23rd February 2014
* Moolort Plains, near Hurse’s corner Bulokes – Singing Honeyeater (1) in mature Buloke with flowering Harlequin Mistletoe. First one I’ve seen locally in more than 25 years observations.
* Moolort Plains – just west of Cairn Curran – Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little Eagle.
8th February 2014
* Cairn Curran at Joyce’s Creek – Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle (2), Black-winged Stilt, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Straw-necked Ibis, Sacred Ibis, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (~8), Black-fronted Dotterel, Darter, Great Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Caspian Tern.
5th February 2014
* Loddon River below Donk’s – White-breasted Sea-eagle (adult and two immatures), Latham’s Snipe (1), Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (10), Black-tailed Native-hens, White-breasted Woodswallows (including juveniles), Darter, Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Black-winged Stilt.
* Newstead township – single Square-tailed Kite cruised over the house at noon.
Square-tailed Kite, Newstead township, 5th February 2014.
10th January 2014
* Moolort Plains (2km west of Picnic Point) – Cockatiel (4) plus 2 Caspian Terns at Picnic Point
8th January 2014
* Joyce’s Creek – Caspian Terns (3), White-bellied Sea-eagle, Wedge-tailed Eagles (3), Black-winged Stilt (2).
6th January 2014
* Picnic Point area – numerous Black Kites and Whistling Kites, pair of Cockatiel, two Black Falcons on road just south of Shiell’s Lane.
29th December 2013
* Loddon River @ Newstead (near pile fields) – White-backed Swallows, Sacred Kingfisher, Rufous Night-heron, Wood Duck, White-faced Heron.
28th December 2013
* Newstead Cemetery – Hooded Robin (male), Rufous Songlark, Rainbow Bee-eater, Fuscous Honeyeater, Fairy Martin, Brown Falcon, Welcome Swallow, Red-browed Firetail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike.
27th December 2013
* Wyndham St, Newstead – Little Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Weebill, Mistletoebird, European Goldfinch.
24th December 2013
* Loddon River @ Newstead (near pile fields) – Rufous Night-heron (3), Sacred Kingfisher, Rufous Songlark, Brown Goshawk.
23rd December 2013
* Cairn Curran (near old highway) – Black-winged Stilt (2).
1st December 2013
* Loddon River @ Newstead – Sacred Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Eastern Yellow Robin – all nesting.
Natural Newstead 
We have had two forest kingfishers in our yard for a few mornings and evenings. At first wecthoughtbthey must be sacred but it didn’t add up. Is this possible?
Hi Sharon
I’m afraid they’ll be Sacred Kingfishers.
Forest Kingfishers are incredibly rare in Victoria with only occasional records of vagrants over the past 30 years. A key diagnostic feature is white in the wing and although the ID guides show the Forest as blue and the Sacred as green in reality the Sacred can appear quite blue. There are a number of pairs of Sacred Kingfishers in your area at the moment – I heard at least two different pairs calling mid last week when I stopped by.
So, not likely to be a Forest but still great to have the Sacred Kingfisher around.
All the best, geoff
No worries. We have had hours of fun watching them eat insects in our yard.
Thanks Geoff. That’s great. They are sweet little birds and had fun eating our little lizards. Allex