march 2017 w erribeewag-tales -...
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MARCH 2017
Werribee Wag-tales Page �1
Wagtails tour “The Plant”
Photo: Dieter Bosnjakovic
American Golden Plover
A gate-slamming wind greeted the Wagtails at the Paradise Road entrance to one of our favourite birding places. We met with great expectations, but our excitement was imbued with a touch of anxiety; windy days often cause birds to lie low. In the end it did not affect our enjoyment of many wonderful sights. Even as we waited at the gate, a straggly bush revealed a group of hardy Zebra Finch facing into the wind, a Brown Falcon ‘put the wind up’ some Galah and Red-rumped Parrot, a flight of Goldfinch bounced along on the gusts, and White-plumed Honeyeater inevitably made themselves heard above the ventosity.
On our drive along Paradise Road to the first ponds we had our first ‘mass sighting’. Although we were eventually to see a goodly number of species, it was often the sheer number of some species, which were gathered together here and there, that amazed us. In a paddock to our left hundreds upon hundreds of Tree Martin rode the wind scooping up insects from ground or air. On the other side of the road our first three Willy Wagtail attempted to get in on the action. Even the normally wind-shy Golden-headed Cisticola could be seen surfing the undulating waves of long, soft grass, a vibrant burst of ginger-orange against the deep green. Further on, the first pond on the left produced a mass of hundreds of huddling Australian Shelduck. There were other species here, like Maned Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Australasian Swamphen, White-headed Stilt, White Ibis, and Masked Lapwing, but the huge number of shelduck here—and elsewhere over the day—was a major feature.
In the duck-favoured traditional ponds along this road, we noted Musk Duck, Blue-billed Duck and Eurasian Coot, but again a mass species’ presence drew our attention. Hundreds of Hoary-headed Grebe were diving and bobbing along here, and, like the shelduck, new armies of them were found in similar ponds elsewhere in the plant.
W e r r i b e eWa g -Ta l e s
MARCH 2017
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At Lake Borrie we saw a vast array of the usual water-birds: mostly duck, grebe, coot and swamphen, with a variety of cormorants in the dead trees, and large white feathery balls of Australian Pelican sleeping on top of nest boxes. Only missing were the much-desired, occasional residents of this location, the elusive Eastern Osprey and the White-bellied Sea-eagle. It was not a bad day for raptors at all; by this time we had also spotted Whistling and Black Kite, Swamp Harrier and Black-shouldered Kite. We soon doubled back along the beachside road towards morning tea. By the time we got there, we had added to our list, a large gaggle of Cape Barren Goose and White-winged Tern, as well as one of the rarer ducks, the Freckled Duck, observed as usual, hiding its distinctive head under its sheltering wing.
Again the familiar large grassy space at the edge of the bay provided us with a pleasant place to eat, drink, converse and observe. We circled our cars for a windbreak and settled in to enjoy the luscious Apple Walnut Cake from “Cathy’s Kitchen”, carefully chauffeured to us by husband Mark. The sun shone, the air was mild, and even the wind seemed to be softening, though the waters of the bay had not noticed this. The roiling waves were a scaled-down imitation of a surf beach. But there were some interesting birds out there – Australasian Gannet, Crested Tern and Common Tern, among others. Along the shore on some bushy, presently tide-swept sandbars, we discovered Spotted Crake and Buff-banded Rail. These kept us entranced for ages, as they darted in and out of the foliage to feed and sometimes to fight (a Willie Wagtail started one altercation), and all had good views of these skittish fowl. Some of our number, on a crake-rail high, even tried to turn a foraging female White-fronted Chat on a nearby sandbar into a Black-fronted Dotterel.
We headed next to the Western Lagoons, where our first sighting, near the gate, was of a group of vivid white Royal Spoonbill sheltering from the wind. As we drove along the beach road, it was pleasing to see the transformation of some of the old rectangular deep-water ponds and the lifeless dried-up ones, into an inviting natural landscape. Corners had been rounded out, earth had been shifted to form mounds and banks, and depressions left to attract pools of water. Passing time had allowed vegetation to flourish; the presence of a variety of birds attested to this successful improvement.
The first of the ‘new ponds’ was lush with reeds, grass and shrubs, but when you looked carefully there were many White, and some Straw-necked, Ibis and a couple of White-faced Heron popping up and down. The ‘pond’ after this was entirely different; its shallow pools and bare muddy stretches, punctuated by dead sticks, branches and stumps, fairly resembled the kind of mud-flat of which waders approve. And they were here in substantial numbers. The stars of the pond were the Red-kneed Dotterel—most of us had never seen so many at once, or at such close quarters that you could clearly see their striking markings. Among others observed in this pond, were Sharp-tailed and Curlew Sandpiper, Red-capped Plover and Common Greenshank.
It was time for lunch now, and on exiting the lagoons we had one more birding surprise. A pair of elegant White-necked Heron slipped down onto the top of an old concrete structure, as gracefully as ballerinas to their stage from a gravity-defying jeté.
We lunched in the sunshine at Kirk Point, and now the strong gusts had retired to become a fresh salty breeze. We examined the rocks on the Point first, and the main inhabitants here seemed to be Crested Tern and some smaller ones, like Common Tern, though a Pied Oystercatcher appeared and a Pacific Gull flew by. One, who watched longer than those who settled to eat, saw a group of about twenty Pacific Golden Plover materialise from between the rocks. Excitement prevailed as we rose to catch the satisfying sight of birds we rarely observe.
MARCH 2017
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Cape Barren GooseBlack SwanFreckled DuckAustralian ShelduckPink-eared DuckManed DuckPacific Black DuckGrey TealChestnut TealHardheadBlue-billed DuckMusk DuckHoary-headed GrebeAustralian White IbisStraw-necked IbisRoyal SpoonbillYellow-billed SpoonbillPacific HeronWhite-faced HeronAustralian PelicanLittle Pied CormorantLittle Black CormorantPied CormorantAustralian KiteSwamp HarrierBlack KiteWhistling KiteBuff-banded Rail
Australian CrakeAustralasian SwamphenEurasian CootPied OystercatcherWhite-headed StiltMasked LapwingRed-kneed DotterelPacific Golden PloverDouble-banded PloverMarsh Sandpiper
Common GreenshankRed-necked StintSharp-tailed SandpiperCurlew SandpiperSilver GullPacific GullGreat Crested TernLittle TernFairy TernCommon TernWhite-winged TernCrested Pigeon
Australian HobbyBrown FalconSuperb FairywrenWhite-fronted ChatWhite-plumed HoneyeaterYellow-rumped ThornbillAustralian MagpieWillie WagtailMagpie-larkLittle RavenWelcome SwallowFairy MartinTree MartinGolden-headed CisticolaEuropean StarlingHouse SparrowZebra FinchAustralian PipitEuropean GoldfinchGrey FantailEuropean SkylarkWhite-browed ScrubwrenAustralasian GannetGreat CormorantRed-capped PloverRed-necked StintRed-rumped ParrotGalah
WTP March: Bird List
Bird Count: 77 Species
Winner:
Iian Denham
Our final stop for the day was along the beachside road back in the Plant. The tide was now low enough to expose mud-flats, the wind had also settled into benign, and many waders were out feeding. When clouds of Red-necked Stint, followed by other birds, rose into the air, many eyes turned skywards to witness, if they were quick enough, the small speeding projectile of a distinctly marked Australian Hobby—one scary bird if you are the size of a stint.
When all observations were made, we contributed to the bird-count for the day. At 77 species this tally was really pleasing, especially as the wind had threatened to make life difficult for all species at the Plant that day. Fittingly our leader for the day, Iian Denham, won the prize, and our thanks go to him for his organisation of us, and his great skill at identifying birds and his knowledge of the apt places to find them. We were thankful, as ever, to cake-maker Cathy and to Mark the carrier, and to all those who were the drivers for the day.
We drove back to the Paradise Road carpark with the satisfaction of a day well-spent. We were lucky to be able to visit such a special place, in the company of others who had a similar appreciation of it. And on behalf of the birds who make this place their home — long live the haven of the Western Treatment Plant.
Christine Shelley
MARCH 2017
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Photos: Helen Rowley
WTP March: Photos
Photos:Dieter Bosnjakovic
Red-necked Stint
Pied Oystercatcher
Pink-eared Duck
MARCH 2017
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Over the past few weeks, a trio of young Nankeen Night Heron have been domicile at the Ornamental Pond at Werribee Mansion.
Dorothy and I have taken several occasions to visit with them and enjoy the chance to see these young birds close up. We’ve also observed at least one adult visiting the area so perhaps they were hatched near the pond.
Words and photos courtesy of birdsaspoetry.com
Nankeen Night Heron at Werribee Mansion
MARCH 2017
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Featured bird
Australian HobbyWe had several sightings of this bird on the March Western Treatment Plant Trip.
Email [email protected]
Website: birdlife.org.au/locations/birdlife-werribee
PresidentDave TorrE:✉ [email protected]
Secretary/Membership Helen RowleyE:✉ [email protected]
Treasurer Iian DenhamE:✉ [email protected]
Bird Surveys Geraldine KellyE:✉ [email protected]
Events Coordinator Sue Boekel E:✉ [email protected]
Newsletter David JenkinsE:✉ [email protected]
BIRDLIFE WERRIBEE CONTACTS
Photo: David Jenkins
Next Outing April 4
Serendip Lara8:30am meet at Watton Street, Werribee