The Solace of Birds VI
Aug 13, 2020 - Look to the skies near Rhyll and you may spot a white-bellied sea- eagle, writes Patsy Hunt in the final part of her series on Phillip Island birds.
Aug 13, 2020 - Look to the skies near Rhyll and you may spot a white-bellied sea- eagle, writes Patsy Hunt in the final part of her series on Phillip Island birds.
NOTES OF A BIRDWATCHER
Nola Thorpe writes about birds and popular bird-spotting sites in and around Bass Coast.
My bathroom bird hide
The bathroom view
By Nola Thorpe
May 6, 2017
BACK in the 1980s, when we bought our current house, the bathroom windows were the usual bathroom frosted glass but because I really like to see through my windows we had them replaced with clear glass. Privacy was not an issue as the bathroom is well down the side of the house with a high fence between us and the next door neighbours. Anyway we installed good blinds and any one sneaking down the side of the house would first have to negotiate with a very noisy dog.
Over the years we have planted a thick hedge of bottle brushes and grevilleas, plants with flowers that are loved by honeyeaters and other birds.
Birds I have seen from the bathroom include fairy wrens, eastern spinebills, little and red wattle birds, white-browed scrubwrens, blackbirds (of course), an eastern yellow robin and brown thornbills. Once a golden whistler visited.
From the window we can also see whatever is resting on next door’s antenna: magpies, ravens, butcherbirds, spotted doves, mudlarks, galahs and lorikeets.
At the moment there is also a visiting king parrot in the garden. I think it could be an aviary escapee as it is very quiet and sits on the roof or in one of the trees just watching us. She has been around for about three weeks and has made herself at home.
I love my windows.
May 6, 2017
BACK in the 1980s, when we bought our current house, the bathroom windows were the usual bathroom frosted glass but because I really like to see through my windows we had them replaced with clear glass. Privacy was not an issue as the bathroom is well down the side of the house with a high fence between us and the next door neighbours. Anyway we installed good blinds and any one sneaking down the side of the house would first have to negotiate with a very noisy dog.
Over the years we have planted a thick hedge of bottle brushes and grevilleas, plants with flowers that are loved by honeyeaters and other birds.
Birds I have seen from the bathroom include fairy wrens, eastern spinebills, little and red wattle birds, white-browed scrubwrens, blackbirds (of course), an eastern yellow robin and brown thornbills. Once a golden whistler visited.
From the window we can also see whatever is resting on next door’s antenna: magpies, ravens, butcherbirds, spotted doves, mudlarks, galahs and lorikeets.
At the moment there is also a visiting king parrot in the garden. I think it could be an aviary escapee as it is very quiet and sits on the roof or in one of the trees just watching us. She has been around for about three weeks and has made herself at home.
I love my windows.
Birds from my backyard
A white-headed pigeon found its way to Nola Thorpe's garden, a long way from its usual territory.
By Nola Thorpe
THIS year I’ve been lucky enough to see two birds in (or at least from) my backyard that are not usually seen in this area.
The white-headed pigeon
I discovered this bird one morning after a few very windy days and I think it must have been blown off course. It was just sitting quietly in the garden in full view from the back deck and I was able to watch it for quite a long time. Time enough to get out the bird app and have a close look at its features. Its description fitted the male of the species very well. Its usual habitat is further up the coast in rain forest all the way to Northern Queensland. I was even fortunate enough to be able to take a reasonable photo.
Eastern koel
Late last year an Eastern Koel made its presence heard in Wonthaggi. We first heard it one morning in a back lane up near Tank Hill. It was very hard to spot as it was high up in a leafy gum tree and was keeping very still but with its very distinctive call, it was very easy to identify.
In January it moved closer to McMahons Reserve and could be frequently heard in the trees surrounding the oval. One morning we could actually see it sitting high in the foliage and being attacked by a family of noisy miners. One of the things that really delighted me about its visit was the number of people in the area who noticed the call and rang me or stopped me on my morning walk or in the street to ask if I had heard this strange call and whether I knew what it was. If I had my phone with me I would whip it out and show them what the bird looked like, where it came from and play them its call. They loved it.
THIS year I’ve been lucky enough to see two birds in (or at least from) my backyard that are not usually seen in this area.
The white-headed pigeon
I discovered this bird one morning after a few very windy days and I think it must have been blown off course. It was just sitting quietly in the garden in full view from the back deck and I was able to watch it for quite a long time. Time enough to get out the bird app and have a close look at its features. Its description fitted the male of the species very well. Its usual habitat is further up the coast in rain forest all the way to Northern Queensland. I was even fortunate enough to be able to take a reasonable photo.
Eastern koel
Late last year an Eastern Koel made its presence heard in Wonthaggi. We first heard it one morning in a back lane up near Tank Hill. It was very hard to spot as it was high up in a leafy gum tree and was keeping very still but with its very distinctive call, it was very easy to identify.
In January it moved closer to McMahons Reserve and could be frequently heard in the trees surrounding the oval. One morning we could actually see it sitting high in the foliage and being attacked by a family of noisy miners. One of the things that really delighted me about its visit was the number of people in the area who noticed the call and rang me or stopped me on my morning walk or in the street to ask if I had heard this strange call and whether I knew what it was. If I had my phone with me I would whip it out and show them what the bird looked like, where it came from and play them its call. They loved it.
Bird sightings
The appearance of an emu with 10 chicks is a fitting commemoration of the first 10 years of the Wonthaggi Rifle Range wetlands. Photo: Leonie Smith
July 2, 2016 - Wedge tailed eagles, Lower Powlett Road. Photo: Paul Cummings
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August 13, 2016 - Cape Barren goose about to shed a feather, Summerland Peninsula, May. Photo: Mel Marks
Inverloch, winter 2016. Photo by Robert Scott, who writes “I think the birds are feeling the cold. These two were cuddled up on my back fence trying to keep warm.”
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Visitor from the south
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By Nola Thorpe
November 14, 2017 MANY birdos in the local area are talking about a Tasmanian boobook owl sighted around Cape Liptrap recently. I have seen a couple of southern boobooks around this area and I really think they must be one and the same bird. I have looked in several bird books and cannot find a mention of a particular Tasmanian species although they are apparently smaller and more heavily spotted with white. The photos I have seen of the Liptrap owl have very distinctive yellow eyes so perhaps that is the difference. They are probably more commonly known as a Mopokes because of the very distinctive calls you will hear coming from the bush at night. There is also a New Zealand species known as Moreporks, once again known by their calls. When I was a kid and lived near the bush, mopokes were very common and we were quite used to them. |
A Tasmanian boobook owl spotted at Cape Liptrap, Saturday night, October 31. Photo by Pauline Wilkinson, who writes: “Photo quality is poor because all I had was the car lights and no external flash on my camera so I just worked with what I had but rapt to have been able to see the Tasmanian species here locally. It's significant that the Tasmanian species has been sighted here so late in the season as they usually return to Tasmania in August. The Tasmanian species’ eyes are yellow as distinct from the Victorian species eyes being greenish-yellow, and the Tasmanian species is more heavily spotted.
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A few years ago I was walking in the Baldhills Reserve and came across some grey fantails making a great fuss. On investigating, I discovered a southern boobook with two young beside her calmly watching the whole attempt to chase her off.
Graeme Chapman has some good information on southern boobooks.
Graeme Chapman has some good information on southern boobooks.
Have wings, will travel
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By Nola Thorpe
October 8, 2015 GALAHS, ibis, ravens and black cockatoos were once rare visitors to Bass Coast. Nola Thorpe charts the changing face of our birdlife. OVER the years I’ve been interested in birds (most of my life) I’ve noticed how the species of birds I’ve been watching have changed. As a child on a farm at Korumburra South, I never saw galahs, ibis or wattlebirds. And it wasn't until my grandparents moved to Inverloch that wattlebirds appeared on the scene. We had relatives in Bairnsdale and I would become highly excited at the thought of driving up the highway to get there as we would be sure to see galahs and cockatoos along the way. |
Yellow-tailed black cockatoos. The male (with pinkish-red eye rings and a black beak) is flying slightly in front of the female (with black eye rings and a greyish beak). Photo: Wayne Butterworth
Aussie Backyard Bird Count
Birdlife Australia is holding its Annual Birdweek from October 19-25. Join in by taking part in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count. Make every bird count by taking part In Australia's largest bird survey survey. Download the Aussie Bird Count app onto your phone or go to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au. Brochures in Wonthaggi library. Nola Thorpe |
We had herons and ducks on our dams but never spotted an ibis.
Galahs now live in Wonthaggi and number in the hundreds. Lorikeets are common and there are wattlebirds everywhere. Noisy miners are now moving into town and myna birds are everywhere (taking over native birds’ nesting sites).
The last couple of years has also seen the arrival of large flocks of litttle corellas which love to swoop and screech in competition with the galahs. We have ravens in the town area and often at dusk they can be seen gathering on the roofs of some of the bigger buildings in the CBD.
Why is this so, I wonder? Is it because of climate change or the trees that have been planted, or is it because human population has spread?
My favourite birds that have come to visit are the yellow-tailed black cockatoos. It’s not unusual to have flocks of 50 or more winging and screeching their way overhead.
My favourite cocky experience took place during the winter following the Black Saturday fires. Terri and I had gone for our early morning walk up to the Rifle Range and right up to the old butts. It was a beautiful, cool, still winter morning The moon was sinking in the west, the sun was rising in the east and about 30 black cockies were wheeling overhead.
An experience I will never forget.
COMMENTS
Galahs now live in Wonthaggi and number in the hundreds. Lorikeets are common and there are wattlebirds everywhere. Noisy miners are now moving into town and myna birds are everywhere (taking over native birds’ nesting sites).
The last couple of years has also seen the arrival of large flocks of litttle corellas which love to swoop and screech in competition with the galahs. We have ravens in the town area and often at dusk they can be seen gathering on the roofs of some of the bigger buildings in the CBD.
Why is this so, I wonder? Is it because of climate change or the trees that have been planted, or is it because human population has spread?
My favourite birds that have come to visit are the yellow-tailed black cockatoos. It’s not unusual to have flocks of 50 or more winging and screeching their way overhead.
My favourite cocky experience took place during the winter following the Black Saturday fires. Terri and I had gone for our early morning walk up to the Rifle Range and right up to the old butts. It was a beautiful, cool, still winter morning The moon was sinking in the west, the sun was rising in the east and about 30 black cockies were wheeling overhead.
An experience I will never forget.
COMMENTS
October 12, 2015
An interesting observation by Nola Thorpe. Who would have thought that Ibis and Ravens were once thin on the ground (and in the air) in Bass Coast country not so long ago.
We lived on our Jeetho West block for a good five years before I saw the first house sparrow. Now the word has got out that we have chooks they are no longer visitors but residents. A friend from Fremantle stayed with us not so long ago and had never seen a sparrow before. She could not have been more delighted than if she had spotted a orange-bellied parrot.
Speaking of which, we had our first king parrot last week taking our backyard species tally to 53. No doubt someone as observant as Nola would have identified many more.
Bob Middleton, Jeetho West
An interesting observation by Nola Thorpe. Who would have thought that Ibis and Ravens were once thin on the ground (and in the air) in Bass Coast country not so long ago.
We lived on our Jeetho West block for a good five years before I saw the first house sparrow. Now the word has got out that we have chooks they are no longer visitors but residents. A friend from Fremantle stayed with us not so long ago and had never seen a sparrow before. She could not have been more delighted than if she had spotted a orange-bellied parrot.
Speaking of which, we had our first king parrot last week taking our backyard species tally to 53. No doubt someone as observant as Nola would have identified many more.
Bob Middleton, Jeetho West
Skylark. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
Nankeen kestrel. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
Cape Barren geese. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
Superb fairy wrens. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
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Winter wonderlandBy Nola Thorpe
July 26, 2015 Wonthaggi Desal Plant ALTHOUGH the forecast was anything but promising, nine keen birdos decided to take the risk and spend the morning walking around the tracks at the desal plant. We were well rewarded and the outing was quite fruitful, not so much in the number of species seen but in the special sightings we had of some of them. There were flocks of skylarks swooping and swirling over much of the track that we took to the bird hide. Also a couple of flame robins sat quietly on sticks bordering the path; always good to see. Getting close to the bird hide a bird could be seen sitting on the top. This turned out to be a nankeen kestrel, which stayed quiet long enough for us to have a really good look. Standing on the board walk we had clear views across the wetland to the farm paddocks beyond. To my great surprise, a pair of Cape Barren geese were feeding alongside the cattle. I hadn't seen them here before. It was a good day for raptors as we also saw a swamp harrier and a little eagle from the hide. The kestrel showed off by hanging around for the rest of the walk and later, as we neared the end of the track, we spotted a brown goshawk sitting on a low shrub. We had a really good view of this bird as he obviously had his eye on something nearby and was not a bit concerned that all these people were observing him. There were swans and two species of grebe, a black duck and some fairy wrens close to the car park. About 30 species altogether. I intend to visit this site more often. We managed to have lunch before it started to rain. |
Return of the robins
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By Nola Thorpe
May 23, 2015 AT THIS time of the year some people are lucky enough to notice small black and red birds sitting on fences or in low shrubbery around the outer edges of the built-up area. These could be either scarlet robins or flame robins and they come back to our area at this time of the year after having spent the breeding season (spring and summer) in the rainforests. The gorgeous little male flame robin has a bright flame-red colour that extends from its belly right up to its beak. The female is a uniform light brown with a small white spot over the bill. The scarlet robin is not seen as often but has the same visiting routine. It has a scarlet breast and a black throat with a white spot on the head and some white feathers on its wing. The female is brown with a pale red wash on its breast. Another robin that is occasionally seen in ferny gullies is the pink robin. Where the scarlet robin is red, this one is pink. I have seen them at Walkerville and Tarra Valley. Rose robins can also be seen in these forested areas. |
Flame robins. Above, the flamboyant male. Below, the much plainer female. Photos: Pauline Wilkinson
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But then again we do have a robin that is here all year around and that is the eastern yellow robin. Its name describes it, a beautiful golden breasted bird that can be seen in any of the local bushlands, eg. Tank Hill, Wonthaggi Wetlands, Rifle Range, Baxter's Wetlands and the Campbell Street Bush.
A walk along the rail trail will usually find you a yellow robin, a most obliging little fellow who loves to have his photo taken.
A walk along the rail trail will usually find you a yellow robin, a most obliging little fellow who loves to have his photo taken.
Shorebird Heaven
Stockyard Point: Australian pied oystercatchers, gull-billed terns, whimbrels, eastern curlews, red-necked avocets, Caspian terns, silver gulls. Photos: Jack Airey
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By Jack Airey
May 9, 2015 Jam Jerrup to Stockyard Point ON A cool, overcast and windy morning in January, 27 members of the Ringwood Field Naturalists Club and two guests from the Peninsula Field Naturalists Club met at Jam Jerrup for an excursion to Stockyard Point, identified by BirdLife Australia as an important bird area in Western Port. Western Port is the summer home to large numbers of international migratory shorebirds – birds that breed in Siberia and Alaska during the northern hemisphere summer and migrate south to Australia for our summer. While in Australia, the birds spend most of their time living on intertidal mudflats and the edges of shallow bodies of water, hence the name shorebirds, feeding on the invertebrates, molluscs, gastropods and small crustaceans that inhabit these areas. Birdwatchers in Australia will regularly travel to good “shorebird sites” during the summer months to observe these beautiful and amazing birds. |
Red-necked avocets and banded stilts. Photo: Jack Airey
Sand wasps excavating burrows in the sand. Photo: Jack Airey
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Migratory shorebirds seen regularly at Stockyard Point range from the tiny red-necked stint (14 centimetres, 25 grams) to the largest shorebird in the world, the eastern curlew (63 centimetres, 900 grams). Stockyard Point is also a high-tide roost for Australian shorebirds, birds that live and breed in Australia. It even hosts a shorebird, the double-banded plover, which migrates to Australia from New Zealand in winter.
From the carpark we headed onto the beach for the 30-minute walk to the point. We arrived at the point at high tide – this is the best time to look for shorebirds as they are concentrated high on the beach. A lot of shorebirds congregate at Stockyard Point at high tide when other low-lying areas of Western Port are inundated.
Rounding the point we were very excited to find a large flock of shorebirds and out came the scopes and binoculars to identify the species. Oddly there were no international shorebirds in the flock but there were excellent numbers of three Australian shorebirds: the red-necked avocet, banded stilt and pied oystercatcher. There were also Caspian terns and gull-billed terns among the silver gulls.
The total number of bird species seen for the day was 36.
We spent an hour or so at the point discussing the birds we saw and the plants, as well as sand wasps that were excavating burrows among the bushes.
With the wind and rain closing in, we headed back to the carpark for our lunch. The clouds parted and the sun came out to warm us all up. No sooner had we finished lunch though, the clouds shrouded the sun and the wind picked up so we called it a day.
From the carpark we headed onto the beach for the 30-minute walk to the point. We arrived at the point at high tide – this is the best time to look for shorebirds as they are concentrated high on the beach. A lot of shorebirds congregate at Stockyard Point at high tide when other low-lying areas of Western Port are inundated.
Rounding the point we were very excited to find a large flock of shorebirds and out came the scopes and binoculars to identify the species. Oddly there were no international shorebirds in the flock but there were excellent numbers of three Australian shorebirds: the red-necked avocet, banded stilt and pied oystercatcher. There were also Caspian terns and gull-billed terns among the silver gulls.
The total number of bird species seen for the day was 36.
We spent an hour or so at the point discussing the birds we saw and the plants, as well as sand wasps that were excavating burrows among the bushes.
With the wind and rain closing in, we headed back to the carpark for our lunch. The clouds parted and the sun came out to warm us all up. No sooner had we finished lunch though, the clouds shrouded the sun and the wind picked up so we called it a day.
Surprise visitor
White-headed pigeon.
Photo: Glen Fergus
By Nola Thorpe
February 7, 2015
I HAVE started 2015 with a new bird app (The Michael Morecombe eguide to Australian Birds) for my phone so I am filling in my year's lists with fresh enthusiasm. I have lists for The Rifle Range, Campell Street Bush, Baxter's Wetland, the cemetery, Tank Hill, Screw Creek and home.
My longest list so far is at home and you never know what might turn up next.
For instance, last Friday I just happened to glance into the back yard and spotted a very unusual bird sitting quietly on a garden stake At first I thought it looked like a common pigeon that happened to be passing through but on closer inspection decided it was something I hadn't seen before.
Out came my phone and its app and a couple of reliable bird books (Simpson & Day and Pizzey). I found my visitor was a white-headed pigeon. This bird is normally found along the eastern coast as far down as East Gippsland but I think the continous east wind we have been experiencing probably made it overshoot its normal territory.
Being able to observe it very closely for a good half hour, I was able to see some of its identifiable markings quite easily. For instance, bill red with paler tip and glossy iridescent markings on the back.
After it had rested for about half an hour, it went on its way.
I was indeed fortunate to be at home when it dropped by.
February 7, 2015
I HAVE started 2015 with a new bird app (The Michael Morecombe eguide to Australian Birds) for my phone so I am filling in my year's lists with fresh enthusiasm. I have lists for The Rifle Range, Campell Street Bush, Baxter's Wetland, the cemetery, Tank Hill, Screw Creek and home.
My longest list so far is at home and you never know what might turn up next.
For instance, last Friday I just happened to glance into the back yard and spotted a very unusual bird sitting quietly on a garden stake At first I thought it looked like a common pigeon that happened to be passing through but on closer inspection decided it was something I hadn't seen before.
Out came my phone and its app and a couple of reliable bird books (Simpson & Day and Pizzey). I found my visitor was a white-headed pigeon. This bird is normally found along the eastern coast as far down as East Gippsland but I think the continous east wind we have been experiencing probably made it overshoot its normal territory.
Being able to observe it very closely for a good half hour, I was able to see some of its identifiable markings quite easily. For instance, bill red with paler tip and glossy iridescent markings on the back.
After it had rested for about half an hour, it went on its way.
I was indeed fortunate to be at home when it dropped by.
A box of birds
Laughing kookaburra. Photo: Leon Wilson.
December 6, 2014
A FEW years ago we decided to put some wooden nest boxes in the trees that line the back lane that runs between our house and McMahon's Reserve in Wonthaggi. Eric had a great little book about birds and the type of nest boxes they like to use. We chose a great kookaburra box in the hope that a pair of kookaburras we often saw in the area would like to make the reserve their home.
We placed it so we could see it from the sun deck and the house, and waited. Sure enough, they took a look and decided it was for them.
For three years we were priveleged to enjoy the comings and goings of the kookaburra families, as sometimes the previous year's chicks would be still around for the new hatchlings.
Watching the arrival of the the feeding parents was very interesting. Lizards, rats and mice and the occasional chicken appeared in the tree.
My favourite meal took place when my extended family were sitting on the deck for a barbecue lunch. I had been telling them about the comings and goings when one of the parent birds returned to the nest with the next meal: a snake about 40 to 50 centimetres long. We watched in amazement as the the poor snake was bashed to death and fed to the hungry youngsters.
Over a couple of years we were able to watch the babies sitting on our back fence and learning to fly.
Then one year they had started to nest again but were chased out by some possums that took over the box. We still have three nest boxes in the trees but the kookaburras haven’t come back.
However, this spring we have had a pair of galahs in one of the boxes and we are currently enjoying some little pink heads poking out and checking the landscape.
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A FEW years ago we decided to put some wooden nest boxes in the trees that line the back lane that runs between our house and McMahon's Reserve in Wonthaggi. Eric had a great little book about birds and the type of nest boxes they like to use. We chose a great kookaburra box in the hope that a pair of kookaburras we often saw in the area would like to make the reserve their home.
We placed it so we could see it from the sun deck and the house, and waited. Sure enough, they took a look and decided it was for them.
For three years we were priveleged to enjoy the comings and goings of the kookaburra families, as sometimes the previous year's chicks would be still around for the new hatchlings.
Watching the arrival of the the feeding parents was very interesting. Lizards, rats and mice and the occasional chicken appeared in the tree.
My favourite meal took place when my extended family were sitting on the deck for a barbecue lunch. I had been telling them about the comings and goings when one of the parent birds returned to the nest with the next meal: a snake about 40 to 50 centimetres long. We watched in amazement as the the poor snake was bashed to death and fed to the hungry youngsters.
Over a couple of years we were able to watch the babies sitting on our back fence and learning to fly.
Then one year they had started to nest again but were chased out by some possums that took over the box. We still have three nest boxes in the trees but the kookaburras haven’t come back.
However, this spring we have had a pair of galahs in one of the boxes and we are currently enjoying some little pink heads poking out and checking the landscape.
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Turning off the lights could save shearwater fledglings, writes Danene Jones.
A fatal attraction
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By Danene Jones, Phillip Island Nature Parks
October 18, 2014 TURNING off road lights reduced the number of grounded shearwater fledglings, according to a study by Airam Rodríguez and colleagues from Phillip Island Nature Parks and the Estación Biológica de Doñana in Spain. In a phenomenon called “fallout”, millions of birds are attracted to lights every year worldwide during their first flights from their nests to the open ocean. Dr Rodriguez, who is working in Australia as part of a Marie Curie research grant from the European Union, said shearwater fledglings on Phillip Island are affected by “fallout” when they leave their nest about a month after their parents. In an effort to understand the magnitude of the fallout, the researchers reported the number of fledgling shearwaters found grounded during rescue patrols conducted at Phillip Island, Australia, from 1999-2013. They also assessed factors affecting numbers of grounded birds and mortality, including date, moon phase, wind direction and speed, number of visitors and holiday periods, and tested whether turning lights off might reduce the number of groundings. |
Each year volunteers rescue hundreds of grounded shearwaters from Phillip island roads.
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The researchers found more grounded birds in peak fledging, moonless, and windy nights. Mortality increased through the fledging period, in the mornings, and with increased traffic on holiday periods, but turning the road lights off decreased the number of grounded birds.
Graham Burgan from Phillip Island Nature Park, who initiated the study in 1999, said more than 8800 fledglings were found grounded on or near roads during the 15-year study period. Almost 40 per cent were dead or dying.
The mortality rate was four to eight times higher than reported elsewhere, but the researchers noted that regular patrols and monitoring at Phillip Island resulted in more records, and suggested mortality figures at other locations might be underestimated due to irregular monitoring.
“Every year the lights are turned off at the bridge to Phillip Island and we notice an appreciable difference in the number of grounded fledglings,” Mr Burgan said.
“While we cannot control for the moon and wind, we believe that reduction of light pollution and better traffic management might help mitigate artificial light-induced mortality.”
Graham Burgan from Phillip Island Nature Park, who initiated the study in 1999, said more than 8800 fledglings were found grounded on or near roads during the 15-year study period. Almost 40 per cent were dead or dying.
The mortality rate was four to eight times higher than reported elsewhere, but the researchers noted that regular patrols and monitoring at Phillip Island resulted in more records, and suggested mortality figures at other locations might be underestimated due to irregular monitoring.
“Every year the lights are turned off at the bridge to Phillip Island and we notice an appreciable difference in the number of grounded fledglings,” Mr Burgan said.
“While we cannot control for the moon and wind, we believe that reduction of light pollution and better traffic management might help mitigate artificial light-induced mortality.”
A visitor from the north
Beach stone-curlew. Photo: Summerdrought
By Nola Thorpe
September 13, 2014
FOR a month or so I had been hearing reports of a beach stone-curlew being seen around Inverloch. A beach stone-curlew would normally be found around the shoreline of northern states from Shark Bay in WA to Nambucca Heads in NSW.
It is a very large thick-set wader that is readily distinguished from all other waders by its size, massive bill with yellow patches at the base and a bold black and white pattern on its head.
I had been down three times to see if I could catch a glimpse but with no luck. Then
one sunny Sunday we had been down to Inverloch to one of the markets and I thought,
“Here goes, I’ll try again”.
Eric bought a cup of coffee and said he would wait in the car. We drove to the Screw
Creek car park and I set off around the beach towards Townsends Bluff. The tide was
well out and sandbars were stretching across most of the inlet. As far as I could see,
there was very little bird activity but I decided to walk around the beach towards the
bridge.
When I was almost to the creek I noticed a flock of ibises at the cliff base so decided
to check them out with my binoculars. And what do you know, there was the curlew
among them. It was the first time I had ever seen one so I spent quite a bit of time
watching i.
When I got back to the car Eric saw me coming and knew immediately, by the look on
my face, that I had been successful.
September 13, 2014
FOR a month or so I had been hearing reports of a beach stone-curlew being seen around Inverloch. A beach stone-curlew would normally be found around the shoreline of northern states from Shark Bay in WA to Nambucca Heads in NSW.
It is a very large thick-set wader that is readily distinguished from all other waders by its size, massive bill with yellow patches at the base and a bold black and white pattern on its head.
I had been down three times to see if I could catch a glimpse but with no luck. Then
one sunny Sunday we had been down to Inverloch to one of the markets and I thought,
“Here goes, I’ll try again”.
Eric bought a cup of coffee and said he would wait in the car. We drove to the Screw
Creek car park and I set off around the beach towards Townsends Bluff. The tide was
well out and sandbars were stretching across most of the inlet. As far as I could see,
there was very little bird activity but I decided to walk around the beach towards the
bridge.
When I was almost to the creek I noticed a flock of ibises at the cliff base so decided
to check them out with my binoculars. And what do you know, there was the curlew
among them. It was the first time I had ever seen one so I spent quite a bit of time
watching i.
When I got back to the car Eric saw me coming and knew immediately, by the look on
my face, that I had been successful.
The lonely pardalote
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By Nola Thorpe
July 5, 2014 One day last week I received a call from a friend who lives in North Wonthaggi. She had a bird in her garden that she didn't recognise. Did I have time to come over and have a look? So armed with my trusty bird books and my iPod, I went over immediately. Usually when someone makes that request, the bird is well and truly gone by the time I arrive but this time I was lucky. The garden is small but it backs onto farmland so the bird life is quite varied. It’s enclosed with lots of shrubbery, a fishpond, birdbath and mirror in the background. Dancing in front of this mirror was a very small bird about 10 centimetres long. It had a deep golden chest, a chestnut red rump, and the black head and was covered in tiny white spots. I recognised it as a spotted pardalote but I had never seen one so close. Usually they are high in the foliage of tall eucalypts where they forage for insects among the leaves and flowers. They also have a call which is repeated continuously and sounds a little like "sleep-may-bee". I think this little fellow was attracted by the shrubbery, access to water and thought he had found a friend in the mirror. So you don't have to leave home to become a birdwatcher. Just be aware of what's outside your window. It does help to have plenty of shrubby cover and water available. |
 Photo: Aviceda
There is another beautiful photo of a spotted pardalote at Birds Australia.
Australia's favourite birds
Editor's note:
As I went to look up Nola’s reference to the Birds Australia photograph, I couldn’t help noticing that the spotted pardalote was the international voters’ favourite bird in Bird Australia’s annual vote. More than 8000 people vote last October. The Australian voters’ favourite was the superb fairy-wren, closely followed by the Australian magpie, then the hooded plover, rainbow lorikeet and laughing kookaburra. The hooded plover actually topped the poll in Victoria, with votes coming perhaps from those hundreds of volunteer “hoodies” who patrolled our beaches, including Bass Coast and Phillip Island, to protect the beautiful, vulnerable wee things. |
The ibises of Campbell Street
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By Nola Thorpe
May 10, 2014 At the western end of Campbell Street in Wonthaggi there is a patch of bush commonly referred to as the Campbell Street Bush. As well as natural vegetation there are some very tall cypress trees and it is here that the ibises like to roost at this time of the year One morning recently when I went for my walk with the whippet, the sun had barely risen and the air was chilly and still. The ibises, both Australian white and the straw-necked, were there in their hundreds. They were scattered across the treetops like so much Christmas bunting. Everywhere I looked there were more. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the early rays picked out even more. My approach disturbed them and they began to flutter off with loud honking calls. Then came the very special happening that you had to be there to appreciate. As the birds left their roosts, the feathers began to flutter slowly to the ground. I was standing in a cloud of floating feathers that wafted gently towards earth. I did try to catch a couple but they eluded me. It's a bit difficult to go running around chasing feathers through the bush. The other ibis family, the glossy ibis, sometimes comes to visit the Baxters Wetlands, but that isn't very often. |
Australian White Ibis in flight at Serendip Sanctuary, Lara, in June 2009. Photo: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos".
Straw-necked ibis. Photo: JJ Harrison
FOOTNOTE
The Australian white ibis is mainly white with a black head and long curved beak and stands between 65-75 centimeters high. The straw-necked ibis is black and white and between 60-70 centimeters. They like to hang around damp areas and will often be seen in flooded paddocks or wetlands. The swamp down Wonthaggi’s Skip Lane is a favourite haunt and they can sometimes be seen in their hundreds. |
Lights off for liftoff
Shearwater chick. Photo: Stuart Cameron
April 26, 2014
THERE’S a stir around Phillip Island as the short-tailed shearwater chicks prepare for liftoff on a hazardous 16,000-kilometre journey to the seas around Alaska.
The adults began their migration in mid-April, and the chicks leave about two weeks later with no guidance for their extraordinary migration.
Hundreds of them don’t even make it off the island, falling on the roads and being skittled as they try to fly.
The birds are known to flock to the San Remo bridge lights. As in past years, and with the assistance of SP AusNet, Vic Roads and the council, the bridge lights are switched off for a few nights around April 25 during the peak of departure.
Since the inception of the Shearwater Rescue Patrol in 1999, volunteers have saved many chicks from the roads.
Signs at either end of the bridge warn drivers of the changed traffic conditions.
Phillip Island Nature Parks wildlife rescue and rehabilitation officer Jodi Bellett said the chicks usually departed between April 18 and May 7.
She said residents would probably see birds on roads as they learn to fly, and urged drivers to take care.
Nature Parks staff will be patrolling areas where the birds land on roads, particularly around Surf Beach, Cape Woolamai and near the Penguin Parade.
After feeding near Alaska during our winter, the shearwaters will return to Phillip Island in September and spend the summer raising their single chick in a sand dune burrow.
THERE’S a stir around Phillip Island as the short-tailed shearwater chicks prepare for liftoff on a hazardous 16,000-kilometre journey to the seas around Alaska.
The adults began their migration in mid-April, and the chicks leave about two weeks later with no guidance for their extraordinary migration.
Hundreds of them don’t even make it off the island, falling on the roads and being skittled as they try to fly.
The birds are known to flock to the San Remo bridge lights. As in past years, and with the assistance of SP AusNet, Vic Roads and the council, the bridge lights are switched off for a few nights around April 25 during the peak of departure.
Since the inception of the Shearwater Rescue Patrol in 1999, volunteers have saved many chicks from the roads.
Signs at either end of the bridge warn drivers of the changed traffic conditions.
Phillip Island Nature Parks wildlife rescue and rehabilitation officer Jodi Bellett said the chicks usually departed between April 18 and May 7.
She said residents would probably see birds on roads as they learn to fly, and urged drivers to take care.
Nature Parks staff will be patrolling areas where the birds land on roads, particularly around Surf Beach, Cape Woolamai and near the Penguin Parade.
After feeding near Alaska during our winter, the shearwaters will return to Phillip Island in September and spend the summer raising their single chick in a sand dune burrow.
Forrest Caves and the shearwaters
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By Nola Thorpe
March 14, 2014 One evening recently I went with some friends to see the short-tailed shearwaters return from their day at sea with food for their chicks. There are several places on Phillip Island where you can do this but I find the easiest to get to is the observation platform at Forrest Caves; it’s a couple of kilometres beyond the Vietnam Veterans Museum and is easy to find with plenty of parking and easy walking. The best time to go is probably a clear,still evening in January or February. As the sun sets below the horizon, you can see rafts of birds starting to gather out over the breakers. I find this description of their arrival taken from an article in The Powlett Express in 1949 perfect “In hundreds they come, cutting the air with long, narrow wings, swooping low over the land, rising again, then diving sharply till they almost touch the waves below. Though moving without apparent pattern, they manoeuvre with such perfect control that there is never a contact, however slight , between them. For half an hour they circle, spying out landing points, then when darkness is almost complete, one alights followed immediately by thousands of others all scuttling to their underground shelters. "The mutton-birds have arrived" In those days, the shearwaters were commonly known as mutton-birds (or stormy petrels)and were much valued for their eggs and oil. This year there have been thousands of dead birds discovered on local beaches, exhausted by their long flights from the northern hemisphere and hunger. Their numbers have shrunk considerably since the day when Flinders and Bass saw near the Hummocks "a stream of sooty petrels 50 to 80 yards in breadth which passed them without interruption for a full hour and a half". |
“Once again the mutton-bird season is at hand and people for miles around are busy arranging excursions for the week-end trip, and a large crowd of holiday makers are expected at San Remo for the weekend.”
Powlett Express, November 21, 1911 “The season for taking young mutton birds on Cape Woolamai opens April 20th and closes May 4th. Those who desire to collect the birds must procure a licence.” Powlett Express, April 1, 1921 “The chicks soon become very like bottles of fish oil. If a young bird is held head downwards, the reddish-coloured oil simply runs out through the bill; 20 young birds produce a gallon of oil.” Powlett Express, August 26, 1949 |
Baxter's Wetland
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By Nola Thorpe
February 8, 2014 WE recently went to Baxters Wetland for our morning walk. The entrance is found at the corner of Campbell Street and Chisholms Road, or you can enter along West Area Road. It is a beautifully revegetated area and has a good walking track into the wetlands themselves. There are a couple of relics from our mining past and nearly always there are kangaroos which peer up at you through the bushes. Over the years I have been present on many bird outings here and always return home with an excellent list of sightings. On this particular morning we went into the bird hide which gives great views over the water toward the wind towers. There was a good variety of water birds including black swans, little black cormorants, purple swamphen, chestnut and grey teal, Australian white ibis, many Eurasian coots, Pacific black duck and three endangered freckled ducks. But the special sight for the morning was a group of 10 or 12 Australasian shovelers swimming in a tight, close knit circle with their heads below the water. I can only think that they were feeding and were busy rounding up tadpoles or some other underwater life. Unfortunately they didn't stay around for long and soon disappeared amongst the reeds. Another group of birdwatchers came in and were able to report a sighting in the area of a spotted harrier and some Cape Barren Geese, two species I haven't been lucky enough to see around here (yet). A good morning's walk. |
Purple swamp hen. Photo: Pauline Wilksinon
Freckled duck: Photo: Ken Billington
You can guarantee you’ll see an eastern grey kangaroo on your way to Baxters Wetland. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
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Campbell Street bush walk
Superb fairy wren in nuptial plumage. Photo: Cas Liber
By Nola Thorpe
November 30, 2013
AS I live on the edge of town I have many options from which to choose when taking my whippet for her morning walk.
One of our favourites is the Campbell Street bush walk, which runs parallel to Campbell Street from the end of Brown Street almost down to the Baxter Wetland car park. There is also a track running off to the left which takes you down to the old Tent Town site.
As well as the favourite superb fairy wrens, eastern yellow robins and four or five different honey-eaters and scrub wrens, there are some specials that turn up each season.
One of these is the satin flycatcher, the male of which has a beautiful glossy, black back and a white front. They are commonly called scissor-grinders because of their loud raucous call. The female, which doesn't make herself as well known, has a pale tan front.
Another special seen occasionally in Campbell Street is the bassian thrush, which is a very secretive bird. One day we were lucky enough to see one perched on a low limb and actually calling. A once-only for me!
At the right time of the year I have also seen small flocks of crested shrike tits foraging high in the tops of eucalypts. They are beautiful little yellow birds with striking black and white crests.
All in all, this is a great spot to do several things at once: walk the whippet, bird-watch and be thankful for living in such a great spot.
November 30, 2013
AS I live on the edge of town I have many options from which to choose when taking my whippet for her morning walk.
One of our favourites is the Campbell Street bush walk, which runs parallel to Campbell Street from the end of Brown Street almost down to the Baxter Wetland car park. There is also a track running off to the left which takes you down to the old Tent Town site.
As well as the favourite superb fairy wrens, eastern yellow robins and four or five different honey-eaters and scrub wrens, there are some specials that turn up each season.
One of these is the satin flycatcher, the male of which has a beautiful glossy, black back and a white front. They are commonly called scissor-grinders because of their loud raucous call. The female, which doesn't make herself as well known, has a pale tan front.
Another special seen occasionally in Campbell Street is the bassian thrush, which is a very secretive bird. One day we were lucky enough to see one perched on a low limb and actually calling. A once-only for me!
At the right time of the year I have also seen small flocks of crested shrike tits foraging high in the tops of eucalypts. They are beautiful little yellow birds with striking black and white crests.
All in all, this is a great spot to do several things at once: walk the whippet, bird-watch and be thankful for living in such a great spot.
Wonthaggi Rifle Range
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By Nola Thorpe
October 28, 2013, 7am Wonthaggi Rifle Range A perfect spring morning, little wind and a warm sun on your back. We saw 30-plus birds in the space of 30 minutes. This included our first sighting of a golden-headed cisticola for the season. These were just inside the gate, which seems to be a fairly popular place for the smaller varieties such as fairy wrens and red-browed finches. |
Golden teal duck. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
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It is still fairly wet on the walk into the bird hide but we had our rubber boots on so all was well.
The highlight of the view from the bird hide was a flock of beautifully coloured cattle egrets that circled and settled several times in the short time we were there. It appears they were being spooked by a peregrine falcon that passed overhead.
The swans that I had been watching since they built their nest now have a lovely clutch of five well-developed cygnets. They looked beautifully serene as they sailed along on the far side of the wetland. There was also quite a large batch of chestnut teal ducklings paddling around the edges.
Not far in front of the hide is a large green mound with a nesting purple swamp hen trying to stay hidden from view. Very successfully, I might add. Almost impossible to see without binoculars.
Other birds seen were hoary-headed grebe, Australasian shoveler, welcome swallows, wood duck, new Holland and white-naped honeyeaters, and a beautiful white-necked heron displayed perfectly on a duck box.
If only I’d had a camera (or a smart phone), I could have taken a shot of the heron surrounded by the egrets. It was a good way to start the day.
The highlight of the view from the bird hide was a flock of beautifully coloured cattle egrets that circled and settled several times in the short time we were there. It appears they were being spooked by a peregrine falcon that passed overhead.
The swans that I had been watching since they built their nest now have a lovely clutch of five well-developed cygnets. They looked beautifully serene as they sailed along on the far side of the wetland. There was also quite a large batch of chestnut teal ducklings paddling around the edges.
Not far in front of the hide is a large green mound with a nesting purple swamp hen trying to stay hidden from view. Very successfully, I might add. Almost impossible to see without binoculars.
Other birds seen were hoary-headed grebe, Australasian shoveler, welcome swallows, wood duck, new Holland and white-naped honeyeaters, and a beautiful white-necked heron displayed perfectly on a duck box.
If only I’d had a camera (or a smart phone), I could have taken a shot of the heron surrounded by the egrets. It was a good way to start the day.
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Outtrim Reserve
A couple of weeks ago I went with a friend to check out the Outtrim Reserve. We were there for two reasons: birds and native orchids. The day was overcast but not windy although there were plenty of signs of the windy weather we had been having. The reserve was the last Outtrim Primary School site and is now home to several cricket clubs in the summer and hosts junior soccer during the winter. There is also a shooting range tucked into the bush but this is seldom in use and doesn't cause any hassles. |
Golden whistler. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
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The day we visited, the golden whistlers were everywhere and proclaiming their territorial rights. Another lovely surprise was a lone blue-winged parrot perched very obligingly beside the track. There was also a small collection of honeyeaters, fairy wrens, scrub wrens and thornbills.
As we returned to the car we could hear a bird calling in the farm paddock across the road so went to investigate. To our great delight a scared kingfisher showed itself. It was a fitting end to a very pleasant walk in the bush.
As we returned to the car we could hear a bird calling in the farm paddock across the road so went to investigate. To our great delight a scared kingfisher showed itself. It was a fitting end to a very pleasant walk in the bush.
Wonthaggi to Swan Lake
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By Nola Thorpe
October 11, 2013 Recently the Friends of Wonthaggi Heathlands ran a birdwatching outing (“bring morning tea”, said the email). We met at the Guide Park in Wonthaggi at 9am and set off to follow a roundabout route to Phillip Island's Nobbies. As there were only four of us we could all travel together in one car, which is perfect for bird spotting: three pairs of eyes searching the surrounds and one pair of eyes watching the road. It is not often that I have had the privilege of being able to shout "Stop! Stop!" with the driver looking for the nearest place to pull over. We started off down West Area Road and were able to have a quick look into the Wonthaggi Treatment Plant. There is only a small opportunity to see through the trees but we saw quite a few water birds, including some pink-eared ducks and plenty of Eurasian coots. We went on down past the desal plant towards Williamson's Beach and were well rewarded with sightings including black-fronted dotterels and whiskered terns. We drove around the highway onto the Mouth of the Powlett Road and managed to add some more species, including a swamp harrier and a white-headed stilt to our list. There was also a mob of about 60 kangaroos keeping an eye on us from the paddock bordering the rail trail. |
Red-kneed dotterel, Wonthaggi. Photo: Geoff Glare
Cape Barren Geese admire the view at Phillip Island. Photo: Geoff Glare
Silver gulls react to an echidna in the breeding colony. The echidna was difficult to see as it made its way through the undergrowth. Photo: Geoff Glare
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We then travelled to Phillip Island and Fisher's Wetland. The first bird we saw in the car park was a beautiful black-tailed native hen with three fluffy black chicks. We spent quite a bit of time here and made excellent use of Geoff's spotting scope. There were plenty of Cape Barren geese and black swans, some with cygnets. On the opposite side of the road is a large swamp area where there were quite a few Australian pelicans and some sharp-tailed sandpipers.
The next birding spot was the Nobbies. It was blowing a gale but the sky was cloudless and the sea a stunning blue. There was a large swell and the waves breaking onto the cliffs sent rainbow-decorated spray metres into the air. One of the special bird species here is the kelp gull and we were thrilled to add it to our list.
There were thousands of silver gulls wheeling through the sky but we did notice one particular group really agitated about something on the ground and suspected a snake. However, on inspection we discovered an echidna making its way through the sand dunes.
One of the highlights of the day for me was the discovery of a back road leading from the Nobbies to the penguin beach. It is little more than a dirt track and has several lookouts spaced along the cliff tops. We saw kestrels and kites along this stretch of road and it is well worth the potholes and wheel ruts.
Onto our last stop, Swan Lake, where there were hundreds more water birds to be seen. As there is a bit of a walk through bushland to the bird hide we were also able to pick up some bush birds here as well. A special here was musk duck.
As it was getting late in the afternoon the water birds seemed to be moving from open areas into more sheltered sites and it was time for us to call it a day. Incidentally we did have lunch in the Nobbies kiosk and arrived back at the Guide Park about 6pm.
What a wonderful day of birding, with 78 species seen scattered over the various sites.
Inquiries: [email protected]
The next birding spot was the Nobbies. It was blowing a gale but the sky was cloudless and the sea a stunning blue. There was a large swell and the waves breaking onto the cliffs sent rainbow-decorated spray metres into the air. One of the special bird species here is the kelp gull and we were thrilled to add it to our list.
There were thousands of silver gulls wheeling through the sky but we did notice one particular group really agitated about something on the ground and suspected a snake. However, on inspection we discovered an echidna making its way through the sand dunes.
One of the highlights of the day for me was the discovery of a back road leading from the Nobbies to the penguin beach. It is little more than a dirt track and has several lookouts spaced along the cliff tops. We saw kestrels and kites along this stretch of road and it is well worth the potholes and wheel ruts.
Onto our last stop, Swan Lake, where there were hundreds more water birds to be seen. As there is a bit of a walk through bushland to the bird hide we were also able to pick up some bush birds here as well. A special here was musk duck.
As it was getting late in the afternoon the water birds seemed to be moving from open areas into more sheltered sites and it was time for us to call it a day. Incidentally we did have lunch in the Nobbies kiosk and arrived back at the Guide Park about 6pm.
What a wonderful day of birding, with 78 species seen scattered over the various sites.
Inquiries: [email protected]
Screw Creek, Inverloch
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By Nola Thorpe
September 28, 2013 During the last school holidays the Bunurong Centre in Inverloch ran a series of holiday activities for kids. Mike Cleeland asked if I might like to run a birdwatching afternoon so I took the opportunity to share my passion for the bird world. I went out and did a "recce" and thought the park and beach around the centre would be ideal but on the day itself there were far too many people about so we decided to go to Screw Creek instead. A dad and two young children had signed up so off we went. Some time back, our group had invested in some binoculars to lend new birdwatchers so I was able to offer these to our young birders. The kids felt very important with binoculars around their necks although I do think they saw far more with the naked eye. |
Hoary headed grebe. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
White faced heron. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
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The Screw Creek walking track is at the eastern end of The Esplanade. You can either drive or walk through the camping area to the track leading up to Townsend Bluff where there are very good views across the inlet to Venus Bay and Point Smyth.
The track through the bush has grey fantails, superb fairy wrens, wattle birds and white-browed scrub wrens. When you reach the creek there are usually grebes and white-faced herons busily feeding around the mangroves.
Across the bridge, we took the track to the left and followed the creek along to a nice little viewing platform. Alternatively take the steep track up to the bluff for some splendid views across the inlet. As you go along this track look out to the right where there is a swash way where many small birds love to feed.
If the tide is well out there are usually many waders feeding on the sandbanks. We were able to walk back along the beach so we get really good views across the inlet.
Dad and the kids seemed to enjoy their outing and I do hope it has sparked a lifelong interest for them.
Inquiries: [email protected]
The track through the bush has grey fantails, superb fairy wrens, wattle birds and white-browed scrub wrens. When you reach the creek there are usually grebes and white-faced herons busily feeding around the mangroves.
Across the bridge, we took the track to the left and followed the creek along to a nice little viewing platform. Alternatively take the steep track up to the bluff for some splendid views across the inlet. As you go along this track look out to the right where there is a swash way where many small birds love to feed.
If the tide is well out there are usually many waders feeding on the sandbanks. We were able to walk back along the beach so we get really good views across the inlet.
Dad and the kids seemed to enjoy their outing and I do hope it has sparked a lifelong interest for them.
Inquiries: [email protected]
Tarwin Cemetery
A white-browed scrubwren. Photo: Pauline Wilkinson
By Nola Thorpe
September 8, 2013
ONE of the great little places to go birding is the Tarwin Cemetery. I really enjoy looking around at the old tombstones which date back to the early part of our settlement.
Some of the older ones give a complete family history: where they migrated from, which ship brought them to Australia, siblings’ names and who married whom.
After checking out the graves you can get down to birding. In the right season there will be honeyeaters, fantails and wrens, wattle birds and finches.
Some years ago when I was a relatively naive birder I saw a plain little bird hanging from some blossom and thought I had discovered a new spinebill. When I checked my Simpson and Day Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, I realised I was seeing an immature eastern spinebill.
There is a cleared walkway around the perimeter of the cemetery which begins in the back right hand corner. Along here you will find yellow robins, white-browed scrubwrens and, because it looks out onto open farmland, magpies, ducks and mudlarks, galahs and rosellas.
If you go in spring and are into botany, which I find many birders are, you won't know where to look first: up at the birds or down at the orchids.
If you haven't used up all of your birding time, continue on down to the Tarwin Lower township where you can walk along the boardwalk or sit at the very long picnic table.
Birdlife Bass Coast has an outing planned for September 14 when we will visit the cemetery and a private property, Wombat Rise, which is on the other side of the road.
If you're interested in the cemetery visit, phone Nola on 0418 348 392 or email [email protected].
September 8, 2013
ONE of the great little places to go birding is the Tarwin Cemetery. I really enjoy looking around at the old tombstones which date back to the early part of our settlement.
Some of the older ones give a complete family history: where they migrated from, which ship brought them to Australia, siblings’ names and who married whom.
After checking out the graves you can get down to birding. In the right season there will be honeyeaters, fantails and wrens, wattle birds and finches.
Some years ago when I was a relatively naive birder I saw a plain little bird hanging from some blossom and thought I had discovered a new spinebill. When I checked my Simpson and Day Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, I realised I was seeing an immature eastern spinebill.
There is a cleared walkway around the perimeter of the cemetery which begins in the back right hand corner. Along here you will find yellow robins, white-browed scrubwrens and, because it looks out onto open farmland, magpies, ducks and mudlarks, galahs and rosellas.
If you go in spring and are into botany, which I find many birders are, you won't know where to look first: up at the birds or down at the orchids.
If you haven't used up all of your birding time, continue on down to the Tarwin Lower township where you can walk along the boardwalk or sit at the very long picnic table.
Birdlife Bass Coast has an outing planned for September 14 when we will visit the cemetery and a private property, Wombat Rise, which is on the other side of the road.
If you're interested in the cemetery visit, phone Nola on 0418 348 392 or email [email protected].
Rifle Range Wetlands, August 2013. Photo by Pauline Wilkinson
Wonthaggi Rifle Range
By Nola Thorpe
August 10, 2013
BASS Coast has a vast variety of bird habitats reaching from the coastline to the hills beyond Grantville. This also includes Phillip Island with its little penguins, Cape Barren geese and short-tailed shearwaters
One of the top birding spots in Wonthaggi is the Rifle Range Wetlands. This area is part of the Wonthaggi Heathlands and was regenerated by direct seeding in 2005. There is a good bird hide and easy walking from the western end of Reed Crescent.
A few years ago the bird count for the area was between 90 and 100 species. You might see several species of ducks, raptors such as the black-shouldered kite, many species of honey-eaters and the golden-headed cisticola.
At the moment a pair of swans is building a nest, which you can easily see from the bird hide.
If you would like a longer walk you can follow the track up to the old rifle butts. Here you will enjoy wonderful views in all directions. It also leads on further to the heathlands.
In the car park shelter are some birding brochures outlining many of the birding sites in Bass Coast. At the moment it’s very wet underfoot so take your rubber boots.
Inquiries: [email protected].
August 10, 2013
BASS Coast has a vast variety of bird habitats reaching from the coastline to the hills beyond Grantville. This also includes Phillip Island with its little penguins, Cape Barren geese and short-tailed shearwaters
One of the top birding spots in Wonthaggi is the Rifle Range Wetlands. This area is part of the Wonthaggi Heathlands and was regenerated by direct seeding in 2005. There is a good bird hide and easy walking from the western end of Reed Crescent.
A few years ago the bird count for the area was between 90 and 100 species. You might see several species of ducks, raptors such as the black-shouldered kite, many species of honey-eaters and the golden-headed cisticola.
At the moment a pair of swans is building a nest, which you can easily see from the bird hide.
If you would like a longer walk you can follow the track up to the old rifle butts. Here you will enjoy wonderful views in all directions. It also leads on further to the heathlands.
In the car park shelter are some birding brochures outlining many of the birding sites in Bass Coast. At the moment it’s very wet underfoot so take your rubber boots.
Inquiries: [email protected].