Wonderful Werribee Week 25/9 to 30/9

I have been to Werribee 21 times this year, so far, but this is the first time I have ever been down there 3 times in one week. There was no particular plan, it just happened that way. Tuesday 25^th was a nice day to go birding, and on Thursday 27^th Marlene thought it would be a good place to go, and I agreed. On the 30^th Kay came over from Adelaide to see the Oriental Pratincole that has been in residence for some time, so that was another good reason to visit. Thinking about it, there is always a good reason for a day at the Plant. 

On Tuesday the weather was beautiful and spring was really in the air. The swans have young swanlets following everywhere and the Fairywrens have all their flirt feathers on. 

Two of the many "swanlets" at the plan.

Superb Fairy-wren with all his flirt feathers on

The Red-necked Stints are back and feeding like crazy after their long flight but their feathers are all badly warn. There are some strange plumage colours around this year too with very pale stints and some sharpies that had me diving wishfully for the field guide.

Red-necked Stint with very warn feathers after a long hard trip

Curlew Sandpiper with strange plumage

On Thursday I got out of bed and wondered why I had agreed to go to the Plant again, in the wind and rain, but soon after we arrived the wind died down and the blue sky appeared to give us a beautiful day of birding.

Blue-winged Parrots with very blue wings

Brown Songlark

Brown Songlark

Eurasian Skylark

Pied Oyster-catcher

Bar-tailed Godwit

A shadow passed over me and I looked up in time to see this beautiful Spotted Harrier flying passed and away

On Sunday I wondered again why I had agreed to go to the Plant. Saturday had been bleak with driving rain and squalls. But as I drove to pick up Joy and then meet Kay the day improved by the minute and by the time we got to the Plant we had a bright sunny day, if somewhat cold. Kay had come over from Adelaide especially to see the Oriental Pratincole and sort of lucked out. I had seen it on Tuesday but not on Thursday, and now the day was cold and windy so I expected it to be hunkered down behind a bush somewhere, out of sight. As we got out of the car to unlock the gate into the Western Lagoon we looked up, and the Pratincole flew over our heads and disappeared, not to be seen again. Sigh. But at least she saw it, which is more than some people have done in the last few weeks.

Banded Lapwing on nest

Red-browed Firetail

European Goldfinch

"Chook" or Black-tailed Native-hen

Masked Lapwing with chick. She is sitting on two more eggs

Zebra Duck, part of a tight flock of 4,000 to 5,000 birds. A truly spectacular sight

Well, they used to be called Zebra Duck before they became Pink-eared Duck

When a bird lands on a sign right beside the car, you just have to take its photo

Duckling trying to emulate its mother, as instructed

Female Black Duck sinking ever lower in the water, trying not to be there at all

Ruddy Turnstone well camouflaged in seaweed as it digs around looking for food

Juvenile Banded Stilts on Paradise Rd lagoon

To add to the excitement at the Plant at the moment though is that the Tiger Snakes are out and about, and not always happy.

Allimages copyright Jenny Spry

Whroo 23rd September

It has been many years, maybe 5 or 6, since I have been to Whroo so Joy and I set out early Sunday morning to see what changes have been made. It turns out not many. The Information Centre still has a for sale sign on it and the car park had lots of families settling in at the picnic tables for lunch. The weather was struggling to be nice but the wind blew and the sun hid behind clouds for most of the day. At one point I dared to take off my heavy jumper, but not for long.

Rufous Songlark at Reedy Lake, near Nagambie

Grey Shrike-thrush with a very messy grub - but I like the way the background rock compliments the colours of the GST, even down to the green bug-juice on its throat.

Grey Currawong. Part of a flock of 6 or 7 very grey birds

One of the many Pallid Cuckoos that we saw

Rufous Whistler

Olive-backed Oriole

Olive-backed Oriole with caterpillar. The OBO fed constantly so it seems that the tree was loaded with these  caterpillars.

The birds were not numerous but all the rain has made the wildflowers bloom and filled the water points so hopefully it will be a good breeding season again. There were not many trees in flower, so not many honeyeaters were seen but it was nice to see a Rufous Songlark at Reedy Lake on the way up and a flock of very grey Grey Currawongs and an Olive-backed Oriole in the Iron-bark woodlands. On the way home we came across a beautifully marked Brown Songlark near Nagambie and stopped beside the busy road to ooh and aah. I have seen more Brown Songlarks this year than I remember for many years. Is this another species that is benefitting from a run of good seasons?

I must go back up that way soon because when we called in for fuel at the Nagambie Petrol Station at the corner of the Heathcote-Nagambie Rd they had “Stuffed Sausages” on the take-away breakfast menu. I forget what was on them but at the time they sounded disgustingly delicious. 

Brown Songlark near Nagambie with beautiful throat markings

All images copyright Jenny Spry

Eaglehawk Pelagidipphobia treatment

My bird of the trip, Grey Petrel. It differs from the images in the field guides because it appears to have a fully grey throat. As all my images show a dark throat it is not shading from the wing so I am guessing it is a juvenile bird, or the field guides I have are not quite accurate.

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As many of you know, there is a condition that many birders suffer from called “Pelagidipphobia” (the fear of dipping on a mega rarity by missing a pelagic birding trip – called “dipidus” to those who suffer). The symptoms are completely insuperable, incurable even, and when the Siren call is heard, via phone or email, a sufferer of this cruel affliction can do naught but obey, for the consequences of disobedience are horrific. I once tied myself to my desk chair with strong ropes while the call came clearly from Port Fairy, not once but thrice. I sighed as my negative reply to the last call faded into the Friday-night sea, then heard the following Monday that an Atlantic Petrel had been seen on the trip – aaaargh! The thought still pains me.

So, when the same Siren called again a few weeks ago, from Eaglehawk this time, I knew better than to tie myself to a desk chair and resist so I slashed my bonds, threw huge handfuls of money at a passing Red-tailed Qantas-bird, and went in chase of good company and rarities. Sigh, the insouciant feelings that overcame me as I sat with friends, old and new, dipidus sufferers all, sipping alcoholic libations to Artemis the goddess of bird(ing), in the lounge of Eaglehawk’s 1930s art-deco Lufra Hotel, the warming fire crackling behind us, made the trip worth while, even before we boarded the good ship Pauletta next dawn to head out and hunt the mega-bird that I knew awaited. Sigh.

And the mega bird, for me anyway, turned up. On my trip to Macquarie Island last year I missed only one of the expected pelagic specialties; Grey Petrel. On Sunday morning, some 12 nautical miles off the Tasmanian south-east coast, out past the Hyppolyte Rock, a Grey Petrel was spotted by Scott (may Aretmis bless his binoculars) as it came in from astern, flew close down the port side, and disappeared. That analeptic sight was all that was needed, my dipidus subsided to no more than a memory, and the strength of that magic view was enough that I am, five days later, still in remission – of course a friend just told me that she is going on a Port Fairy pelagic in October ….

This is more or less our route from Eaglehawk, out to the edge of the shelf and back

Our starting point, Pirate's Bay anchorage at Eaglehawk

Hyppolyte Rock

Seals resting near one of the many water-worn caves

Hyppolyte Rock, looking from the shore and our boat, Pauletta

Sunday dawned overcast and there was enough wind to lift the birds off the water. The swells were large but the waves on top of them were small, just what is needed for a pleasant day at sea. We motored south-east toward Hyppolyte Rock and then east and out to the shelf. The birds were not in huge numbers but as we threw berley and drifted the mollymawks came in, lots of Shy, a Salvin’s, a Black-browed and a couple of Buller’s. As a southerly change was due we went south toward Tasman Island and Cape Pillar, and then came back up north closer to the shore.

Shy Albatross

Juvenile Black-browed Albatross

Buller's Albatross, foreground and Shy Albatroos behind

Shy Albatross showing the delicate colours around the gape

Adult Salvin's Albatross

Southern Royal Albatross

Buller's Albatross

Great-winged Petrel

Northern Giant Petrel with reddish bill tip

Northern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel with greenish bill tip, in fresh juvenile plumage

Common Diving-Petrel

Common Diving-Petrel showing its startling blue legs

Tasman Island with Cape Pillar to the right

Pacific Gulls on Hyppolyte Island

Juvenile Crested Tern

Fairy Prion

Cape Petrel with Maria Island and lenticular cloud in the background

Southern Royal Albatross with the coast of Tasman National Park behind

Lenticular cloud over Maria Island

I had booked accommodation for one night at Eaglehawk and one night at 7 Mile Beach, near Hobart airport because my research had said that both these places could be good for finding Masked Owl and Morepork. On Saturday night I found the Morepork on the road between Eaglehawk and the Pirate’s Bay boat ramp but no Masked. I also saw an Eastern Barred Bandicoot, my first ever, on the back road just north of the Lufra, which was really special because I had not seen one before. On Sunday night I tried around 7 Mile Beach and nearby Cremorne for the Masked Owl but again, no luck. Masked Owl is now my declared Boogy-bird!

My flight back to Melbourne was at 1630 on Monday so for old times sake, rather than bird watching, I drove to Triabunna, a place I had visited on holiday in the early 1970s. It has not changed much, still full of cray-fishing boats, and along the way I found a few nice birds, but everything was really shy. If I so much as slowed down the Forest Ravens took off and the Tasmanian Native Hens bolted. There was a misting rain and the temp was around 9ºC so this did not help either as the birds were not calling. I was amazed though at the carnage on the roads – I have never seen so many dead mammals, possums, wallabies, rabbits and small flat furry things killed on country roads. Rather sad really, but the ravens were all fat and smiling.

Silver Gull yawning at Triabunna

Tasmanian Native Hen trying to run away from me

Forest Ravens

Green Rosella

European Blackbird. Alongside Starlings these were the most common bird - they were everywhere

Northern Mallard. Tasmania is the only place in Australia where I have seen them almost pure to form

... and this guy that I found in a pine plantation is close to pure too - but definitely a  farm bird.

All images copyright to Jennifer Spry