I haven’t been out and about much over the past few weeks, so I’m grateful to Voice readers who have sent me some of their observations.
I’ve seen two interesting birds recently, but didn’t have my camera on me.
I spotted a buff-banded rail near the small pond behind the Woolworths on Shell Road. The rail was walking on the grass, and when it saw me it scurried into some vegetation, and was so well camouflaged I didn’t see it again. These birds are so beautiful with the black and white stripey underparts, brown upper parts and the distinctive chestnut band across the breast area. The other interesting bird I saw was a willie wagtail in my bird bath, as this was the first of this common species I had seen in my garden.
I received a message from Leo, who spotted two pairs of hooded plovers at 13th Beach near the Bluff. This time of year, hooded plovers can still be seen around their established habitats, but when winter sets in they tend to flock, so it’s not uncommon to see around 10 to 15 hoodies on the beach during winter.
I received an email from Lyn, who has had for the past few weeks, the pleasure of some little corellas feeding in the red-berried tree on her Ocean Grove nature strip. Lyn told me that anything from four to 20 corellas have been visiting the tree in the afternoon.
I received an email from Alan who was fortunate to see and photograph a flame robin on April 8 at Point Richards. He spotted the robin as he was driving along the gravel road near the boat ramp. It was on the side of the road in the grass consuming a bug.
He also saw another flame robin on the Ocean Grove golf course, as he was teeing off on the fourth hole. Alan didn’t have his camera on him but plans to take it with him when he next has a round of golf. Alan said that the flame robin was the only birdie he achieved on the golf course on that day.
On the subject of flame robins, I received an email from Kathy from St Leonards. Kathy lives near the boat ramp, and she spotted a flame robin on a fence. This may have been the same bird that Alan saw.
I received a message from Robin Spry, who has a property near Lake Victoria. Robin told me that she spotted seven musk ducks near a raft of hoary-headed grebes and silver gulls on the lake. Robin’s bird list of species that she has seen on her property is now up to a whopping 109.
I received an email from Gerald who heard a clicking sound coming from a banksia tree on Bramwell St near Lorikeet Close, Ocean Grove. When he went closer to see what was making the sound he noticed a well camouflaged flock of about 30 yellow-tailed black cockatoos that were feeding in the banksia. After a few moments they flew to a nearby pine tree, carrying banksia cones. That’s a lovely number of black cockatoos, thanks so much Gerald. Alan informed me that he saw a flock of around 40 yellow-tailed black cockatoos at Barwon Heads, including one bird that had unusual plumage markings. This bird has a genetic mutation called leucism, where the feather colour is atypical.
Alan has also been photographing a pair of wedge-tailed eagles that have been hanging around a friend’s farm in Portarlington.
