Beginners Outing to Point Cook Coastal Reserve

28 January 2023

Leaders: Roger and Inta Needham

Species count: 49

Despite the forecast for extreme heat and strong winds, 17 members attended Point Cook Coastal Park. At 10am the group walked through the Beach Picnic Area to the beach. Superb Fairy-wrens and Yellow-rumped Thornbills were the most numerous birds seen in the area. A Crested Pigeon obligingly remained close to the path to enable photographers some close shots. On Port Phillip Bay rafts of Silver Gulls could be seen.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill. Photograph by Eleanor Dilley

Soon after exiting the Beach Reserve carpark, an unnamed lake on the right contained large numbers of ducks including Australian Wood Ducks, Chestnut and Grey Teal and Pacific Black Ducks. Australasian Grebes were seen gliding across the far end of the lake and Magpie-larks were numerous around the shore.

At the RAAF Lake birds were huddled close to the North shore to avoid the worst of the wind and through the ‘scope Australian Shelducks and Pied Stilts could be identified. Alongside the carpark in a patch of Dock Weed two Golden-headed Cisticolas provided all in the group close sustained views.

Golden-headed Cisticola. Photograph by Eleanor Dilley

Across the road on a small wetland Australian Reed-Warblers were seen flying across the water and landing in the reeds. Both adult and juvenile Dusky Moorhens were seen and members had close views of Australasian Grebes in breeding plumage. Flying over the wetland were Welcome Swallows accompanied by a number of Tree Martins.     

The constructed wetland at Saltwater Coast beside Citybay Drive produced sightings of Eurasian Coot and a Little Grassbird. A Little Pied Cormorant was perched atop a viewing platform. In the gardens surrounding the wetland New Holland and White-plumed Honeyeaters and European Goldfinch were seen.

Little Grassbird. Photograph by Steve Hoptroff

The lunch location was under the shady trees beside the Homestead parking area. Numerous Little Ravens and Magpies were in the trees there and a number of raptors were seen hawking over the trees to the south including a Brown Falcon and a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk.

Brown Falcon. Photograph by Eleanor Dilley

Members set off after lunch toward the Homestead and most walked along the beach toward the Point. Good sightings were had of Pied Cormorants and the youngest member of our group, picked out two Black-faced Cormorants sitting on the remains of an old jetty. Soon after passing the jetty a cooling breeze from the west arrived.

Black-faced Cormorant. Photography by Steve Hoptroff

At the Point was a multitude of Silver Gulls and numerous Crested Terns. On closer inspection a couple of flocks of Red-necked Stints were noticed foraging amongst the seaweed and a few Common Terns were perched on rocks alongside the Crested Terns. Two Black Swans were also seen there.

Common Tern. Photograph by Steve Hoptroff

Red-necked Stints. Photograph by Steve Hoptroff

The rain received over the past few months ensured that many of the lakes in this area held water and the vegetation looked healthy. Regardless of the heat members enjoyed the opportunity to see the 49 species some of which were new to some members.

View bird list for the dayDownload

Beginner’s Outing to Point Cook Coastal Reserve

28 January 2017

Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers
Species count: 50

Grey Fantail. Photo by Merrilyn Serong

Twenty-nine members met in perfect weather conditions at the Beach Carpark where numerous Superb Fairy-wrens were seen at ground level and lots of other small birds, including Grey Fantails, Yellow Thornbills and Silvereyes were in the trees.

Silvereye. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

The group drove in convoy towards Cheetham Wetlands Carpark, pausing en-route at a wetland, beside one of the new housing estates, where Dusky Moorhens paraded a chick and Golden-headed Cisticolas perched proudly on top of a bush. A Whistling Kite and a Brown Goshawk were seen in the distance and, soon afterwards, a Black Kite flew leisurely overhead. These three raptors were seen several more times throughout the morning.

Whistling Kite. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Black Kite. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

The first walk was towards the shore where a huge number of Silver Gulls rested on the sand and on the water. At the actual Point Cook, a number of different water birds were perched on rocks, including both Crested and Common Terns. A large flock of Red-necked Stints flew quickly past, being sadly, the only waders seen at the shore.

Silver Gull. Photo by Merrilyn Serong

Common Terns. Photo by Alan Veevers

The old Homestead Jetty, which used to be a roost for different Cormorant species, was barely standing and had been taken over by Common Starlings. An interesting sighting in the bush behind the shore was a flock of Tree Sparrows. Walking back towards the cars, lots of Yellow-rumped Thornbills were watched with interest and several more sightings of our three raptors were made.

Lunch was taken back at the Beach Picnic area, followed by a short walk to the shore and back through the heathland. Singing Honeyeater was the only addition to our species list, although Brown Quail were heard but not sighted in their usual location.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Zebra Finches. Photo by Merrilyn Serong

A final walk was then taken around a newly reconstructed wetland close to the RAAF Lake Car Park. A pair of Black-fronted Dotterels foraged near the water’s edge and several White-faced Herons gracefully flew around when disturbed. Back near the cars a flock of Zebra Finches provided an exciting and colourful finale to the outing.

The final birdcall of 50 species was very gratifying; especially in an area where there has been an enormous amount of housing development close by.

View the full bird list: bm-jan-2017-bird-list-point-cook

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