Weekday outing to Corinella area

19 October 2022

Leaders: Alan and Hazel Veevers

Photographs by Steve Hoptroff

Good birding weather met the 17 who initially assembled beside the Corinella cemetery. Our leaders promise of orchids had us “eyes down”. We were not disappointed – there were carpets of milkmaids and trigger plants interspersed with blue and pink sun orchids and the likelihood of more flowers when the sun was higher. 

Crested Shrike-tit

Grey Shrike-thrush

Birds were calling in the cemetery and in the roadside trees. A Striated Pardalote was busy flying in and out of its nest in the top of an electricity pole, and a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo was calling loudly in the trees. Through the cemetery and away from the road there were many birds to be seen and/or heard in the remnant bush area managed by Parks Victoria. These included Grey Fantail, Eastern Yellow Robin, Varied Sittella, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, and Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Flying above us were Straw-necked and Australian White Ibises, and Dusky Woodswallows. A highlight was a Crested Shrike-tit located near the top of a tall eucalyptus tree. 

Immature Pacific Gull

Australian Pelican

From this bush location we drove to Corinella foreshore, for lunch, followed by a short headland walk. Scopes were put to good use to scan the shoreline and the sandbanks out in the bay. The sightings included Australian Pelican, Silver and Pacific Gulls, Pied Oystercatcher, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants, and Royal Spoonbill. The highlight was an Eastern Curlew on a distant sandbank. Some of the group were treated to a fly-past by a Wedge-tailed Eagle being heartily pursued by several smaller birds.

Eastern Curlew

Female Musk Duck and chicks

Our final location was Candowie Reservoir, which involved driving on the picturesque country road leading to its elevated position. Here, we parked alongside the boundary fence from where we could see most of the water surface. Being 100% full to overflowing was no doubt part of the reason for the shortage of ducks and other water birds. Great Cormorants and a Musk Duck with two chicks provided good views. In the nearby trees and bushes we had sightings of several species that were already on the day list, but we added Crimson Rosella and Little Corella to it. A closing highlight, seen by some, was another Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring nearby.

The total species count for the day came to 61, which was ample reward for the those who made the trip to Corinella. Thanks go to Steve Hoptroff who contributed the accompanying photographs.

Bird list: Download

Weekdays Outing to Lysterfield Lake Park

4 July 2022

Photographs by Steve Hoptroff

Grey Butcherbird

Skies were blue and the air was calm so conditions for birding looked very favourable as 13 people met in the car park near the start of the Lake Circuit Track. Our leader was Rob Grosvenor who had visited the area many times over the past years. He could advise on likely locations for the different species.

White-eared Honeyeater

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Initial walking was northerly in the bush. It was cold – see the weather conditions – and birds
were not overactive though Grey Fantails maneuvered acrobatically for insects near the tree
canopies. Spotted Pardalotes called unseen and the honeyeaters observed were the White-eared, Eastern Spinebill, Red Wattlebird and that so-familiar Noisy Miner. No blossom was seen.

Grey Shrike-thrush

Superb Fairy-wrens were active at the edges of the track and Red-browed Finches seemed to accompany Brown Thornbills foraging while Silvereyes moved about in small flocks. Good sightings of Golden Whistlers brought smiles to the observers. Around the lake waterbirds predominated. Musk Duck males were making the splashing display which seems to be visible over quite a distance.

Musk Duck, male

The females/ immature males were taking no apparent notice but formed small groups or couples at a distance. Eurasian Coots were the most numerous but were travelling to different spots around the lake so not always obvious.

Masked Lapwing

On the shore there were Masked Lapwing, Australian Wood Duck and Purple Swamphen with Dusky Moorhen and Pacific Black Duck dividing their time between shore and water. Grebes were mostly the Hoary-headed species in flocks and Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants rested on the marker buoys.

Hoary-headed Grebe

The only raptor observed was a Swamp Harrier and the only parrots were Rainbow Lorikeets, Crimson Rosellas and brief views of an Eastern Rosella. No cockatoos were detected.

Swamp Harrier

Crimson Rosella

The highlight for many of us was the observation of Common Bronzewing near the park entrance and the subsequent sighting of a male Brush Bronzewing as we descended
the hill towards the cars.

Brush Bronzewing, male

Common Bronzewing, male

By walk’s end we recorded 42 species (later adjusted to 43 with the addition of a pair of Black Swans). Our heartfelt thanks to Rob for sharing his knowledge of the area.
Diane Tweeddale coordinator BirdLife Melbourne weekday outings

Weekday outing to The Briars, Mt Martha

7 June 2022

All photographs by Steve Hoptroff

Laughing Kookaburra

The alarm clock went off to the sound of heavy rain on the roof and that meant the weather bureau was right and birdwatching might not be the best occupation for the day. Unsurprisingly the drive from Melbourne needed your whole attention and it was probably this combination which kept attendance down to four people. Sue Brabender led us and most ably as she frequently birds The Briars and had worked there for some years. 

Eastern Yellow Robin

The weather sent a large mixed flock of Australian Wood Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks and Purple Swamphens onto the grass near the car park entrance. The bird list had started early. 

Dusky Moorhen

These species were joined by Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Noisy Miners, Eastern Rosellas, Australian Magpies and Crested Pigeons in and around the car park. The highlight here was a Buff-banded Rail in the grounds of the café. Skittish but briefly visible. 

Eastern Rosella

Also appreciated was a break in approaching dark clouds and accompanying rain. We set off to the Boonoorong bird hide, pausing on the way to find and admire two Tawny Frogmouths cuddled together in a tree fork. 

Tawny Frogmouth

At the hide we added Australasian Grebe, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants. 

Australasian Grebe

Little Black Cormorant

Superb Fairy-wrens were noted in the closer reed bed but there were few small birds, probably because a Swamp Harrier was quartering the area. A Grey Teal was noted at our stop at the Chechingurk hide and then we concentrated on woodland birds as we followed the Woodland Walk track. 

Swamp Harrier (taken through tinted window at the bird hide)

Grey Teal

Cute companions throughout the walk were many Black (Swamp) Wallabies and a few Eastern Grey Kangaroos. Several Grey Shrike-thrushes were noted though there was little calling. Contrast in the greyness meant mostly flying silhouettes were seen and this made the distinction between Spotted and Striated Pardalotes difficult in the absence of calls. 

Grey Shrike-thrush with prey

This also applied to a couple of thornbills foraging silently low in a medium tree so there was neither Brown nor Striated Thornbill on our final list though subsequent photo development showed Brown Thornbill was more likely. As the weather had been favourable for the whole time we decided to finish with bird call. 

Grey Butcherbird

The final list numbered 32 species which was very pleasing in the conditions and we warmly thanked Sue for sharing with us her considerable knowledge of the area.

Diane Tweeddale, Coordinator Melbourne BirdLife weekday outings