Beginners Outing to Point Cook Coastal Reserve

23^rd January 2016

Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers

Species Count: 46

Pleasantly cool conditions enhanced the enjoyment of the 49 participants on the January excursion to Point Cook. Whilst members were still arriving a dozen Brown Quail were seen foraging nearby, where they obligingly stayed until everyone had seen them. Many photos of these usually secretive birds were taken.

Left: Brown Quail; photo by Merrilyn Serong. Right: Pacific Gull and Little Pied Cormorants; photo by Kathy Zonnevylle

The cars were then moved to the Cheetham Wetlands car park to facilitate access to the jetty and Point Cook. Sadly, the homestead area was closed and off limits. A Singing Honeyeater and a male Rufous Whistler were seen along the public track to the shore. Several Little Pied Cormorants and a lone Pied Cormorant were perched on the jetty and were later joined by a pair of Pacific Gulls. Numerous Black Swans, Chestnut and Grey Teal were on the water and two Common Greenshanks were discovered feeding in the shallows close to shore.

Left: Black Swans; photo by Merrilyn Serong. Right: Common Greenshank; photo by Kathy Zonnevylle

The group then walked slowly along the beach towards Point Cook where three Common Terns and several Crested Terns were amongst the birds perched on rocks soon to be submerged by the incoming tide. Surprisingly, no small waders were seen.

Left: Common Tern. Right: Crested Tern. Photos by Kathy Zonnevylle

The whole area was very dry with no water in Spectacle Lake and very little in the RAAF Lake, so the group stopped at the small wetlands by the new housing estate, which had been added to the itinerary for the first time last year. Purple Swamphens, Dusky Moorhens and Pacific Black Ducks were some of the species seen there.

Lunch was taken at the Beach Picnic Area and was followed by a short walk to the shore and around the heathland. A blue Budgerigar was found perched in a low bush near the beach – a colourful bird, though certainly an aviary escapee. There were good views of a Brown Falcon and Yellow-rumped Thornbills on the heath near the car park.

The RAAF Lake was the final location for the day and, on the way there, several members saw a young Wedge-tailed Eagle gliding low overhead. Sadly no birds were seen on the Lake or its shoreline. A total of 46 species were recorded for the day – a creditable total given the dry conditions.

See the bird list for the outing: BM Jan 2016 Bird List Point Cook