On a perfect, still, sunny winter morning we welcomed four new people on our bird walk, including two people who had driven all the way from the Cape Otway Conservation centre.

Allen Noble Sanctuary surprised us with a large, busy flock of Silvereyes, and a lone White-plumed Honeyeater on water plants.

Coot

Little Pied Cormorant

Australian Black Ducks

We were disappointed that there was no sign of the swans which are thought to be nesting there, but 19 species was a good tally.

Bambra Road Paddocks were a rich green with a large area of ephemeral water near the river bend. Two Cattle Egrets were near the water but nowhere near cattle or, in this location, horses.

Cattle Egret

A pair of gorgeous Shelducks were the highlight, but the quantity prize went to Magpies…about 80.

Shelducks

 
Australian Wood Duck

The flowering Ironbarks in Distillery Creek were alive with honeyeaters, but only the two most common species. An unusual sighting was a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets, and a Yellow Robin entertained us over morning tea.

Morning tea

Yellow Robin

Red Wattlebird

Superb Fairy-wren

We were having too much fun to finish then, so we moved on to the Blazing Saddles pony trail. It was vey pleasant walking along the riverside with resting kangaroos watching. A pair of beautiful Scarlet Robins posed obligingly, and we enjoyed seeing some Red-browed Finches and three Sulphur-crested Cockatoos hopping in an out of a nesting hole in a large tree.

Scarlet Robin

Red-browed Finch

Cockatoos

All in all it was a very pleasant way to spend a nice winter’s morning.

Below is a list of all the birds identified:

1. Australian Wood Duck
2. Australian Black Duck
3. Grey Teal
4. Shelduck
5. Purple Swamphen
6. Coot
7. Great Cormorant
8. Little Pied Cormorant
9. White-faced Heron
10. Cattle Egret
11. Masked Lapwing
12. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
13. Corella sp.
14. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
15. Rainbow Lorikeet
16. Crimson Rosella
17. Laughing Kookaburra
18. White-throated Treecreeper
19. Superb Fairy-wren
20. Rufous Bristlebird
21. White-browed Shrubwren
22. Brown Thornbill
23. Spotted Pardalote
24. White-plumed Honeyeater
25. New Holland Honeyeater
26. Red Wattlebird
27. Australian Magpie
28. Pied Currawong
29. Grey Fantail
30. Willy Wagtail
31. Little Raven
32. Magpie-lark
33. Scarlet Robin
34. Yellow Robin
35. Eurasian Skylark
36. Silvereye
37. Welcome Swallow
38. Common Starling
39. Red-browed Finch

Ellinor Campbell

Photos by Mark Le Pla