Shouldered Brown Butterfly Yankee Gully Brisbane Ranges NP
13/2/16 150km
Up at 7.00 shower, brekky, packed the car and off by 8.00, picked up the portable solar panels from Colin who had rewired them for me. Went to Hoppers Crossing and did the William’s Landing wetland site, the wetland was looking good but there wasn’t much on it. Skeleton Ck looked good too, and I got Black-fronted Dotterel and Black-winged Stilts on the muddy banks. Over to Cobbledick’s Ford which apart from all the rubbish left by the hoons that frequent the park was also in good nick and got 20 species (sp) with both Tree and Fairy Martins. Used Aeroplane track to get to Sapling Gully picnic area in the Brisbane ranges. There was water in the fire dam but the creek was dry, got 8sp with Eastern Spinebill. Up the hill to the Pea track crossing of Aeroplane tk for only 4sp with Flame Robin, some of the area is closed because of the Cinnamon Fungus, which is quite restricting. Went down McLean’s Hwy to Little River Picnic area which was looking very dry in the heat and only got 2sp. Along Marshall’s Lane and Stony Creek Rd to Durdidwarrah dams where I clambered on top of the camper to count the lake and got 18sp. Then back up the rd to Durdidwarrah dam for 13sp with White-necked Heron. At 14.20 I stopped at Yankee Gully and sat in the shade in the 36 degree heat and drank nice cold water and had an icypole. A Sparrowhawk sat for ½hr on one spot another ½hr on another branch and then flew off, no reward for all that patience. Got 15sp by dark with an early calling Owlet Nightjar. A nice cool breeze came up the gully at 16.00
Shouldered Brown Butterfly Yankee Gully Brisbane Ranges NP
Collared Sparrowhawk Anakie Gorge Brisbane Ranges NP
14/2 111km
Up 7.00, brekky and had a look around, but still very quiet here. Had a look at the Upper Anakie rd site in edge habitat, but didn’t find much, Down to Anakie Gorge and got a female Collared Sparrowhawk to go with the male last night. Drove to Geelong and did the Rippleside Park site, then got diesel at the APCO servo in south Geelong at 89.9cpL wow! Filled all the jerrycans up to the brim and out to Swan Bay saltmarsh on the Bellarine Peninsula. The salt marsh was mostly dry so no crakes but got 19sp. Lonsdale Lakes were low with two clay pans dry, they had 20sp with some Red-necked Stints. Barwon River had 400 Red-necked Stints and a Greenshank, all on the sandbar. Barwon Heads jetty was full of people and Silver Gulls. Thomson Creek Point Impossible had 12sp with 2 Greenshanks and 4 Banded Stilts. Spring Creek Bellbrae had 12 town species with the first Pied Currawong. Woodlands Track Gum Flat had 15sp and a small pool in the road culvert was offering the honeyeaters water. Met up with Phil and we found a very vocal Collared Sparrowhawk, eventually we found that it was a female and was possibly irritated by a male that we found too. Went back to his place and got 28sp on Portreath Rd by dark.
Hooded Plover Aireys Inlet
15/2 160km
Up at 7.00 and off by 7.30. On my quick stroll I found an Eastern Rosella with a damaged wing so I took it in to Phil to give to a wildlife care centre. Down to Point Roadknight for 11sp with a Hooded Plover pair that had a well developed chick, then took Mt Ingoldsbury track, No 2 track and Distillery Creek Track to Whites Track site for 9sp with 4 Gang Gang Cockatoos. Down to Aireys Inlet where there were 13sp with 2 adult Hooded Plovers on the beach, no chick this time. Along what I think is the best drive in Australia; the Great Ocean Road to Loutit Bay for only 5sp with another Collared Sparrowhawk, further along the Great Ocean Road to St. George’s River at Allenvale for 14sp with the first Forest Raven and a Rufous Bristlebird. Back to Lorne and up the Winchelsea road to Mt Sabine track, which is a real pleasure to drive. Along it to Dunse track for 9sp with Crescent Honeyeater, Rufous Fantail, Southern Emu-wren and Needletail Swift. Further along the ridge to Cowley track which was a mess as Parks and Wildlife were widening the road as a fire break, only got 6sp, though I thought I heard Southern Emu-wren again, but wasn’t certain enough to include it in the count. Did get another Rufous Fantail and more Crescent Honeyeaters. I’d intended to go down the Wye River Rd to do two sites along the coast, but due to a recent bushfire the road was closed, got another Rufous Fantail at the corner here. Along the ridge were numerous sightings of Swamp Wallabies. Had lunch at Lake Elizabeth. No platypuses but got 18sp with Satin Bowerbird. Through Forrest and along easy forest roads to Kawarren and my site at Nightingale Rd for 10sp with a pair of Sitellas, then down to Gellibrand and out to Carlisle SF heathland to camp at 15.40 on the side of the old track. By dark I had only 13sp in the heathlands with Blue-winged Parrot, Needle-tail Swift and Dusky Woodswallow, and some reluctant Southern Emu-wrens that just wouldn’t show themselves. At 19.30 a few blustery squalls came through, to cool a cool day even more.
Hooded Plovers Aireys Inlet
Rock ledge Loutit Bay Great Ocean Road
Lake Elizabeth Otways
16/2 274km
Had dueling Boobook Owls overnight and ended with 21sp after my morning stroll, found three pairs of Southern Emu-wrens, one pair in the gully and one on the flats on either side of the gully, all beside the track. My spot at the Carlisle SP T junction with Old Carlisle track had 17sp with Gang Gang Cockatoo and Rufous Bristlebird. Carlisle rd Hargrave’s Rd site had 14sp with Olive Whistler and 50 Needle-tailed Swifts. Through the beautiful tall forests to Lavers Hill and down to Melba Gully which was still very cold and dark at 9.00, got 15sp on the walking track loop with Golden Whistler and 4 Bassian Thrushes. What used to be the Big Tree had fallen down in a storm in 2009 and is now just an up rooted stump and an enormous log. There is a sign up as a requiem to its past greatness. The wetland at Princetown yielded a Magpie Goose, 107 Purple Swamphens and some Little Grassbirds which were calling. Sturgess Point, Port Campbell only had 7sp. Up in the hills the Enerflex site had 10sp. The Irvine Rd Peterborough site had 106 Silver Gulls, 88 Crested Terns roosting on the short stacks and 3 Magpies on the golf course and nothing else. Joanna St Peterborough had 11sp with a Striated Field-wren and a pearly white Grey Goshawk. Bay of Islands is the last stop on the Great Ocean road but only had 3sp in a fantastic panorama of high winds and crashing surf against the tall stacks. Curdie Vale in contrast was calm with 9sp around the placid river. There was no water in the part of the lake I survey at Tower Hill reserve, though there was some further out. A little trough set up with permanent water by the side of the track was attracting a lot of wrens, thornbills, Silvereyes and Red-browed Finches, and an Emu was wandering around the dry lake bed. The lake in farmland at Yambuk was dry so only had Whistling Kite, Nankeen Kestrel and the ever-present Magpie in the open fields. The beach at Lake Yambuk and beach was wild and windy with no birds on it, but 14sp were on and around the calm river. Arrived at Sawpit camp Mt Clay SF at 17.35 and it was full of campers. The trees are regenerating well after the fire that was through last time I were here. Had 12sp by dark, despite the noisy campers.
Melba Gully Otways
Bay of Islands Great Ocean Road
Red-browed Finch at the trough, Tower Hill
17/2
A bit late getting out of the blocks this morning, but I was still the first up in the camp at 7.00, by the time I left at 7.50 a few were up. Added Gang Gang Cockatoo, Flame Robin, Red Wattlebird and Spotted Pardalote. In to Portland and to Fawthrop Lagoon for 32sp with 16 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and a Black-shouldered Kite. The Danger Point Gannet colony had 250 Gannets on it, but thousands more on the off shore island, also got a Rufous Bristlebird. Up on Mt Richmond summit after my approach up the west side track, had short looks down some of the tracks but it was very quiet, despite the nice looking habitat. Exited on the north side bitumen road and at Mt Richmond NP Bridgewater track at the base of the hill got 14sp, there were 3 Rufous Bristlebirds on the farm side of the road that scampered across as I arrived. Swan Lake campground was very quiet during my lunch. The walk down to Swan Lake beach across the sand dunes yielded 150 Sanderlings. When I got there a lone Red-necked Stint and Silver Gull were trying to blend in with the crowd, the gull somewhat less successfully. Monibeong lake site only had 5 wetland species and 7 bush species. The Glenelg Estuary had sand banks exposed in the middle of the river with a lot of birds roosting and feeding on them with Pied Oyster Catcher, Greenshank and Red-necked Stint. Then went up to Dartmoor and back down to the north side of the river and along a track that looks like it’s usually closed, but the gate was open so I drove down to where my spot is on the Glenelg river Discovery Bay NP and got there at 16.50. Found 24sp by dark. All day I was dodging light showers under grey skies.
Point Danger Gannet colony
18/2 368km
In the morning the drizzle patches continued, added Rose Robin and Bassian Thrush to end with 25sp. Thankfully the gate was still open and I headed for Mt. Eccles NP and Surprise Lake which being the crater of an extinct volcano shouldn’t really have been a surprise for anyone, got 19sp, with it being a national park the woodland around the crater is in excellent condition. On to Spring Creek Rd Woolthorpe for 10sp in the plantation and hedgerows. Ralph Illidge reserve is looking a bit run down, but the woodland is still first class and I got 13sp. The old volcano crater at Davies Rd Glenfyne had no surface water though the pan looked lush. The only birds though were in the plantation on the access R.O.W. which was overgrown with weeds. Lake Elingamite had water with the edges very soggy so I didn’t go out to the edge of the water, but counted some of it. The plantation at the edge had lots of birds, all up 28sp. The only problem with this free campsite is that the toilets are in awful condition. Lake Bullenmerri had a lot of water as usual, but my site on the north side was quiet amid the young forest with the stumps of fallen masters, one can only imagine what this site would have looked like before they were all chopped down. By now the sun had actually made an appearance and it was 25 degrees, the warmest it’s been all trip. Bookaar Lake reserve was dry and almost lifeless, as was Colongulac Lake. Ware St Camperdown had 8sp. The site of the day was Purrumbete Lake caravan park, it was drier than usual but the backwater had 500 Straw-necked Ibis, 300 White Ibis, 200 Coot and 200 Australian Shelduck, all up 25sp. Floating Islands was dry as usual with only 6sp in the late afternoon. The Bird Reserve at Lake Colac had 14sp, the main lake’s water’s edge was too far out to count, but the small pond had plenty of water in it. Picked up some milk and bread at the Aldi supermarket in Colac, and went to Lake Colac Meredith Park on the north shore of the lake, where the guy on one side had his radio going and the guy on the other started up his generator not long after I arrived at 18.00. Cooked dinner and went for a walk and got 16sp by dark. It’s been quite calm most of the day, but at the campsite there’s a steady southerly blowing across the lake. There are some carcasses of huge carp strewn along the shore, and the breeze wafts the stench in to camp, lovely.
Purrumbeet lake at the caravan park
19/2 158km
Had a Barn Owl calling just on dark last night, only added Grey Butcherbird in the morning to end with 18sp for the site. Lake Beeac had a muddy sheen on it from the rain but no real water so only got 9 town species. Price’s Lane had some flowering gums and had 25 Purple-crowned Lorrikeets, 12sp all up. By the side of the main road the hidden Birregurra Ck dam was dry and had 8sp. On the busy little Boundary Hill Rd Yeodene there were 7sp, I spent ages struggling with my camera trying to get it to take pictures of Star Spiders on the dewy fence, I hate auto-focus! At Barholme Lane south Whoorel, the lakelet had some water in it but most of the birds were at the far end, too far away to count, so got 9sp , 6sp in the plantation and fields. At Peter’s Hill firetower the clouds came down, and a sprinkle of light rain ensued and made it feel like winter, the birds were quiet with only 4sp braving the elements. Wurdiboluc lake Geof Vines reserve was better with 17sp, the dam was low and shallow, but had Great-crested Grebe and the usual massed Coots. In the reserve Musk Lorikeets were zooming about, and my original estimate of 10 Red Wattlebirds was proved inadequate when 40 streamed by. Lake Gherang was dry having 10sp with Restless Flycatcher. My site by the old bridge at Winchelsea had 12sp with 18 New Holland Honeyeaters. I got to Lake Modewarre at 13.15 and decided to call it a day as it hadn’t fined up and there’s a bitter wind from the south which made the 16 degrees feel a lot colder, and the drizzly showers hadn’t let up all day. The lake was dry so only got 15sp in the woodland around the edge of the lake.
Star Spiders Boundary Hill Rd Yeodine
Old Hwy bridge Winchelsea
20/2 176km
The day dawned calm but still cloudy, added a few species to have a list of 20sp. Over to Giddings Rd Paraparap which is a reserve along the road, one of the paddocks next to the road has been let over to bush, creating a nice woodland with 13sp found. In to Geelong to my site in the industrial estate at Grove Rd Grovedale for 13sp. Jerringot wetland just up the road had 21sp with 6 Latham’s Snipe. The main pond had water, the smaller one was dry. To Foreshore Rd North Shore which has an old pier that’s fenced off, so has a good population of birds roosting on it, 19sp. Up to the You Yangs main entrance for 18sp with Weebill. Then to a plantation row of big trees on Edgar’s Rd Quandong for 12sp and then home.
Masked Lapwing Grovedale
Bird list for the trip. % is of the 81 surveys done. B is for breeding.
- Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae 1 (1.23%)
- Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata 1 (1.23%)
- Black Swan Cygnus atratus 11 (13.58%)
- Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides 5 (6.17%)
- Hardhead Aythya australis 1 (1.23%)
- Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 10 (12.35%)
- Grey Teal Anas gracilis 6 (7.41%)
- Chestnut Teal Anas castanea 8 (9.88%)
- Musk Duck Biziura lobata 5 (6.17%)
- Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata 3 (3.70%)
- Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophora 1 (1.23%)
- Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 3 (3.70%)
- Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus 2 (2.47%)
- Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 2 (2.47%)
- Rock Dove Columba livia 4 (4.94%)
- Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 4 (4.94%)
- Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 4 (4.94%)
- Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans 2 (2.47%)
- Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes 7 (8.64%)
- Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis 1 (1.23%)
- Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus 2 (2.47%)
- White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus 4 (4.94%)
- Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 7 (8.64%)
- Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 4 (4.94%)
- Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 10 (12.35%)
- Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris 1 (1.23%)
- Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus 1 (1.23%)
- Black-winged Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus 6 (7.41%)
- Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 3 (3.70%)
- Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus 2 (2.47%)
- Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops 2 (2.47%)
- Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 11 (13.58%)
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata 1 (1.23%)
- Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis 4 (4.94%)
- Sanderling Calidris alba 1 (1.23%)
- Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii 1 (1.23%)
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 2 (2.47%)
- Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae 16 (19.75%)
- Pacific Gull Larus pacificus 5 (6.17%)
- Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 1 (1.23%)
- Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 9 (11.11%)
- Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus 6 (7.41%)
- White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica 2 (2.47%)
- Great Egret Ardea alba 7 (8.64%)
- White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 10 (12.35%)
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1 (1.23%)
- Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus 13 (16.05%)
- Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 4 (4.94%)
- Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 3 (3.70%)
- Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 2 (2.47%)
- Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos 7 (8.64%)
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2 (2.47%)
- Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 7 (8.64%)
- Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius 1 (1.23%)
- Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae 1 (1.23%)
- Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris 4 (4.94%)
- Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 2 (2.47%)
- Swamp Harrier Circus approximans 2 (2.47%)
- Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus 2 (2.47%)
- Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 4 (4.94%)
- Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 4 (4.94%)
- Barn Owl Tyto alba 1 (1.23%)
- Southern Boobook Ninox boobook 1 (1.23%)
- Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae 7 (8.64%)
- Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides 1 (1.23%)
- Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 1 (1.23%)
- Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Zanda funereus 9 (11.11%)
- Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum 4 (4.94%)
- Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 10 (12.35%)
- Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris 4 (4.94%)
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 11 (13.58%)
- Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus 5 (6.17%)
- Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans 25 (30.86%)
- Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius 5 (6.17%)
- Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma 3 (3.70%)
- Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna 2 (2.47%)
- Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala 4 (4.94%)
- Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus 1 (1.23%)
- Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus 1 (1.23%)
- White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea 23 (28.40%)
- Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus 56 (69.14%)
- Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus 2 (2.47%)
- Rufous Bristlebird Dasyornis broadbenti 8 (9.88%)
- Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus 5 (6.17%)
- New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae 33 (40.74%)
- White-eared Honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis 8 (9.88%)
- Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris 2 (2.47%)
- White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus 7 (8.64%)
- Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris 3 (3.70%)
- Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera 2 (2.47%)
- Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata 28 (34.57%)
- Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens 7 (8.64%)
- White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata 17 (20.99%)
- Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops 9 (11.11%)
- Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala 1 (1.23%)
- Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus 1 (1.23%)
- Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus 2 (2.47%)
- Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 1 (1.23%)
- Striated Fieldwren Calamanthus fuliginosus 1 (1.23%)
- White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis 26 (32.10%)
- Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa 1 (1.23%)
- Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana 1 (1.23%)
- Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata 7 (8.64%)
- Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla 31 (38.27%)
- Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides 3 (3.70%)
- Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera 1 (1.23%)
- Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 4 (4.94%)
- Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea 1 (1.23%)
- Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 2 (2.47%) (B)
- Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis 11 (13.58%)
- Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica 23 (28.40%)
- Pied Currawong Strepera graculina 8 (9.88%)
- Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor 4 (4.94%)
- Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 49 (60.49%)
- Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus 7 (8.64%)
- Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus 1 (1.23%)
- Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 18 (22.22%)
- Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons 5 (6.17%)
- Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa 31 (38.27%)
- Little Raven Corvus mellori 24 (29.63%)
- Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus 16 (19.75%)
- Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 2 (2.47%)
- Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 15 (18.52%)
- Rose Robin Petroica rosea 1 (1.23%)
- Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea 3 (3.70%)
- Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis 12 (14.81%)
- Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis 8 (9.88%)
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 20 (24.69%)
- European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 9 (11.11%)
- Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis 7 (8.64%)
- Little Grassbird Poodytes gramineus 1 (1.23%)
- Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis 1 (1.23%)
- Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 5 (6.17%)
- Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans 4 (4.94%)
- Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena 22 (27.16%)
- Silvereye Zosterops lateralis 22 (27.16%)
- Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 17 (20.99%)
- Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 7 (8.64%)
- Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata 2 (2.47%)
- Common Blackbird Turdus merula 7 (8.64%)
If you would like to contribute the the well being of this world, our world, your world, an easy and effective way to do it is to join a quality environmental group. There are many spread across the world all plugging away trying to make the world a better place for wildlife. We belong to Birdlife Australia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). You can donate your time and or money to these and many others knowing that the world will be a slightly better place because of your effort.