Birding trip report
Geelong Area
Thursday 10th July 2008
The best days for birding are sunny and calm. This day was the opposite, with strong winds and intermittent rain, but we still managed to see a good variety of species. Terry was visiting from the USA and was keen to see some of the local birds. After a quick tour of central Geelong with a stop to see roosting Nankeen Night-Herons, we departed for the You Yangs which often have less rainfall than the coastal areas. Although the birds were hard to find at first, Terry managed to spot a pair of Scarlet Robins near the track. She also noted a family of Flame Robins later on. The males of these two delightful birds have dazzling plumage. The Scarlet has a bright red chest, white underparts and a black back. The Flame has a vibrant orange-red chest, underparts and throat, with a grey back.
 |
 |
Scarlet Robin |
Flame Robin |
Other highlights from this area were the Jacky Winter and a pair of Restless Flycatchers. The Flycatchers put on a lovely display, making their strange “scissors grinder” call and chasing insects with their glossy plumage flashing in the brief sunlight. Little Pied Cormorants, Chestnut Teal and a pair of Black-fronted Dotterel were spotted on a large farm dam. The scenery along the coast south of Geelong is very impressive, even in wet weather. We caught a glimpse of a Rufous Bristlebird and some of the bush birds before leaving to check other coastal areas and wetlands along the Bellarine Peninsula. We saw spoonbills, egrets and several species of duck as well as great views of a Swamp Harrier as it cruised over the wetlands.
The windy weather has one benefit – the viewing of pelagic species. As we sat and had a cuppa at Point Lonsdale, we obtained excellent views of Black-browed and Shy Albatross as they moved through the Rip area. The huge tidal surge through this narrow opening to Port Phillip Bay makes it one of the most treacherous waters in the world, but the albatross relish the wind as they cruise effortlessly on the surging waves. We didn’t see any of the thousands of prions that had been at this spot a week earlier.
Thanks to Terry, for being good company during the day and teaching me about some of the interesting birds and habitat in the desert areas of the USA in Arizona.
Geelong area birds seen on this trip:
Black Swan
Australian Shelduck
Australian Wood Duck
Grey Teal
Chestnut Teal
Hoary-headed Grebe
Black-browed Albatross
Shy Albatross
Australasian Gannet
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Australasian Pelican
White-faced Heron
Little Egret
Great Egret
Nankeen Night Heron
Australian White Ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
Royal Spoonbill
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Whistling Kite
Swamp Harrier
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Brown Falcon
Purple Swamphen
Dusky Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Black-fronted Dotterel
Banded Lapwing
Masked Lapwing
Pacific Gull
Silver Gull
Crested Tern Corio Bay
Tern
Spotted Turtle-Dove
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Galah
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Eastern Rosella
Superb Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Rufous Bristlebird
Brown Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Red Wattlebird
Noisy Miner
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Singing Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
White-fronted Chat
Jacky Winter
Scarlet Robin
Flame Robin
Grey Shrike-thrush
Restless Flycatcher
Magpie-lark
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Australian Magpie
Grey Currawong
Little Raven
House Sparrow
Welcome Swallow
Silvereye
Common Blackbird
Common Starling
Back to Birding trip reports index
