Werribee Treatment Plant - March 2015

The Werribee Treatment Plant is a place that I had been wanting to get to for ages but I had just never gotten around to organising a key for access. Thankfully Sarah managed to sort out a key last week for us and on Wednesday we finally took a drive out to Werribee.

I had heard that the WTP is one of the best birding places in Victoria but I was not prepared for what I saw. WOW! The place is AMAZING. Everywhere you looked there were birds.

We headed in along Paradise Rd. A tractor was working in the neighboring paddock and a group of 6 Black Kites circled above the freshly ploughed dirt. We pulled the car over and got out in the hopes that they might come a little closer. Boy did they come closer! They started circling just above our heads and landing in the paddock beside us. It was an awesome sight and a new tick to my list.

Black Kite, Milvus migrans

Their camouflage in the dusty paddock was amazing and at times we lost site of them until they moved.

On the opposite side of the road, a family of Zebra Finches hung out in the trees.

Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

Entering Gate 6, our jaws dropped. With lakes on either side of the road lined with reeds and small shrubs you couldn't look in any direction without seeing a bird. Hundreds of waterbirds filled the lakes, small birds flitted amongst the reeds and shrubs, more birds flew overhead. We were so overwhelmed we didn't know which way to point our cameras first!

Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus

One of my hopes for the day was to see and photograph a Golden-headed Cisticola. I saw one as soon as we drove through the gate and was bitterly disappointed to get 3 blurry shots before it flew off. I spent a good 10 minutes wandering around trying to find it again before giving up and getting back in the car.

A few metres up the road we stopped for good views of Australian Shelducks and Yellow-billed Spoonbills. I was waiting for Sarah to finish taking photos when I happened to glance out my window and see a tiny little golden bird perched on a branch right beside me. I held my breath as I got my camera up and into focus. The gorgeous Golden-headed Cisticola was happy preening itself on its perch and gave us plenty of time to get lots of great shots. It was very hard to narrow it down to just these 4!

Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Platalea flavipes

White-fronted Chat, Epthianura albifrons

European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis

It was only 2 weeks ago that I excitedly saw my first Pink-eared Duck. Well now I've seen more than I could ever have imagined. Everywhere we looked we saw more of these beautiful ducks.

Pink-eared Duck, Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Looking back we had great views of the You Yangs and saw a whirly whirly from back where the tractor was working the paddock.

The next section we drove was clearly where all the birds of prey hung out - a Peregrine Falcon, Whistling Kites and a Black-shouldered Kite - all perching nicely for us.

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus

Whistling Kite, Haliastur sphenurus

Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris

As we got closer to Port Phillip Bay we started to see more shorebirds. Many were starting to show their brilliant breeding plumage.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata

Red-necked Stints & Curlew Sandpipers 

Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis

Two different species of Tern added one more tick to my list. 

Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida

White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus

Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena

Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

Fairy Martin, Petrochelidon ariel

Australasian Pipit, Anthus novaeseelandiae

Superb Fairy Wren, Malurus cyaneus

 Brown Goshawk, Accipiter fasciatus

And to finish up the day we were happily entertained by this Striated Fieldwren as it sung loud and proud on the top of a bush. Another new spotting for me and a great finish to the day.

Striated Fieldwren, Calamanthus fuliginosus

After 3hrs we were exhausted. I felt like I had eye strain from seeing so much and we had only covered one third of the plant. I came away with 4 new spots to bring my tally up to a grand total of 218. Can't wait to go back!

Sports field lake - March 2015

Max had just fallen asleep in the pram as I'd finished shopping at Kingsbury market and there was no way that I was going to wake him to get into the car, so instead I wandered around the Sports Field Lake at LaTrobe Uni for an hour.

Half a dozen Darters were circling high in the sky before deciding where to land, a lone black swan followed me - possibly in the hopes of food, and after finding a nice shady spot to sit, I let the birds come to me.

Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae

Black Swan, Cygnus atratus

A family of Dusky Woodswallows flew around me and then settled on some branches to preen and sun themselves. It looked like quite a precarious spot to be lying down and stretching ones wings!

Dusky Woodswallow, Artamus cyanopterus

Dusky Woodswallow (juvenile), Artamus cyanopterus

Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae

This is the black swan that kept a careful eye on me.

Black Swan, Cygnus atratus

Even when it tried to have a nap!

Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa

FINALLY saw a Pink-eared Duck! March 2015

I've been hoping to come across a Pink-eared Duck for ages now and it's frustrating to see that other birders have seen them in places I regularly visit. But today I finally saw a pair of them at Mill Park Lakes.

They are interesting looking birds with a massive square-tipped bill, zebra stripes and a cute little patch of pink feathers behind the eye. The ducks are highly nomadic birds - here one day, gone the next - which is probably why I've had so much trouble finding them.

Pink-eared Duck, Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Pink-eared Ducks, Freckled Ducks and a couple of Teals.

Mill Park lakes never disappoints with a huge variety of waterbirds on show at close range. I took so many photos in such a short time that this will end up being another long post to fit in all the photos!

Blue-billed Duck, Oxyura australis

Little Black and Great Cormorants sitting on the rocks.

Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Yellow Spoonbill, Platalea flavipes

Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos

There are many domestic ducks swimming around the lakes, but this one in particular caught my attention with it's bright red facial skin. It's called a Muscovy duck. These ducks are native to Mexico, Central & South America and in there true wild form they are mostly black. It is the domestication of these ducks that has changed their coloration to include more white and red.

Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata

Domestic Duck

Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus

Australasian Shoveler, Anas rhynchotis

Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea

The metallic sheen of this Straw-necked Ibis shone beautifully in the sunlight.

Straw-necked Ibis, Threskiornis spinicollis

Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus

Black-winged Stilt (juvenile), Himantopus himantopus

This Eastern Great Egret was very successful fishing in the lake.

Eastern Great Egret, Aredea modesta

Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio

Swamphens are very common to the area and these ones aren't shy, coming right up to you when sitting on the ground. A lot of the ducks and coots are friendly too but that's only because so many people feed them bread.

A young Swamphen trying to steal mum or dad's food.

Another wonderful day out at the lakes with plenty of photo opportunities and one more tick to the list.