Moderators' Note

The Orange-bellied Parrot National Recovery team has asked that, as usual, we do not publish any reports of Orange-bellied Parrots. Please send any sightings directly to Chris Purnell at chris.purnell@birdlife.org.au. Also, please note that Birdline Victoria won’t be publishing individual reports of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo in the greater Melbourne area. However, it is worth noting that there have been a number of reports. We have also decided not to publish any further reports of Eastern/Pacific Koel as they are now common in Victoria in the warmer months.

• Reports
• Criteria

August 2017

Wed 16		Black-eared Cuckoo Lyell State Forest
		Tracks west of Gerrand track. Initially found by call - more mournful than Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo with occasional 'whiffle'. Good clear views of bird. Clear cream underside with no lines, brown back, white edge to tip of tail, and facial pattern with black arc behind eye. eBird checklist
		Scott Eaton 16/8 #231560
Tue 15		Swift Parrot Stephen's Road, Bannockburn
		10 feeding on lerp in red gums off Stephen's Road just north of the sugar gum plantation. eBird checklist
		Guy Dutson 16/8 #231556
		Australasian Bittern Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)
		Previously reported bird observed at the far end of Western Lagoons (eastern end) around midday. eBird checklist
		Richard Arnold 15/8 #231548
Mon 14		Superb Parrot Numurkah Golf Club
		Male and female Superb Parrot perched briefly on a dead tree near the golf course. A pair of escapees or possible wild birds?
		Alix Williams 16/8 #231558
		Pallid Cuckoo Albert Park Lake
		Seen flying between trees several times with Noisy Miners in pursuit around the tennis courts beside Canterbury Rd.
		Gio Fitzpatrick 15/8 #231542
		Whiskered Terns,Australian Spotted Crakes, Horsfield Bronze Cuckoos Western Treatment Plant (Werribee)
		Around 35 newly arrived Whiskered Terns were feeding near Walsh's lagoon, many in breeding plumage. Seems a little early. Also numbers of Spotted Crakes throughout must be new arrivals, with many in Beach road pond along with Spotless Crakes. Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoos in numbers as well
		Simon Starr 14/8 #231538
		Lewin's Rail Banyule Flats Reserve
		Heard making kekking calls in reedbed about 100m South of Grotty Pond. First time I've got one at Banyule. eBird checklist
		Owen Lishmund 14/8 #231536
		Black Falcon La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary
		Seen flying low over treetops near the main office. Further information
		George Paras 14/8 #231534
Sun 13		Purple-crowned Lorikeet Royal Park, Parkville
		Pair landed a few metres away and gave good views for a few minutes, approx. 200m from the tennis courts off Flemington Rd eBird checklist
		Jason Camilleri 15/8 #231552
		Lewins Rail, Spotless Crake Coogoorah Park (Anglesea)
		At least 5 Lewin's Rails present in reeds and tussock grass about 50 metres past Mously bridge. The birds were incredibly tame and approachable. Also several Spotless Crakes at the same location.
		Indra bone 15/8 #231543
		Black-eared Cuckoo Greater Bendigo National Park--Kamarooka--Campbell Rd
		Seen twice on road during the day.
		clive kaplan and giles daughbeny 14/8 #231533
		Black Kite Northern Golf Course, Glenroy (restricted access)
		Black Kite seen late in the day flying around the Northern Golf Course and houses along the southern boundary (Rhodes Parade). First Black Kite we've seen in this area. Moderators note: One also seen at Woodlands Historic Park on the same day. Scarce close to the city
		Jo and Jason Caruso 13/8 #231526
Fri 11		Olive-backed Oriole Warburton
		Not normally seen this early in the season, but identified by sight and song in flowering acacia Moderators note. Some Orioles overwinter, and arrivals typically start in August. Published as an early record for southern Vic
		John Balding 11/8 #231513
Thu 10		Double-barred Finch (6) Orchard Drive, Glenrowan
		6 Double-barred Finch feeding on exotic grass seed-heads adjacent to orchards. On private land but observable from roadside.
		Dan Pendavingh 10/8 #231509
Wed 9		Brolga Stanhope
		Brolga observed in paddock on east side of Girgarre-Rushworth road, approximately 4 km south of Stanhope.
		David Kleinert 9/8 #231503
Sat 5		Azure Kingfisher Nioka Bush Camp, South Morang
		Seen by Dennis Hocking and photographed by me " Khaled Al-Bajjali".
		Dennis Hocking 5/8 #231482
		Azure Kingfisher Yarra River between Westerfolds Park and Dellas Avenue Templestowe
		Single bird sighted on private property along the Yarra River close to Westerfolds Park, Templestowe. eBird checklist
		Megan Griffith 5/8 #231481
		Swift Parrot Lockwood South
		7 Swift Parrots foraging in a couple of eucalypts. Just off Boswell Rd in state forest. eBird checklist
		Scott Eaton 5/8 #231479
		Hooded Plover Thirteenth Beach, Barwon Heads
		7 adult Hoodies seen at western end of Thirteenth Beach this afternnon
		Anne Palamountain 5/8 #231478
Fri 4		Black-eared Cuckoo Greater Bendigo National Park--Kamarooka
		One seen on Campbell Rd about 300 metres from corner with Bendigo-Tennyson Rd. Great views, very confiding.
		Kevin Bartram 14/8 #231535
Thu 3		Zebra Finch Butlers Road, Melton Water Treatment
		Approx 20 feeding and calling alongside some sparrows and Yellow-rumped Thornbills in a paddock / wind-break above the escarpment on the Werribee River at the end of Butlers road.
		Greg Cobern 4/8 #231471
Wed 2		Grey-crowned Babbler Winton Wetlands--11 Mile Creek
		Seen in the woodland near 11 Mile Creek. BirdLife Murray Goulburn has done quarterly surveys of Winton Wetlands for over 4 years and this is our first sighting of the Grey-crowned Babblers during a survey. Observers: Anne Finlay, Ross Hillis & Don Roberts. eBird checklist
		BirdLife Murray Goulburn 4/8 #231473
		Little Egret Winton Wetlands--Dam Wall and Borrow Pits
		Seen in one of the Borrow Pits (Mokoan Ponds). BirdLife Murray Goulburn has done quarterly surveys of Winton Wetlands for over 4 years and this is our first sighting of the Little Egret. Observers: Marg Clarke, Catarina Gregson, Rob Humphries & Val La May. Photo by Catarina Gregson. eBird checklist
		BirdLife Murray Goulburn 4/8 #231472
		White-browed Woodswallow, Masked Woodswallow, Swfit Parrot, Crested Bellbird, Olive-backed Oriole Birremathool, Bailieston (restricted access)
		An overnight stay at Birremathool produced some unexpected White-browed and Masked Woodswallows. Swift parrots are still present in low numbers and thirteen species of honeyeaters. Crested Bellbird and Olive-backed Oriole heard calling on the morning of the 3rd. eBird checklist Further information
		Margaret and Richard Alcorn 3/8 #231468
		Swift Parrots Kooyoora State Park--Wehla Block
		Seven Swift Parrots on Burkes Flat Rd at Devil Range Track. Feeding on flowering Box and lerp until chased by Wattlebird. Many Lorikeets in the area. eBird checklist
		Malcolm Cousland 2/8 #231463
		Black-eared Cuckoo Mount Korong Nature Conservation Reserve
		Seen and heard along Firebreak Track. Was mobbed frequently so I only had brief views until it found a spot that was relatively free of Honeyeaters. Moderators Note: This follows on from recent sightings in Wychitella and Kamarooka, SS eBird checklist
		Scott Eaton 2/8 #231462
Tue 1		Brolga. Werribee River mouth
		From 16:54 to 17:15, I observed two adult Brolgas feeding on a rising tide, along the western shoreline and slowly moving north (Western Treatment Plant eastern boundary) of the Werribee River Estuary. This is the first occasion I have observed this species at this location.
		Peter Gibbons 1/8 #231454

July 2017

Mon 31		Scarlet Honeyeater and Crescent Honeyeater Moggs Creek Picnic Ground
		A brown plumaged Scarlet Honeyeater at entrance to Moggs Creek picnic area. Also a total of 265 Crescent Honeyeaters between here and Distillery Creek but likely >200 at Distillery Creek alone. eBird checklist
		Guy Dutson 1/8 #231452
		Black-tailed Native-hen Bourkes Rd, Warncourt
		Laterally flattened tail, pink legs, slight flank streaking, dull bill; juvenile? Feeding in wet roadside drain on mown grass beside rank vegetation. Quite shy. Seen twice in last few days.
		Colin Cannard 31/7 #231450
		Rose Robin Yarra River just South of Westerfolds Park
		Female seen well flitting about fairly low down along dirt track which runs along the Yarra River around a little peninsula just South of where the footbridge goes over into Westerfolds Park. Had really good views but unfortunately was on my bike so no camera. eBird checklist
		Owen Lishmund 31/7 #231448
Sun 30		Southern Whiteface Eynesbury Forest and Grasslands
		A single Whiteface feeding on the ground with a small flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills. Only the second one I've seen at this site. Jacky Winters present too (click on the eBird Checklist Number for more photos). eBird checklist
		Bernie McRitchie 3/8 #231467
		Western Gerygone Woodlands Historic Park--Back Paddock
		Seen near one of the two muddy ponds in the Back Paddock area.
		Khaled William Al-Bajjali 30/7 #231442
		Azure Kingfisher Yarra Bend Park--Dights Falls
		One Azure Kingfisher seen near Dights Falls at about 1:30pm. It dived twice into the water where Merri Creek flows into the Yarra before I lost sight of it. Sacred kingfishers are fairly common in this area in spring but from size, plumage, and behaviour there's no question that this bird was an azure.
		Harry Saddler 30/7 #231436
Sat 29		Black Tailed Godwit The Cut
		Originally seen by Birdlife East Gippsland on Monday. 6 birds. eBird checklist
		Reuben Worseldine 30/7 #231441
		Turquoise Parrot Greater Bendigo National Park--Kamarooka
		Single bird seen feeding on the ground, in a clearing along the Bendigo/Tennyson Rd. Approximately 5k's from Campbell Rd. Heading towards Camp Rd.
		Bernadette Haywood 29/7 #231432
Fri 28		South Island Pied Oystercatcher Stockyard Point
		eBird checklist
		Graeme Risdon 29/7 #231431
Thu 27		Spotted Quail-thrush Brisbane Ranges National Park
		A quick walk yielded a female Quail-thrush. Conveniently, she appeared on the track ahead of me after running amongst the leaf litter. (More photos in the eBird Checklist). eBird checklist
		Bernie McRitchie 3/8 #231469
Tue 25		Swift Parrot Muckleford State Forest
		On South German Track a single bird feeding high in Grey Box and Yellow Gum - first I've seen this season.
		Geoff Park 25/7 #231418
Sun 23		Whimbrel Stockyard Point
		1 Whimbrel arrived about an hour before a rather high tide with 3 Eastern Curlews. Also present were 35 Bar-tailed Godwits, 30 odd Red Knots, 1 Terek Sandpiper, the well-reported South Island Pied Oystercatcher, ~150 Red-necked Avocets, and hundreds of Red-capped and Double-banded Plovers, Curlew Sandpipers, and Red-necked Stints. eBird checklist
		Leigh & Lesley Pieterse 24/7 #231411
		Black-tailed Godwit Sand Islands Jones Bay, Gippsland Lakes
		2 Adults 2 Juveniles feeding in the shallows
		Robert Wright 23/7 #231404
Thu 20		Southern Boobook Ripponlea
		Southern Boobook seen perched in deciduous tree near Elm Street border at 18:10 then flew in NE direction over rooftops.
		Gio Fitzpatrick 22/7 #231402
Wed 19		Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo Pearces road, Mandurang
		Three of us spotted a group of 4 to 5 Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos flying over our property heading south. We've lived here for 18 years and I have no memory of seeing them before.
		Alex Edwards 21/7 #231393
Tue 18		Little Pied Cormorant Ripponlea
		While counting the 87 Little Pied Cormorants leaving their roost in the Ripponlea Estate this morning, an adult Collared Sparrowhawk called and flew around repeatedly between deciduous trees for about 20 minutes.
		Gio Fitzpatrick 18/7 #231382
		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