy" wingstrokes. Pale grey above and whitish beneath. CMo
Shearwater sp 20 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. Dark upper parts and whitish underparts. Presumed to be Fluttering Shearwaters. Also, possibly some all-dark,slightly larger shearwaters CMo
Shy Albatross 25 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. Many well out to sea, some closer and some inside the Heads CMo
Silver gull 30 8/06/2011 Pt Lonsdale Offshore from lighthouse. CMo
Black-tailed Native-hen 2 4/06/2011 Serendip Via Lara. GMc
Whistling Kite 1 4/06/2011 Serendip Via Lara. Carrying sticks; assumed to be nesting. GMc
Yellow-billed Spoonbill 3+2 4/06/2011 Serendip Via Lara. 3 adult birds feeding 2 half-grown chicks at a nest. GMc
Cape Barren Goose 2 31/05/2011 Ocean Grove Mid way between Ocean grove and Pt Lonsdale. JCrr
Flame Robin 2 29/05/2011 Long Forest Long Point. 1 male and a brown bird in a wooded area long the creek. MHe
Painted Button-quail 4 29/05/2011 Long Forest Steep Track. Flushed from under alow shrub. MHE;DHe;GL
Speckled Warbler 1 29/05/2011 Long Forest Happy Valley Track. Singing briefly. MHE
Fan-tailed Cuckoo 2 29/05/2011 Wensleydale Noted in the garden. Responded well to "pishing". JN
Horsfield's Bonze-Cuckoo 1 29/05/2011 Wensleydale Calling all morning in the garden.  JN
Satin Bowerbird 1+ 29/05/2011 Wensleydale The first satin bowerbirds for the season seen today.  JN
Little Wattlebird 1 27/05/2011 Apollo Bay Noted in the garden. Responded well to "pishing". MHe
White-fronted Tern 12 27/05/2011 Apollo Bay Barham River mouth. Resting with Crested Terns on sand island in the middle of the river. MHE;DHe
Whistling Kite 1 27/05/2011 Lake Martin Attacking a Red-capped Plover. For 5 minutes, the kite pursued the plover, zig-zigging backwards and forwards above the shoreline over a distance of 150 metres . The kite had faster air speed, but less maneuverability. Finally, a Masked Lapwing attacked the kite and the plover flew high and escaped!  BL;TP
Hooded Plover 11 25/05/2011 13th Beach Blue Rocks. A group sheltered on the rocks at the end of 13th beach. Included 3 juvenile plumaged birds. BL
White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1 25/05/2011 Lake Murtnaghurt The adult bird flushed about 800 teal from the lake and then soared over the 13th Beach SLSC before moving west along the shore of the beach. BL
Black-shouldered Kite 1 22/05/2011 Grovedale Along Waurn Ponds Creek. Searching for food over the grassy field where the new shopping center will be built. CJ
Superb Fairy-wren 3+ 22/05/2011 Grovedale Along Waurn Ponds Creek. At site where the new shopping center will be built. CJ
Brown Goshawk 1 21/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Box Track Per JDy
Brown-headed Honeyeater 1+ 21/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Box Track Per JDy
Eastern Spinebill 1 21/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges   Per JDy
Fan-tailed Cuckoo 1 21/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Box track. Adult, not calling Per JDy
Varied Sittella 5 21/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Cooks Track Per JDy
Wedge-tailed Eagle 1 20/05/2011 Anakie Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Rd, near Granite Rd. Soaring high Per JDy
Eastern Spinebill 1 20/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Cooks Track, full coloured adult Per JDy
Varied Sittella 2 20/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Cooks Track Per JDy
White-browed Scrubwren 2 20/05/2011 Brisbane Ranges Cooks Track Per JDy
Musk Duck 1 20/05/2011 Little River Princes Hwy, Little River off ramp. Deceased female found on middle of road on overpass.  Not much feather damage - possibly hit on the head by a passing truck? No leg bands Per JDy
Nankeen Kestrel 1 20/05/2011 Modewarre Perched on a dead tree in a paddock. Photo SQ
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo 54 20/05/2011 Point Lonsdale Flying overhead to the west. These movements peak here at this time of year. HP
Little Eagle 1 20/05/2011 Werribee Princes Hwy. Possibly two, soaring overhead. Per JDy
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 1+ 19/05/2011 Newcomb Newcomb Secondary College. Dead nestling from late nesting attempt under a walkway. About 20 birds resident. BL
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo 8+ 19/05/2011 Point Lonsdale Heard before dawn, then during the day. A flock of 8+ noted in the afternoon. They were still calling after dark. RSm
Weebill group 2/05/2011 Bacchus Marsh Scattered small groups in  eucalypts throughout the town. From 2/5 to 16/6/11 MHE
Hooded Plover 2 27/05/2001 Apollo Bay Beach at Barham River mouth. MHE;DHe