Discover the autumn-winter season birds of the Geelong Region
The beginning of April sees many changes in the Geelong area. The last hot days (over 30 degrees C) have usually been left behind and the autumn rains allow the grasses to regenerate. The brown tones of summer change to the green flush of autumn.
The visiting migrant waders begin a last feeding frenzy before their long-distance flights to breeding habitat in the arctic tundra. They are usually all gone by the end of April.
But as some birds leave us, others move in to the area. The Double-banded Plover is a wader that breeds in New Zealand. A part of the population moves across the Tasman Sea in early autumn and spends the winter on the southern Australian coastal areas. When it arrives, this bird is in plain plumage, but by June it begins to take on the “double bands” – one black and the bottom chest band a chestnut colour.
Winter is the robin season. Geelong is fortunate to have many robin species present during winter. Flame Robins move down from the higher mountain areas into the local lowlands. Pink Robins and Rose Robins move out of the wetter mountain forests to the open coastal areas. The Scarlet Robin and Eastern Yellow Robin can be found all year round. Occasionally, Red-capped and Hooded Robins are found in the drier forests.
Some species move from Tasmania to over-winter on the mainland. The Orange-bellied Parrot flies across Bass Strait for the winter and congregates in the Geelong Region, but the world population is probably less than 200 birds. Swift Parrots also migrate to find flowering eucalypts. The Tasmanian form of the Silvereye also migrates to the mainland.
The end of the summer dry periods mean that the eucalypts have a chance to bloom and the flowering Yellow Gums and Ironbarks attract many lorikeet species – Rainbow, Musk, Purple-crowned and the less-common Little Lorikeet. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos and Gang-gangs move about in larger flocks. Blue-winged Parrots and Satin Bowerbirds move from the forests into the open country. The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters fly through the region in large flocks, often accompanied by White-naped Honeyeaters. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters increase in numbers and their calls can often be heard in the mornings of late autumn.
As the bush soaks up the moisture from the rains, the areas burst into life. Increased insect activity sees the insectivorous birds becoming more active. Autumn greenhood orchids flourish and the wetlands start to fill. Some duck species may fly north to breed, but most species remain over the winter.
By early July, some of the raptor species and birds such as Magpies, Masked and Banded Lapwings plus Currawongs, are already making preparation for nesting. Hooded Plovers congregate together in flocks of up to 20 birds, prior to dispersing along the coast to breed. Up to five albatross species move close to the coast during winter and the diligent observer can follow magnificent flight of these birds as they move effortlessly over the surface of the sea.
The autumn-winter is a great time for birdwatchers visiting Geelong. Let us show you our special winter birds on one of our tours.
