Bellarine Peninsula

 

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I ventured onto the Bellarine Peninsula, east of Geelong, to look for Black-faced Cormorant. At Point Henry, a very odd, seemingly abandoned salt plant, I found young Pacific Gull. These birds have such a huge bill, it almost looks unnatural. 

Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus)

It was very quiet otherwise so I continued along the coast to Portarlington. The shorefront was very pleasant. In fact the whole area was lovely. I was surprised at how rural it was. I expected it to be very built up but the townships were small and surrounded by pastoral fields. Portarlington itself had a wide pier that led out to the sea wall which you could also walk on. There were cormorants in and around the sea wall but not the black-faced. However, as I drove down the esplanade I spotted some more and there it was. A single Black-faced Cormorant, surrounded by Pied Cormorants. Not the greatest shot but a lifer nonetheless.

Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens)

Next stop was Begola Wetlands, inland and south towards the coast. I had been there in 2019 and loved it. It is a small oasis in a sea of houses (mixing my metaphors, I know). A perfect illustration of this was a kestrel sitting on a TV arial on the edge of the reserve.

Australian Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)

As I turned away from the houses and towards the lake I saw a flurry of activity and associated squeaks. I hovered around until I found the Brown Thornbill. They are such lovely little birds.

Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

By far the noisest birds here were the wattlebirds. 2 species and they zoomed around, arguing and chasing each other. Technically, they are honeyeaters but they really are in a class of their own.

Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)

Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera)

Back to West Geelong, where I am house sitting (a welcome relief after 9 months in the van) and in the garden the lorikeet were making a noisy visit. Cannot resist these incredible birds.

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)

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Serendip Sanctuary

 

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What an odd place. I knew it would be good for birding as the name sanctuary implies. I knew it was open to the public and Google Maps showed it as a park area. But it was a cross between a wilderness area and commercial wildlife park. There was extensive fencing and enclosure areas - mostly with nothing in them and then areas of woodland and lake paths. The forest looked like dry eucalypt and the combination of dry and lots of water around made it a haven for birds. There were only a couple of avaries and pens with marsupials in them so we started with the walk around the lake.

But before we even entered the park, I had found lorikeets feeding in the car park. Always looking to get good shots of the Musk and better shots of the Purple-crowned Lorikeets, I waiting patiently for them to come closer. For once, they did.

Purple-crowned Lorikeet (Parvipsitta porphyrocephala)

I met up with friends Graeme and Ann that I had met in Karumba and we headed into the park. There was lots of activity initially but not much opportunity for good photography. We saw dark wallabies, emu and heaps of birds in the trees. In the water were ducks, cormorants and grebes. 

We spent a bit of time in a hide on the far side of the lake and were serendaded by a bronzewing. The typical coo-ing of the pigeon was loud and echoed around the trees. It took us some time to locate the owner.

Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)

It wasn't until we were on our return on the lake path that Graeme found a pardalote just sitting on a branch right in front of us. It was unconcerned as we watched it and tried to improve our position for taking photographies. There were more of them above us and we thought there must be a nest close by. The male and female sat in the same place for breif moments as they moved around the tree.

Spotted Pardalote (Paralotus punctatus)

Parts of the park were given over to a walk through the pens and avaries. I liked the part where there were lookouts over a couple of large ponds. We were guided through them in tunnel like walkways with high fences on either side. It was a shame to not be able to see more of the area. One of the ponds was full of activity with wagtail and spoonbill nesting and swallows zooming around catching bugs. Fairywren bounced around the reeds and grasses. In the middle was a snoozing teal, which I just liked the look of.

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)

We had heard grassbird several times on our walk but hadn't been able to find the owner but here, the call was loud and clear. I used playback to call the bird and it popped up to see us. And then down again. We sat for a while watching it until it finally peeked into the sunshine.

Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus)

We saw 50 species of bird in our 3 hour walk. A fabulous but slightly weird place.

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Werribee Treatment Plant

 

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Werribee Treatment Plant is not only a sewage farm but one of the best birding sites in Australia. And for a sewage farm, it is quite beautiful. Access is restricted with vehicles allowed on tracks surrounding the various ponds and secured by locked gates. Local bird watchers can apply for a key and if you are lucky, you might know one. So, this sunny morning I met up with Donna and we travelled around the area and typically for bird watching, we didn't see what we expected but we did have a great morning birding.

Right next to the car park, I found Striated Fieldwren as soon as I arrived. These are lovely little birds with fabulous streaks on the breast. When you are lucky enough to find them, they might just sit up and sing for you.

Striated Fieldwren (Calamanthus fuliginosus)

This is only the second time I have seen these fieldwren (the first being in exactly the same place, 3 years ago). I knew that whatever else, it was already a good day. This is the best thing about birding - you never know where it will take you. Who else goes to a sewage farm to find stunning scenery and rare animals?

Our next stop was a bigger pond to the west of the area where we hoped we would find some waders. Just ducks. Nice ducks - Australian Shelducks, but just ducks and swans. As we drove around, we saw a pair of young Brolga flying past. Then, a pair of them in the grass next to the water. We stopped and watched them all. It was like a David Attenborough documentary when a pair started displaying. Honking and crying, it was magnificent. Such a special experience. 

Brolga (Antigone rubicunda)

Now, we headed towards the eastern side of the plant. We were quite pleased to be in the car when a snake crossed the track in front of us. I think it is a Tiger Snake. We don't think about how venomous it might be.

Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus)

We did manage to get out of the car safely and walked for a while looking a more ducks and swans. As we returned to the car, we found a young falcon was sitting next to it. We tracked it for a few minutes, getting a few shots before it took off across the ponds.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora)

And that was nearly it for the day. We checked the shoreline but still no terns or waders. Some days are just like that. At the car park, a cisticola sang for me as I left. Thanks Donna!

Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis)

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Geelong Foreshore

 

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I was aiming to go to the Botanical Gardens this morning but to my surprise, they weren't open at 6.30am! As the gardens are adjacent to the foreshore, I turned and headed there. It was beautifully sunny and warm. I was immediately greeted by a pair of gannets. I have only seen them once on this trip, far out to sea so it was wonderful to see them so close. I walked along towards the boat ramp. It was pretty close to perfect.

Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator)

I was interrupted from my serious gannet watching by a loud raven, sitting in the bushes. I have been looking to get a decent photo of a Little Raven and here it was. Can't ask for more than that.

Little Raven (Corvus mellori)

Cormorants were also coming and going, flying low to the water rather than high up like the gannets. I am looking for the Black-faced Cormorant so I snapped away. No luck today but I did rather like this photo of the Little Pied Cormorant.

Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)

I walked back to the Botanic Gardens and heard some high pitched chirrping and found thornbill arguing and chasing each other around. Seriously cute!

Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)

I made it to the gardens and it was stunning. But no birds! You just never know in birding.

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Anglesea

 

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I first visited this area in 2019 and I was fortunate to meet the incredible artist and ornithologist Richard Weatherly He gave me some great advice on where to go birding in South Victoria. One spot was near the seaside town of Anglesea. He gave me precise directions down to the correct lamppost. I was dubious but verntured forth and was amazed that the spot was indeed bursting with birds. It was a small patch of bush next to an unsealed road. I loved it there. I watched a Fan-tailed Cuckoo preening was first.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)

Next were a couple of Gang-gang Cockatoo. Rare and very unusual, this is the only time I have ever been able to photograph them.

Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum)

This year, it was great to return to the same spot and find the same array of birds. However, the sun wasn't kind and I got no photos in the gloom. So I moved on to Coogoorah Park in Anglesea itself. The sun was shining by now and it was a lovely walk through the waterways and the bush. I was trying to tell the difference between the Rufous and Golden Whistler calls when the answer alighted right in front of me. 

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis)

As the whistler disappeared a White-eared Honeyeater flew in and sat in the sunlight right in front of me. At last!

White-eared Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis leucotis)

Over one of the bridges I heard the Little Grassbird. It has a haunting call which I always think belongs in the rainforest rather than open country. I spent the next 20 minutes dashing back and forth across the bridge chasing a pair of them as they darted around underneath it. I must have looked a bit mad! Worth it though, I finally got the shots.

Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus)

The Superb Fairywren were dashing around everywhere as usual. I just couldn't resist (again!).

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

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Balyang Sanctuary

 

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I have made my way into Victoria and it is cold, windy and a little wet. I am house sitting in Geelong, south west of Melbourne for the next 3 weeks. It will be a change after over 9 months living in the van. I am looking forward to a decent washing machine and giving the van a good clean.

Anyway, I digress. I have chosen Geelong as I visited the area in 2019 and it has some fantastic birding spots. My first day and I am at a rather chilly Balyang Sanctuary in the city's south. The car park is adjacent to the water and I could immediately see lots of ducks and cormorants. There are 2 small islands with bridges in-between and it is a lovely walk. 

Flying all around were Little Pied Cormorants. There were juveniles and adults in the tree in the middle of the pond and on the side. While they all took off as I approached, they soon returned. These cormorants are easy to distinguish from their bigger cousins as they are the only Australasian cormorants (shags in New Zealand) with a small, yellow stubby bill. The young ones have black and yellow bills.

Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanloleucos)

There was as much activity in the trees as the water with cockatoo and lorikeets making their customary din. As I crossed one of the bridges I found a juvenile cockatoo sitting in a hollow. Looking much like an adult but it had a very small crest and it allowed me to approach really closely. When I returned later, it had been joined by another and later another. You wouldn't really describe these birds as being cute but these 3 were absolutely so. 

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

In a tree close to the cockatoo were a pair of Rainbow Lorikeet. They squawked loudly as I approached and I could see a hollow at head height that they were obviously protecting. 

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)

Time for a warm cup of tea!

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Cockatoo Lake

 

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The first thing you notice when you arrive in the small park/campsite at Cockatoo Lake is the sound of the frogs. And the cockatoo. It is deliciously loud. The water was very high and the whole site jumping. It was really lovely, especially with the huge, twisted gum trees.  

At the camping end of the lake were a couple of trees full of Long-billed Corella. My first sighting in my 2022 trip. They are bigger than their Little cousins (makes sense) and have a huge bill.

Long-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris)

I could only walk so far around the lake because of the high water but the track was lined with thick scrub resembling a hedge interspersed with gum trees. There was so much activity but I was really looking again for some parrots. I spotted Musk Lorikeets but still couldn't get close enough. The Red-rumped Parrots were around again and I guess it wasn't much hardship to photograph them instead.

Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)

On the way back along the track I saw something running in front of me and bounce onto a tree trunk. A Brown Treecreeper. It worked its way up the tree very slowly which meant I could get great views of it. It is deceptively attractive.

Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus)

I settled on a spot where there was a gap in the 'hedge' and I could see onto the water. I moved the van so I could sit in my side door and just look out. It didn't take long before the fairywren and scrubwren were bouncing around in front of me. Just lovely to have these little birds coming right up to my feet.

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

Spotted Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)

Above me a Crimson Rosella flew in. Unlike some other parrots, rosella are usually very shy and will fly away as you try to get near them. I suppose as I was staying still, this one didn't mind too much.

Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

This gap was also home to a family of Willy Wagtail. This is a juvenile and I love how it has golden eyebrows.

Willy Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)

In the evening I saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo fly over. They were wailing away and didn't come close, much to my disappointment.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Zanda funerea)

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