30th May 2010
* Moolort Plains – Australian Hobby – two individuals seen, one on Locks Lane, the other on Nicholls Bridge Rd. Numbers of Brown Falcon, Whistling Kite, Black-shouldered Kite, Australian Kestrel and possible Black Falcon (usual area).
* Captains Gully Rd – Red-capped Robin (male) and good numbers of Flame Robins.
Brown Falcon, Long Swamp Rd Moolort Plains, 30th May 2010
23rd May 2010
* Along Spring Hill Track [location] – Speckled Warblers in mixed species feeding flock, Varied Sitellas, Crested Bellbird (calling), Scarlet Robin, Golden Whistler (imm.) plus a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles.
* One (maybe two) Swift Parrots on Mia Mia Track – just south of South German Track t/o.
* Moolort Plains, Rodborough Rd at ~ 4pm – Pair of Spotted Harriers [location], single Black Falcon [location] plus numbers of the following: Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Brown Falcon, Australian Kestrel, Black-shouldered Kite.
22nd May 2010
* Eastern Spinebills along with New Holland, White-naped and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Eastern Silvereye, Yellow, Yellow-rumped and Brown Thornbills, Red-browed Firetail – all at 19 Wyndham St!
17th May 2010
* 5 -6 Swift Parrots along Mia Mia Track [location]. Noisy Friarbirds in mixed flocks with Red Wattlebirds. Olive-backed Orioles still calling and Dusky Woodswallows perched and soaring way overhead.
15th May 2010
* Along Mia Mia Track this morning: Purple-crowned and Musk Lorikeets, Yellow-faced, White-naped, Fuscous and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, Olive-backed Oriole, Brown Falcon (a bit unusual to see one in the bush!), White-browed Babbler, Eastern Yellow Robin, Brown Treecreeper, Crested Bellbird (calling), Red Wattlebird, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella.
Brown Falcon, Mia Mia Track, 15th May 2010
13th May 2010
* Raptor watching on the Moolort Plains for an hour late this afternoon – Australian Hobby (1), Australian Kestrel (4), Black-shouldered Kite (6+) and a single Black Falcon on Rodborough Rd [location].
9th May 2010
* Pair of Black Falcons on Rodborough Rd, Moolort Plains [location] plus Wedge-tailed Eagle (2), Nankeen Kestrel (2), Brown Falcon (4), Black-shouldered Kite and Whistling Kite in the same area.
Black Falcon – note the pointed tail, Moolort Plains, 9th May 2010
7th May 2010
* Male and female Hooded Robin and male Red-capped Robin near Sheoak Hill, north of Spring Hill Track [location].
6th May 2010
* A number of Flame Robins in and around the Sandon State Forest. A few “brown” birds on Captains Gully Rd, with a number of coloured males moving in a small flock deeper in the bush to the east of Annands Track.
* Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have moved into town – small flocks around the house in Wyndham St.
1st May 2010
* Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve – Swift Parrot (flock of 15), White-naped Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler (imm.), Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote, Brown Treecreeper, Eastern Yellow Robin, White-browed Babbler, Common Bronzewing, Peaceful Dove, Dusky Woodswallow, Fuscous Honeyeater, Musk Lorikeet, Purple-crowned Lorikeet.
Dusky Woodswallow, Rise and Shine, 1st May 2010
26th April 2010
* One, possibly two Swift Parrots feeding in Yellow Gum just off the highway at Campbelltown [location]. This is a well known private remnant with many large old trees. Musk Lorikeets also prominent.
25th April 2010
* Flock of 6 Swift Parrots flying north over the centre of Newstead at 1.30pm today.
* Male Red-capped Robin north of Spring Hill Track [location].
Red-capped Robin, Muckleford State Forest, 25th April 2010
24th April 2010
* Wedge-tailed Eagle and a host of other raptors across the Moolort Plains this afternoon (Black-shouldered Kites, Brown Falcons, Nankeen Kestrels and Whistling Kites). Also 3 flocks of Zebra Finches – see post
Wedge-tailed Eagle, Rodborough Road, 24th April 2010
18th April 2010
* Between Spring Hill and Mia Mia Track – a few Swift Parrots, Olive-backed Oriole (seen and heard), White-naped Honeyeaters and Dusky Woodswallows.
* Male Hooded Robin near Spring Hill Track [location].
17th April 2010
* Female Hooded Robin east of Mia Mia Track [location].
13th April 2010
* A few single Swift Parrots seen in the same location as yesterday plus a lone bird spotted a bit further north [location] – time of observations ~ 4.30pm.
12th April 2010
Fantastic morning of birding at Mia Mia Track [location]:
* Three seperate flocks of Swift Parrots with between 12 and 15 birds in each flock, plus a few singles. The birds were moving from the east into the firewood harvesting area on the western edge of Mia Mia Track.
* A number of Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters Phylidonyris melanops were seen feeding in a plantation of ornamental eucalypts along with lots of other birds including Yellow-tufted, Yellow-faced, White-eared and Fuscous Honeyeaters, Jacky Winter, Yellow-rumped Thornbills and a single Flame Robin, the first of the season. A small flock of Black-chinned Honeyeaters also flew over.
* All of these birds were then spooked by a Peregrine Falcon that cruised overhead.
Peregrine Falcon over Mia Mia Track, 12th April 2010
* White-browed Babbler – party of 7 birds feeding predominantly in a grassy area amongst the ornamental gums.
7th April 2010
* White-eared Honeyeaters Lichenostomus leucotis – a number seen and heard on private land south of the Rise and Shine. This species has been absent (or at least very quiet) since last spring. Like the Yellow-faced Honeyeater it seems to undertake a spring-autumn altitudinal movement.
5th April 2010
* A huge amount of activity this morning in a firewood harvesting area west of Mia Mia Track [location] including: Swift Parrots (first sighting this year), White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Dusky Woodswallow (feeding on grasshoppers), many Fuscous and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, Striated Pardalotes, Musk Lorikeets. Also a number of pairs of Eastern Rosellas. Later (early afternoon) saw Hooded Robin and Chestnut-rumped Hylacola.
* White-browed Babblers and Peaceful Dove – junction of Spring Hill and Sullivans Tracks.
* On Westons Track at Welshmans Reef a small mixed feeding flock including a pair of Scarlet Robins, 5 Grey Fantails, female Rufous Whistler, Brown-headed Honeyeater and Buff-rumped Thornbills.
Pair of Scarlet Robins, Westons Track Welshmans Reef, 5th April 2010
4th April 2010
* Pair of Whistling Kites ~ 200m north of the Highway Bridge above the large pool on the Loddon
2nd April 2010
* Hooded Robins (pair) north of Spring Hill Track [location]. Also at same site: good numbers of White-browed Woodswallows, White-browed Babblers, Yellow-tufted and Fuscous Honeyeaters, Jacky Winter, Little and Purple-crowned Lorikeets, Striated Pardalotes and Tree Martins.
* Zebra Finches – small flock on Clarkes Road, Rodborough [location]. Also on the Moolort Plains in this general area – Nankeen Kestrels (3), Brown Falcons (4), Black Kite, Australian Hobby, Black-shouldered Kite (pair) and 2 Whistling Kites over a 30 minute period.
Nankeen Kestrel, Moolort Plains, April 2010
25th March 2010
* Large group of Tree Martins; Little, Musk and Purple-crowned Lorikeets, Jacky Winter and large numbers of Red-rumped Parrots in Yellow Gum remnant on Annand’s Track – location.
Little Lorikeets, Annand’s Track, 25th March 2010
23rd March 2010
* Party of 7 White-browed Babblers in the Rise and Shine – favouring a clump of Hedge Wattle near the start of the trail.
20th March 2010
* Pair of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes on Mia Mia Track- [location] crossing paths with a family of 4 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes. Also heard Crested Bellbird calling ~ 200m west of here and saw Musk and Purple-crowned Lorikeets.
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Mia Mia Track, 20th March 2010
19th March 2010
* White-backed Swallows can still be seen in the bush east of Welshmans Reef [location]. Also a few dozen White-browed Woodswallows, Purple-crowned Lorikeets and the usual honeyeaters (Fuscous, Yellow-tufted and Brown-headed), lots of Striated Pardalotes, Eastern Yellow Robin and a pair of Scarlet Robins. Crested Bellbird calling at a distance to the south-east.
White-backed Swallows, Welshmans Reef, 19th March 2010
17th March 2010
* Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides – numerous birds in small flocks have appeared on the Moolort Plains since the recent rain.
16th March 2010
* Group of 6 Rainbow Bee-eaters and Crested Shrike-tit – flock of 4 just south of Spring Hill Track – location
15th March 2010
* Zebra Finches – two seperate flocks seen; the first a small group of ~3 on Clarkes Road [location] and the second on Locks Lane in same site as 12/3 but this time about 10 birds.
* Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna and Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla – a number of small flocks on private land west of Annands Track – [location]. Both species were getting up close and inspecting potential nesting hollows. Also a pair of Hooded Robins, Brown Flycatcher, Restless Flycatcher, Eastern Yellow Robin, Tree Martins and the usual honeyeaters (Fuscous, Yellow-tufted and White Plumed).
Musk Lorikeets pairing up, Annands Track, 15th March 2010
14th March 2010
* Boobook Owl heard calling from the centre of Newstead down along the Loddon River
* Group of 8 Whistling Kites perched in a tree west of Cairn Curran Reservoir – location.
Whistling Kites near Cairn Curran, 14th March 2010. Photo: Lachlan Park
13th March 2010
* Little Eagle soaring over the Loddon River in Newstead
12th March 2010
* Little Egret Egretta garzetta at Tullaroop Reservoir – single bird stalking prey near the outlet tower – location
Little Egret, Tullaroop Reservoir, 12th March 2010
* Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata – flock of 4 on Locks Lane Moolort Plains – location
9th March 2010
* 2 Spotted Harriers at seperate locations around Rodborough Road. The first [location] was being harassed by a Black Falcon trying to relieve it of a food item. Also saw a Swamp Harrier near the second Spotted Harrier [location] , Brown Falcons, Black-shouldered Kite and Whistling Kite (where Joyces Creek crosses Rodborough Rd) in a veritable feast of raptors. Until now we have only seen a single Circus assimilis on the Plains…now we know there are at least two!
* Wedge-tailed Eagle just west of Newstead [location].
8th March 2010
* Nankeen Kestrels, Black-shouldered Kites (nesting), Swamp Harrier and Whistling Kites on Moolort Plains south of the highway.
* Rainbow Bee-eaters, White -browed Woodswallows and 2 White-throated Needletails south of Gully Track [location].
6th March 2010
* Pair of Black Falcons plus numerous Black-shouldered Kites, Swamp Harrier and Nankeen Kestrels (see post) – Rodborough Rd, Moolort Plains [location].
* Collared Sparrowhawk at Butlers, Captains Gully Rd [location]. Joan Butler has reported a Diamond Dove from the same site over recent days. This is probably a new record for Newstead.
* Whistling Kite and Nankeen Kestrel at Strathlea [location] seen just before the big storm hit at 1.30 pm.
5th March 2010
* Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis – single adult in tall Yellow Gums – Wyndham St, Newstead
3rd March 2010
* Collared Sparrowhawk chasing small birds over the Loddon River (near the bridge) in Newstead.
* Grey Currawongs Strepera versicolor on Box Track [location]. This species has been noticeably absent from the local bush over summer.
* Lachie saw a Peregrine Falcon chasing Corella’s around Newstead Primary School. This bird has been around for a while now – obviously lots of local tucker!
2nd March 2010
* Black Honeyeater – male observed again at the same [location] as previous sightings. Also a pair of Hooded Robins nearby.
Black Honeyeater, Welshmans Reef, 2nd March 2010
* Spotted Harrier at same site as 23/2 (see post) along with Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel and Black-shouldered Kite – all seemed to be enjoying grasshoppers!
* Australian Hobby – two (possibly adult and juvenile) performing acrobatics just east of Plaistow Homestead [location].
Australian Hobbys, Plaistow, 2nd March 2010
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