Beginners Outing to Jells Park

24 August 2019

Leader: Robert Grosvenor

Attendees: 35; Species count: 52

Little Raven. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

While waiting for all attendees to arrive Eastern Rosella, Noisy Miner and White Ibis were all seen overhead but what was most surprising was the sight of a large hare which took off down the path near the car park.

Laughing Kookaburra. Photo by Bevan Hood

Eventually it was time to commence the walk by then we had 35 eager birders ready to go. It was a lovely sunny winter’s morning, only hampered by the strong, cold northerly wind.  A Laughing Kookaburra waited for us at the start of our walk.

Grey Butcherbird. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A Striated Pardalote was calling in a large gum tree but proved impossible to see due to the windy conditions. Shortly into the walk we deviated from our planned route to try and find a Tawny Frogmouth which had been seen in the area. Although unsuccessful, we did find a Grey Fantail and a female Golden Whistler.  Some also had close views of a Grey Butcherbird.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. Photo by Bevan Hood

Back on track, many were fortunate to see a Spotted Pardalote flying into and out of its nest in the side of the creek. This was quickly followed by a Grey Shrike Thrush, a Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike, Brown Thornbill and a male Golden Whistler looking resplendent in the bright sunshine.

Pink-eared Duck. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Eventually we arrived at the bird hide by the lake where Pink Eared Duck, Grey Teal and a few Freckled Ducks were seen together with hundreds of White Ibis, a Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Eurasian Coot and both Hoary Headed and Australasian Grebes.

Little Pied Cormorant, Australian White Ibis, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Australasian Darter. Photo by Bevan Hood

Further down the track, a solitary Chestnut Teal was found as well as a pair of Pacific Black ducks, Purple Swamp hens and Dusky Moorhens.

Chestnut Teal, male. Photo by Bevan Hood

A single Australian Pelican was seen flying above the lake, and was later seen on the water.

Australian Pelican. Photo by Bevan Hood

When we reached the lake again some eagle-eyed birders managed to find a single Royal Spoonbill amongst the many hundreds of White Ibis. A pair of Little Ravens watched us pass by on our way out of the sanctuary.

Australian Pelican. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Following our walk around the lake, we picked up Wood Duck, Willy Wagtail and a White-faced Heron before we returned for lunch.

Australasian Swamphen. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Over lunch Galahs, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Eastern Rosellas were seen.

White-faced Heron. Photo by Bevan Hood

After lunch with a slightly reduced number we crossed the bridge and headed north towards Nortons Park. Although the strong wind made birding difficult in this exposed area we managed an extra seven species for the day with Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Silver Gull, Blackbird, Indian Myna and Starling all seen, giving a grand total for the day of 52 species.

A good total for the conditions and a good walk for the birders.

View complete bird list: Bird List Jells Park 2019

 

Beginners outing to Jells Park

26 August 2017

Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers

Species count: 64

Grey Butcherbird. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

It was a fine but cool morning as 42 members set off to walk around Jells Park Lake. A lone Nankeen Night-Heron was sighted through the bushes and on closer investigation this proved to be a group of four adults and one juvenile. An early distant view of a single Tawny Frogmouth was later followed by two more separate views of pairs of them, making a total of five individuals for the day.

Tawny Frogmouth. Photo by Alan Veevers

There was a great deal of activity around the lake with dozens of Australian White Ibis nesting on the islands and on the edges of reed beds, often on communal rafts which they had constructed from dead twigs. Australasian Darters, Great and Little Pied Cormorants were also nesting, but in much smaller numbers. Interestingly, their nests were constructed from live twigs, complete with leaves.

Australian White Ibis. Photo by Alan Veevers

Freckled, Blue-billed and Pink-eared Ducks were amongst the less common species on the lake.

Pink-eared Duck. Photo by Alan Veevers

A Great Egret was spotted on a small pond to the left of the track, fishing amongst dense red weed, apparently oblivious to the activities of the nearby Purple Swamphens.

Freckled Duck. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

Parrot species were plentiful, with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Rainbow Lorikeets and Eastern Rosellas being the most noticeable as they jostled for nest hollows.

Purple Swamphens. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

After completing the lake circuit a short walk was taken along the track towards Norton Park. Two Cattle Egrets could be seen among livestock in the distance and a Nankeen Kestrel was seen hovering and diving, then perched in a far-off dead tree.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

This was the only raptor seen during the day. Noisy Miners were dominant amongst the smaller bush birds and it was a challenge to find other species. A friendly Grey Butcherbird was an exception.

Great Egret. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

After lunch the members drove to Carpark 4 where profusely flowering Ironbarks were attracting birds, most surprisingly including a pair of Princess Parrots (presumably aviary escapees).

Eastern Rosella. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A final short circuit walk was taken where good views of Australian King-Parrots and Musk Lorikeets were the highlights.

Australian King Parrot. Photo by Eleanor Dilley

A total of 64 species was recorded for the day – an excellent result for a suburban park in August.

See the full bird list here: BM Aug 2017 Bird List Jells Park

Beginners Outing to Jells Park

27 August 2016

Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers; Species count: 50

All photographs by Eleanor Dilley

Forty-six members set off from the Eastern Carpark in fine weather conditions to begin the walk around the lake. After entering the wildlife enclosure a few small birds were seen including Striated Pardalotes and Superb Fairy-wrens.

Immature Grey Butcherbird

Grey Butcherbirds and Laughing Kookaburras were plentiful but Noisy Miners were very much the most numerous species.

Laughing Kookaburra

At the lake there were only a few ducks but these included a Freckled Duck, an Australasian Shoveler and Chestnut and Grey Teals.

Male (left) and female (right) Chestnut Teal

Of great interest were the birds nesting on a small treed island where there was much activity. Many Australian White Ibis were nesting at ground level, while higher up in the bare trees several pairs of Little Pied Cormorants, Great Cormorants and Australian Darters tended their nests. Sticks were still being brought in to build some nests, but many birds were clearly incubating eggs.

Australian White Ibis

An Eastern Great Egret looked dazzling in its beautiful white breeding plumage contrasting with a few dirty-looking Ibis perched on the same log. On completing the lake circuit a short return walk was taken along the track towards Norton Park and a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and White-faced Heron were added to the morning tally.

Great Egret

Lunch was taken near the carpark, after which about half the group drove to the top of the hill where a second shorter walk was taken.

Purple Swamphen

Highlights of this included a well camouflaged Tawny Frogmouth and great views of Musk Lorikeets in the flowering Ironbark trees.

Tawny Frogmouth

Musk Lorikeet

Those at the rear of the group were fortunate to witness a Peregrine Falcon flying rapidly overhead – the only raptor spotted during the day. Eight Parrot species added a wonderful range of colours to the sightings, making up for the near zero contribution from the few Honeyeaters that were around.

Galah

Eastern Rosella

A total of 50 species were recorded on a most interesting and enjoyable excursion.

See the bird list for the outing: BM Aug 2016 Bird List Jells Park

Weekday outing to Jells Park, Wheelers Hill

15 June 2016

Photographs by Margaret Bosworth

A perfect day for birding with sunshine from a clear blue sky and no wind. Twenty attendees assembled at the car park for Jells Park East, an area considerably less busy than the main car parks. Our leader John Bosworth had done his preparation thoroughly. He hadn’t prepared the ‘bee-eater on steroids’ in one of the trees – a tangled and very colourful kite – but the area did have the expected population of Noisy Miners and Australian Magpies while Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Little Ravens were calling. Rainbow Lorikeets were plentiful and Musk Lorikeets also gave good views to those less familiar with this species.

Female Freckled Duck

There were even glimpses of Australian King-Parrots and a few Crimson and Eastern Rosellas. Then we started walking beside the creek and added bushbirds – Brown Thornbills, Superb Fairy-wrens and Grey Fantails dominated and there were plenty of calls from Spotted Pardalotes. Frogs called from the wetlands but it was the ‘haul’ of duck species on the east end of the lake which surprised and delighted everyone. There were Chestnut and Grey Teal, Pacific Black, Freckled, Blue-billed, Pink-eared and Australian Wood Duck as well as Australasian Shoveler (male and female) and Hardhead. Eurasian Coots and Hoary-headed and Australasian Grebes were repeatedly diving and Little Pied Cormorants dried their wings not far from a female Australasian Darter.

Male and female Australian Shelduck

It’s not every walk where we record nine species of ducks in a small area and they were possibly escaping the duck hunting season in this refuge. We retraced our steps back to the cars as continuing the lake circuit entered the busy area where few birds had been observed during preliminary walks. Birds still joined the list – Red-browed Finch and Laughing Kookaburra, Eastern Spinebill, Red Wattlebird and White-plumed Honeyeater while Australian White and Straw-necked Ibis were now present at the lake and at least one Cattle Egret.

Cattle Egret (among cattle)

Back for a welcome lunch break followed by a walk northward with paddocks beside the park where the border of bush and grassland might have harboured robins. Alas, that hope did not materialise despite a female Scarlet Robin having been present two days previously.

Female Scarlet Robin (photograph taken two days earlier)

There were plenty of Noisy Miners and several pairs of Magpie-larks. Those who completed the walk added Masked Lapwing and Common Bronzewing and at the final bird call the group had recorded 55 species. We voted it a great day’s birding and thanked John for his leadership.

Diane Tweeddale, Coordinator BirdLife Melbourne Weekdays Outings

May education activities

On 6 May Pat Bingham gave a presentation to 10 people at the Deepdene U3A. This talk was about ‘Mr Jell’s Park’ in Glen Waverley.

A bird walk in Jell’s Park followed the above activity with U3A Deepdene on 8 May. This walk was led by Pat Bingham and Jane Moseley. On a glorious sunny day the eight people saw very few species but plenty of Australian Wood Duck. The highlight was the rare sighting of a pair of Australian Shelducks at this site. An enjoyable day was had by all.

On 8 May, Golo Maurer introduced the techniques of doing Bird Surveys to the Year 5/6 students of St Mary’s Parish Primary School in Williamstown at the Jawbone Reserve. He was assisted by Krysia Nowak, Isabel Ebsworth, Angela Skehan and Laura Tan.

Anthea Fleming and Alan Crawford assisted the Friends of Edwardes Lake Park identify the birds on their survey in Reservoir on 18 May. About 15 enthusiastic people attended the walk around Melbourne’s second largest lake. 31 species of birds were seen on the walk which concluded with morning tea in the gazebo.

Janet Hand, Education Officer (Phone: 9842 4177)