Beginners’ Outing to Lysterfield Park

23 April 2022

Leader: Robert Grosvenor

Number of species: 40

Thirty one birders arrived at Lysterfield Park for the Beginners’ outing on a sunny, calm day, perfect for birding.  While in the carpark, we were assailed by numerous Rainbow Lorikeets and Little Ravens, and then the familiar call of Gang Gangs announced their presence.  This was followed by fleeting views of Crimson and Eastern Rosellas.

Gang-gang Cockatoos. Photo by Kathie Thomas

Beginners’ group. Photo by Kathie Thomas

At the start of the walk around the lake it was very quiet with nothing flying or calling apart from a lone Red Wattlebird.  Fortunately things improved further along the track and while stopped to see an Eastern Rosella, we added Superb Fairy Wrens, a small flock of Red-browed Finches, a Brown Thornbill and a lovely Eastern Spinebill which came in very close giving good views.  Just a short distance ahead we luckily found a pair of well camouflaged Tawny Frogmouths, one of which was in the classical Tawny pose.

Superb Fairy-wren. Photo by Kathie Thomas

Tawny Frogmouth. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A diversion off the established track led us to a jetty on the lake where we saw Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants.  Both male and female Musk Ducks were also seen here together with a flotilla of Eurasian Coots.

Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants. Photo by Kathie Thomas

Musk Duck, female. Photo by Steve Hoptroff

The lack of flowering trees and shrubs contributed to the dearth of Honeyeaters but we managed to obtain good looks at a White-eared Honeyeater.  Another diversion down to the water’s edge added Silver Gulls and very good views of a Spotted Pardalote.

White-eared Honeyeater. Photo by Steve Hoptroff

Brush Bronzewing. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

This was followed by one of the highlights of the walk – seeing a Brush Bronzewing drinking from a puddle in the middle of the track.  With the sun behind them it gave all the photographers an excellent shot.  Despite the bush looking in fine condition birds were still scarce and apart from a couple of Eastern Spinebills and a Grey Fantail there was little to see.

Reaching the dam wall we saw Welcome Swallows over the water, more Musk Ducks and Cormorants, Masked Lapwings, Magpie Larks, Wood Ducks on the grassland and a Common Bronzewing.  

Musk Duck, male. Photo by Steve Hoptroff

Little Eagle and Australian Magpie. Photo by Steve Hoptroff

This was followed by another highlight when a Little Eagle was spotted being harassed by two Magpies. This pale morph Little Eagle provided us all with excellent views sit circled overhead, continuously chased by the Magpies. Walking along the lake’s edge saw us pick up a pair of Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Swamphens, more Cormorants and Silver Gulls.

Little Eagle. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Australasian Swamphen. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

After lunch, a short walk along Logans Track resulted in a Crested Pigeon and at least three Eastern Yellow Robins being added to the list.  Returning to the carpark we found another pair of Tawny Frogmouths in a tree very close to where we had lunch.

A total of forty species for the day was a fair result considering the time of year and because it was such a lovely day there were large numbers of bike riders and walkers all along the track, ensuring the birds were staying further into the bush, making birding that much more difficult.

View bird list for the day: beginners-bird-list-lysterfield-park-2022Download

Beginners Outing to Banyule Flats

22 June 2019

Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers; Species count: 48

Tawny Frogmouths (second pair sighted). Photo by Bevan Hood

There was a chaotic start to this excursion as the intended carpark was full of baseball players’ cars and the beginners had to find parking spaces in the surrounding streets.  However, this was soon forgotten when a pair of Tawny Frogmouths were located in one of their usual trees to the left of the carpark.  In overcast conditions the 29 members then walked to the lagoon which was full of water from the recent rains. Pairs of Long-billed Corellas and Red-rumped Parrots, along with numerous Silver Gulls, were perched in the old dead trees on the far side. Two Pink-eared Ducks were seen swimming across the lagoon and then resting on partially submerged logs.

Pink-eared Ducks. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Grey and Chestnut Teals, Pacific Black Ducks, a Eurasian Coot, a Dusky Moorhen and a Hoary-headed Grebe could be seen in the distance. After leaving the lagoon on a track towards the river, Pied Currawongs were noisy and plentiful.

Pied Currawong. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A huge River Red Gum hosted a mixed flock of smaller birds, including a pair of Golden Whistlers, Grey Fantails, Spotted Pardalotes and Brown Thornbills.

Golden Whistler (f). Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Near the river a male Common Bronzewing was perched high on a branch and several White-browed Scrubwrens were seen foraging in shrubs on the riverbank. Returning along the track from the windmill, a few Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were seen and this proved to be the only honeyeater species recorded for the day, apart from the ever present Noisy Miners. Near to the Main Yarra Trail a Gang-gang Cockatoo was heard giving its “creaky gate” call and was soon located and identified as an immature male.

Gang-gang Cockatoo. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A small flock of Silvereyes fluttered around nearby and more Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were seen in a profusely flowering eucalyptus tree. Magpie-larks could readily be seen and heard on the ground.

Magpie-lark. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

On returning to the now empty carpark the members retrieved their vehicles from the surrounding streets and then had lunch beside the oval where they watched a mixed feeding flock of Galahs, Long-billed and Little Corellas. A short walk was then taken along the main trail towards the ‘grotty ponds’.

Tawny Frogmouths. Photo by Bevan Hood

The sun finally put in a brief appearance, shining onto a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets feeding in a flowering ironbark. Nearby a second pair of Tawny Frogmouths was located and then a pair of Crested Pigeons was seen giving a courtship display.

Crested Pigeons. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

From the raised level of the track an Australasian Grebe could be seen on the lagoon – an unusual sighting for Banyule Flats. The ‘grotty ponds’ had been cleared of vegetation, so disappointingly there was no sign of any crakes or rails. In a nearby flowering gum a mixed flock of Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets could be seen noisily feeding.

Rainbow Lorikeet. Photo by Bevan Hood

At this point dark clouds were approaching, threatening very heavy rain, and so all the members hurried back to their cars.

Musk Lorikeet. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A pleasing total of 48 species was recorded for the day which was a good result for mid-winter in mainly dull and overcast conditions.

View the complete bird list: BM Jun 2019 Bird List Banyule Flats