Weekday outing to Long Forest/Lake Merrimu

20 September 2022

Photographs by Steve Hoptroff

Another ideal day for birding, clear and calm, as we assembled under the leadership of Graeme Hosken. Our enthusiasm did not reach to expecting any of the birds historically recorded here after we read an old list which included Plains Wanderer and Mallee Fowl. We listed a couple of Crimson Rosellas and Red Wattlebirds flying through and a few Brown Thornbills foraging among the lower tree trunks. Over the stile and along the Long Point Track to Coimadai Creek and then the circuit back to the cars. Thirteen people attended and provided plenty of ears to record Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, White-throated Treecreeper and Yellow-faced Honeyeater while eyes recorded Grey Fantail and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike.  Fan-tailed Cuckoos trilled incessantly but none were seen.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

The only waterbirds of the morning were a pair of Grey Teal on the Coimadai. Raptors were initially a single Brown Goshawk overhead but a Brown Falcon was added on later inspection of a photo.

Brown Falcon

Back at the cars we then drove to the picnic area at Lake Merrimu. This is a very mowed, fenced and apparently unpromising area, with wind sweeping across the lake. Scopes are useful as waterbirds are quite distant. After the Welcome Swallows, Little Corellas and Little Ravens overhead the list from the water and banks grew. Ducks seen were Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck and Australian Shelduck. Australasian Grebe and Great-crested Grebe swam and Masked Lapwing were sighted on a close bank. A walk around the lightly wooded perimeter of the reserve added White-plumed Honeyeater and Common Bronzewing. The only raptor here had been a Nankeen Kestrel over the water when the Bird of the Day appeared as we were winding down. An adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle flew around the bend and was then pursued by the lapwings and landed on the nearer promontory and the water.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

A grand finish to a successful day. Thirty species at Long Forest, 23 at Merrimu and a cumulative total of 46 species. We thanked Graeme for his preparation and knowledge which led to this result.

Diane Tweeddale, coordinator BirdLife Melbourne weekdays outings

Weekday outing to Dandenong Valley Wetland, Wheelers Hill

5 April 2022

Photographs by Steve Hoptroff

We met at Haversham Avenue near Cronia Court on a cool, fine and mainly cloudy day. Grey Butcher bird and Magpie were calling and a pair of White-faced Herons were sitting on a nearby house.

Grey Butcherbird

Dandenong Valley Wetland was opened in July 2010 by Melbourne Water, it is 48 hectares in size and divided into 4 large cells which can be individually filled and emptied. Water is diverted from nearby Dandenong Creek and stored in the cells for 3 days and then released back into the creek. Birdlife Melbourne has been doing monthly surveys here for Melbourne Water since 2010 and recorded over 130 species within the first 2 years.

Red-browed Finch

Superb Fairy-wren, breeding male

Superb Fairy-wren, male in eclipse plumage

We entered the wetland via the bridge over Dandenong Creek and saw Grey Fantail, Spotted Pardalote, Red-browed Finch, Superb Fairy-wren, Brown Thornbill, Golden Whistler, Red Wattle Bird New Holland Honeyeater Gold Finch and Noisy Miner.

New Holland Honeyeater

As we approached the outlet of Cell 3 we were entertained by a White-faced Heron which had just caught a small fish, it dropped it on the ground and picked it up again many times before finally deciding to swallow it. 

White-faced Heron

White-faced Heron with prey

Looking into Cell 3 we saw Black Duck, Musk Duck, Dusky Moorhen and Australasian Grebe, White Ibis and Welcome Swallows flew overhead.

On our way to the outlet of Cell 2 we saw a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike while a huge flock of Little Corellas flew over, in the cell we found a Little Pied and Little Black Cormorant. 

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Little Black Cormorant, with Australasian Grebe in background

At the outlet of Cell 1 we saw a lone Australasian Darter and heard Pied Currawongs calling from the creek. 

Australasian Darter, female

We then headed east, towards the inlet end of the cells via a track between Cell 1 and Cell 2, didn’t see much along here until near the end where there was plenty of water around, we then came across Reed Warbler, Eurasian Coot, Purple Swamphen and Black Swan.

Black Swan

Heading south along the top of the Cells, we had the distribution channel on our left and the top of the Cells on our right. A White-browed Scrubwren was seen beside the track, we were now coming under the power lines and decided to look for raptors, soon a White-bellied Sea-Eagle was spotted, soaring high above, then a pair of Nankeen Kestrels on a pylon and a Dusky Woodswallow on the power lines. 

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Further along the track we checked out a clear section of the distribution channel and found a Spotless Crake foraging along the muddy edge.

Spotless Crake

The inlet to Cell 4 had a small amount of water in it with a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels resting on the edge while a Royal Spoonbill was busy swishing its bill in the water. 

Black-fronted Dotterel

Royal Spoonbill

We now started the long walk west to the outlet of Cell 4, no birds were seen until we reached a small pond at the outlet. There were 11 Black-fronted Dotterels and 10 Chestnut Teal here and we heard the calls of many Bell Miners coming from the Creek. As we headed back towards the bridge we heard Grey Shrike Thrush calls several times and when crossing the bridge saw a small flock of Silvereyes foraging in the blackberries and a Yellow-faced Honeyeater resting in a dead Wattle Tree.

It took just under 3 hours to do this walk and we recorded 48 species 

Geoff Russell, Leader