THE QUEST FOR THE NORTHERN SHOVELER- PART 1

Today my dad and I went off to try and find the northern shoveler that has recently turned up at the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee.

On the drive to the treatment plant we just saw some silver gulls and sulphur-crested cockatoos flying above the road- nothing much of note.

As we entered the treatment plant, my dad opened the gate with the key. There was a problem with the key, but we managed to open the gate in the end. There were a few small fairy-wren like birds around the gate and a bird of prey (probably a black kite) flew over the car. We closed the gate and headed for Lake Borrie, where the shoveler had been seen. While driving to Lake Borrie, we saw a house sparrow, a willie wagtail and a few welcome swallows, plus a yellow-billed spoonbill and white-faced heron that were both flying over the car.

A yellow-billed spoonbill flies over the farmland section of the treatment plant

At the first wetland of the Lake (the lake is actually made up of a series of wetlands) I saw the largest flock of red-necked avocets that I have ever seen in my life before (not saying much, since I had only seen 1 single avocet before). Still, this was just the second time I have ever seen this bird, so I took some photos!

A flock of red-necked avocets

In the same wetland I also saw 2 black swans and an eastern great egret overhead. In the section opposite to the wetland with the avocets, there was a large raft of Eurasian coots on the surface of the water.

Eastern great egret flying over Lake Borrie

A raft of coots

However, there were no shovelers, so we continued exploring the wetlands. We saw a few purple swamphens and black swans, but nothing really that much of note until we reached what I believe is known as Pond 24. Here we saw large mixed flocks of chestnut teals, grey teals, little black cormorants, Australian pelicans and similar. There were also a few small duck-like birds on the water that I believe were hoary-headed grebes- a lifer for me! However, I couldn't spot the shoveler, despite scanning through gigantic flocks of birds that could have easily contained over a hundred individuals. I also saw a swamp harrier around the lake and a few white ibises, as well as 2 little pied cormorants perching on a submerged log.

A mixed species flock- mostly chestnut and grey teals, with a black swan

A pelican stands out among ducks at Pond 24

Unfortunately, at this time we had to go home and fix up something on the computer, without the northern shoveler sighting. Don't worry northern shoveler, I'll be back!

RARITIES!

A Northern Shoveler, a vagrant to Australia, has just turned up at the Western Treatment Plant! I'm going to head out to see it. Expect a post soon.
TO BE CONTINUED...

YET MORE ABOUT THALANGAMA TANK

What bird species can you see in this image, taken at Thalangama Tank, Sri Lanka?
The same rules apply as for the previous 3 quizzes. Good luck.

ID CHALLENGE

I challenge you to ID this bird without knowing where I took the image!
Rules are as for the previous two quizzes. Good luck!

And if you got excited about Thalangama Tank and want more...

GO TO THIS WEBSITE:
http://www.birdnestforum.info/index/php?topic=440.0
Plus, some eye candy:

A purple heron fishing at Thalangama Tank

BIRDING SRI LANKA

SINCE I AM GOING TO SRI LANKA THIS SEPTEMBER FOR MY FAMILY'S ANNUAL TRIP TO SEE OUR RELATIVES, I DECIDED TO DO A POST ABOUT A FEW PLACES THAT THE AVERAGE BIRDING FAMILY MIGHT WANT TO GO TO.

THALANGAMA TANK- This wetland is positioned in the middle of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. It is home for many different waterbirds and a few forest birds. In the morning is the best time to visit for the forest birds. In the evening is good if you want to see the waterbirds at their roost, but it can be hard to photograph them. At midday, boats operate and you stand a fair chance of seeing pheasant-tailed jacana and little grebe from the boat. Boats don't operate as much during the morning. Birds that can commonly be seen here include yellow-billed babbler, barn swallow, blue-tailed bee-eater, purple swamphen, black-headed ibis, Asian openbill stork, black-winged stilt, yellow bittern, black-crowned night heron (at all times of day, as they roost here), purple heron, various species of egret and (occasionally) pintail snipe. Painted storks from less developed areas of the island sometimes visit the tank. Water monitor lizards are common here.

A yellow bittern at Thalangama Tank

COLOMBO (DEHIWALA) ZOO: The zoo in Colombo's main attraction for wild birds is the wetland in the centre. A feral population of spot-billed pelicans can be found here and are generally easy to see in the water or in large trees. Trees overhanging the water are home for roosting black-crowned night herons. Indian pond herons, little cormorants and white-breasted waterhens are also common around the wetland, as well as a feral population of great cormorants. Elsewhere in the zoo, feral pigeons, house crows and wild land monitor lizards are generally common. The Colombo Zoo is like a not as good but better for children version of Thalangama Tank.

A black-crowned night-heron at the Colombo Zoo

UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK: This national park has similar birds to Yala. Spotted doves are generally common throughout. Grey herons, painted storks, brahminy kites, white-breasted sea eagles, eastern great egrets, whiskered terns, spot-billed pelicans and similar are common in Udawalawe Tank. The small waterholes near the tank are good if you would like to see little green bee-eater, black-winged stilt, wood sandpiper and similar. The park itself is home for barred buttonquail, rose-ringed parrot, scaly-breasted munia, spotted dove, barn swallow and Indian black robin. The nearby hotel sometimes turns up purple-rumped sunbirds. Mammal-wise, the
Sri Lankan elephant and water buffalo are common while deer are uncommon. The spotted deer is the commonest deer, followed by the barking deer or Indian muntjac. Udawalawe is apparently the only national park in Sri Lanka where you can find water monitors- the largest lizard in Sri Lanka.

A peacock on a tree at Udawalawe- Peacocks are quite common in the national parks of the island.


YALA NATIONAL PARK: This national park in the southeast of the island is home for shorebirds, waterbirds and bush birds as well. All four of Sri Lanka's bee-eaters can be found here- Chestnut-headed, blue-tailed and little green are all common, while the European bee-eater is a very rare migrant. In the bushy areas, barred buttonquail can sometimes be seen, along with Sri Lankan junglefowl and Eurasian hoopoe. In the wetlands and tanks, pheasant-tailed jacana, whiskered tern, eastern great egret, little egret, median (intermediate) egret, grey-headed fish eagle, brahminy kite, lesser whistling-duck, white-breasted sea eagle, Asian openbill, black-headed ibis, grey heron, Indian pond heron, great thick-knee and painted stork are all common.In the more grassy areas, peafowl and yellow-wattled and red-wattled lapwings can also be found. The nearby Palatupana Salterns is a good place to spot a variety of waders in season. Common greenshank, common redshank, black-winged stilt, Pacific golden plover, black-tailed godwit, little stint and common sandpiper are some of the waders common in the area. Pied kingfishers can also be seen here, along with the usual variety of waterbirds. Interesting mammals also inhabit the area, like wild boar, leopard, elephant and ruddy mongoose. Staying overnight in a bungalow in the N.P. is good, but be warned- bugs abound and if you keep the light on at night, beetles, dragonflies, cockroaches and similar get attracted and even land on your bed!

A male peacock displaying at Yala. This may be the most beautiful sight to see in Sri Lanka.


KANDY LAKE: Kandy Lake in Kandy, Sri Lanka is an O.K place to spot some interesting waterbirds. Tilapia fish abound in the lake and can be fed with popcorn. The endemic toque monkey, considered Internationally Vulnerable, also inhabits the area around the lake. Bird-wise, the fish population makes Kandy Lake a good place to see fish-eating birds. Black-crowned night herons, little cormorants, little egrets and Indian pond herons are all common. The lake is generally a dependable place to see the brahminy kite.

A little egret at Kandy Lake

A pied bushchat at Lake Gregory



LAKE GREGORY: Situated in the alpine town of Nuwera Eliya, this lake is a good place to see pied bushchat as well as a few waterbirds, such as the white-breasted waterhen and various egrets.

These are a few ideas, but there are more places. I suggest you research further.

Another quiz if you want more

And if you still haven't had enough...
Name all the birds in this image. Same rules apply as for the previous quiz. Good luck!

BIRD QUIZ

To test your bird I.D skills, I'm going to show you a photo and you must identify all the birds in that image. To make this harder, I'm not going to say where the image was taken. Remember to specify your guesses- if you think one bird is a house sparrow, say 'HOUSE SPARROW', not just 'sparrow'. When guessing, do not use scientific names. To help your bird I.D get better,
Enjoy.

The New Holland Honeyeater- a native bird in my garden

The New Holland honeyeater is a small bird that is endemic to southern Australia. Although it is often known as a bird of heathland and forest, it is fairly common in my garden. It is an active feeder. The main ingredient in its diet is the nectar of flowers and it will busily dart from flower to flower to drink this high-energy food. It will also take fruit, insects and spiders. It will feed alone, but apparently gathers in quite large groups (normally). Its cup-shaped nest is made of bark and grasses that are bound together with spiderwebs. The nest is lined with soft material and placed in bushes or trees from ground level to 6 metres up. Both males and females feed the chicks. Pairs may raise two or three broods in a year. The breeding season is in any time of the year, but is mainly during the summer and winter. 2-3 eggs are laid and incubated for 18 days. In southern NSW, the similar white-cheeked honeyeater can be distinguished from this species by its much more prominent, larger, white cheeks. OK, enough talk, let's get on with the pictures!

White-Faced Heron

The white-faced heron is Australia's commonest species of heron. Despite its name, it is actually a grey-coloured species of egret. As its name suggests, it has a white face. This bird previously was considered to have 4 subspecies, but these are now not recognised. The adult is relatively small and pale blue-grey. Its forehead, chin, crown and upper throat are all white. The colour of the iris is variable- it may be grey, green, dull yellow or even cinnamon. Its bill and lores are black. During the breeding season adults grow pinkish-brown or bronze plumes on the foreneck and breast, with blue-grey plumes on their backs. The white-faced heron is found through most of Australasia, eastern Indonesia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, where it has self-introduced itself. Although it is now resident on Christmas Island, it hasn't been recorded breeding there yet. It is found in all but the driest parts of Australia. Its most common call is a gravelly croak. Generally it breeds in the spring, but it may breed at other times after rainfall. Kookaburras, Australian magpies, harriers and owls may eat its nestlings. 3-5 pale blue eggs are laid. White-faced herons eat most small aquatic creatures like frogs, fish and small reptiles. They may also be found feeding on garden worms in damp areas. It often stands still and waits for its prey, but may also stalk its prey or even chase it down with wings open. They are generally territorial when breeding, but may feed in groups during the non-breeding season. Well, enough of that, everything else you have to know is this is a heron from Afton Street Conservation Preserve who cooperated with me!

The following photo is of another heron (possibly the same individual?) perching further away from me on the rocks at one of the wetland ponds.

Enjoy these photos and I hope that you see a white-faced heron one day!

Afton Street Conservation Preserve- Where does the raptor lurk?

Today my mum and I went to Afton Street Conservation Preserve at about 2 o' clock in the morning to try and spot at least one of the five raptors the preserve was created for.
We started our quest for the raptor by walking along the river. We saw two Australian wood ducks in the first of the small lagoon-like ponds. There is a small bridge where the first pond connects to the second pond. We crossed the bridge and looked at the river. There were 2 Pacific black ducks swimming. My mum also spotted a single white-faced heron, fishing on the shore of the river at a muddy bit that I was certain was not there last time I visited the preserve (the water levels must be dropping).

The white-faced heron on the mudflat
As we continued on we didn't see much else of note except for a flock of three great cormorants. We decided to go on a different trail that headed up the ridge in the center of the preserve. As we walked along this trail, we saw a small flock of  yellow-rumped thornbills feeding in the grass, a red wattlebird in the tree and some unidentfied small birds, as well as a female superb fairy-wren.

A yellow-rumped thornbill

The thornbills were lifers for my mother, but I wasn't satisfied- we still hadn't seen a raptor. We hiked up the ridge to an escarpment-like area. At the escarpment there was a flagpole and a sign talking about the grassland habitat and showing a black-shouldered kite. We walked along until we came to a section with walks going down the hill and up the hill. I decided to go up the hill. From above we could see that the lower walk was just a quick loop. What we could also see is that the trail headed towards this much-less-likely-looking-to-find-raptors trail with 2 people skateboarding. We turned back and decided to try the lower walk. The lower walk didn't turn up many birds other than a New Holland honeyeater. I heard some superb fairy-wrens. I also saw a very cute European rabbit. (Yes, I do know that they are introduced pests in Victoria, but I still find time to admire their cuteness).

A rabbit

However, seeing that we couldn't go forward, we turned back, not expecting anything. Then, my mum spotted a raven-like bird in a tree. I took some photos and worked out what it was- a brown falcon!

A dark form brown falcon

If people looked up Afton Street Conservation Preserve, found out that it was right next to a children's park and couldn't believe that my stories of wonderful birds in it were true, well, here's proof!

Satisfied, we went down from the escarpment and headed home.

Gulls at Night

At Highpoint, Victoria, I have observed silver gulls (also called seagulls, gulls and silvergulls), the commonest species of gull in Victoria, feeding during the night-time. I have never observed this behavior anywhere else and I believe it is unusual enough to give a blog post about.
I reasearched about it and saw that the Birding Forum 'Birding-Aus' had a 'thread' about the behaviour. It states that silver gulls use artificial lights to catch insects, because garbage supplies were running out. There is also a photo on flicker of a bird doing this.
Can anybody confirm that this theory is true?

Follow up to Afton Street Conservation Preserve

The 'Riverside Park' area is also a nice place- a good walk and bike ride, a bridge to climb over and two playgrounds for kids/adults (this is if you have a birding family with children), plus a few interesting birds like silver gull, feral pigeon, common myna, crested pigeon... pretty much the usual suspects apart from the cormorants- little pied are the commonest, with the occasional great cormorant (or large flock of great cormorants). Heading in the opposite direction of the Afton Street Conservation Preserve, you may see white-plumed honeyeaters, rainbow lorikeets, silver gulls and welcome swallows. Once I saw a washed-up, half-dead Northern Pacific sea star on the rocks making up the riverbank here.

Favourite Birding Spot II- Afton Street Conservation Preserve

This lovely reserve is situated on the banks of the Maribyrnong River along Afton Street in Essendon West. The facts that it is close by to my home and seems to always be turning up good birds make this one of my favourite birding spots. My first sightings of a spotted pardalote and yellow thornbill were both here.
The humble place is not frequented by many birders other than me who I know about. It is like a gem in a field of rocks and is home for some interesting birds that would be lifers for people visiting from Europe who have never been to Australia. It is best birded in the early morning, from 6:30 AM -8:00 AM.
The track starts at the carpark at 'Riverside Park' which is closest to the bridge. At the start of the track, you go near some small lagoons that can turn up Willie wagtails, Pacific black ducks, white-faced herons and lots of welcome swallows. An area near these lagoons has some reeds with it and may be home for the occasional crake or rail, although I haven't seen any there yet. At the second junction in front of the start of the track (you will come to this one as long as you don't go over the bridge at the first junction), turn left if you are interested in the birds. After turning left, you will come to another junction. You may want to stop here and look over the river, as whiskered terns sometimes join silver gulls hawking over the river here. Then turn right. At the small plantation of eucalypts, there are generally spotted pardalotes in the trees. Yellow thornbills may be seen in the 'bushy' areas, along with silveryes. Little pied cormorants, little black cormorants and great cormorants all hunt for fishes in the river. The little pied cormorants are the commonest, followed by the little black. The great cormorants are occasional visitors and a pied cormorant was also once recorded. Once you have passed the pardalote trees, it is generally wise to turn back and look over the area you passed, unless you want to follow the great cormorants (they usually flock in that area, heading further along the river) or (according to the master plan) possibly see 5 species of raptor.

Well, there's an introduction to one of my favourite birding spots, a place that any birding families with children might want to go to, as 'Riverside Park' with a playground is just next door. I think that this place is like a gem in a field of rocks.

Oh, almost forgot to add some photos.

A spotted paradalote, for those who either aren't birders or haven't seen any yet

A little pied cormorant- NOTE- views like this are NOT common at the preserve

A white-faced heron

Whiskered tern with a fish

I have only described the Riverside Walk- another walk goes up onto the ridge in the centre of the preserve, where (from the River Trail)I have seen lots of Australian ravens and some Australian magpies. The lawn-like area near the trail is home for lots of magpies as well . A better list of birds that can be seen there can be obtained from the Preserve's master plan.
Key species include:
. WHISKERED TERN
. PIED CORMORANT
. 5 SPECIES OF RAPTOR ARE SUPPOSED TO INHABIT THE PRESERVE (Whistling kite, Australian hobby, Wedge-tailed eagle, black-shouldered kite, little eagle and white-breasted sea eagle)
. SOME WOULD-BE LIFERS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO AUSTRALIA

Favourite Birding Spot I- Western Treatment Plant

I believe that it is just the right time for me to start talking about my favourite birding spots in Australia. Number 1 would definitely have to be...
THE WESTERN TREATMENT PLANT!
Although it is considered a sewage farm, the Western Treatment Plant is actually quite a nice place for birdwatchers to be and it doesn't smell bad! It consists of a saltmarsh (off-limits), some lagoons and lakes and the coastline. The main drawcards of the WTP are:
. Nationally Threatened waterbirds in Victoria
. The Internationally Critically Endangered orange-bellied parrot
. Lots of waders
. Lots of vagrant waders (eg. the 2011 stilt sandpiper)

I have only seen the Nationally Threatened waterbirds and 5 species of wader (in this blog, the term means 'all species of plover and sandpiper, including the resident ones') (red-necked stint, bar-tailed godwit, masked lapwing, red-capped plover, double-banded plover). I am working on the orange-bellied parrot.

For some photos of birds I've found there, just go to the post entitled 'Top 3 Nationally Threatened Waterbirds in Victoria'- all photos taken there were taken at the good old WTP. The permit is well worth it in this case. To get to the WTP, go down the Princes Freeway and take the Point Wilson Road Exit. Maps can be printed out from the Melbourne Water website, or obtained along with a bird checklist from the permit-selling area (don't ask me where it is, I've forgotten).

The WTP is a great place to go to!

The Waterbird I forgot about

In yesturday's post, 'Top Three Endangered Waterbirds of Victoria', I missed out on one other waterbird considered 'Nationally Threatened (well, near-threatened anyway) in Victoria' and seen by me in Victoria. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the magpie goose.

Magpie geese at Werribee Zoo- All wild birds
4. MAGPIE GOOSE
This large species of waterfowl is considered seperate from Australia's other waterfowl. It can also be found in southern Papua New Guinea. It feeds on wild rice. In northern Australia, wild rice is common and it thrives there. However, here in the south it is much rarer, as wild rice fields have been destroyed. It can be quite hard to see in Victoria. It lives in open wetland areas like floodplains and swamps. It is the only living member of the family Anseranatidae, but is placed in the Order Anseriformes with other ducks, geese and swans, as well as the South American screamers.
Let us wish this bird a good future like all the rest!

P.S: Werribee Zoo can actually be quite a good birding spot. Cape Barren Geese (and I mean wild ones) are often seen on the 'safari tour'.

Comment Post

If you see this blog, please make comments. Thank you for listening.
P.S: Yes, I know this is a very short post, but it was needed.
P.P.S:

For people who wanted to know what a shy albatross looks like in a better image, enjoy-
Taken by me off Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania.

The Top Three Nationally Threatened (in Victoria) Waterbirds

In a recent issue of Wingspan, there was an article about birds that had become extinct in Australia. It included one subspecies from Western Victoria, the western pied currawong. Apparently its last stronghold was in the Otways, so when I went there, I thought about the currawong. This got me thinking about this blog post.

Below are quick profiles about the top three threatened waterbirds- the three species of waterbird considered 'Nationally Threatened in Victoria' that you are most likely to see.

1. THE BROLGA
This beautiful bird is famous in Australia for its courtship dance. Aboriginal legend has it that one day, a beautiful woman called Brolga who loved to dance was transformed into that bird by an evil magician. It is a majestic bird, wonderful to see up close. Unfortunately, it is declining in southern Australia, although it still thrives in the north. I had the good fortune to see one at the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee. This bird, Victoria's only resident species of crane, is now rare and hard to see around Melbourne. It is sad that this is so, but let us hope that one day, the dance of the brolga will once again become a regular sight in the south.

A brolga near the WTP (Western Treatment Plant)

2. THE EASTERN GREAT EGRET
This bird is also quite beautiful. It gracefully stalks frogs and fish around wetlands. It is one of the largest herons in Victoria. It is coloured pure white, except for its yellow bill and legs. Again, it is very sad that it is declining. It is not as rare as the Brolga, but is still quite uncommon. Birds sometimes visit Steele Creek Reserve, near the Westgate Bridge.

A great egret, also at the Western Treatment Plant

3. THE ROYAL SPOONBILL
Another majestic, beautiful waterbird, this species has a black bill shaped like a spoon, giving it its name. It is the least common of the two spoonbill species in Victoria- the other being the non-threatened yellow-billed spoonbill. It uses its spoon-shaped bill to catch little invertebrates in the water as it sweeps it from side-to-side.

Royal spoonbills at the treatment plant

All of these waterbirds can be seen at the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee on the western shore of Port Phillip Bay. To get there, go down Princes Freeway and take the Point Wilson Road Exit. Maps are available from the Melbourne Water website. You will need a permit to go there, but it is well worth the money- at least, if you are a birdwatcher. It doesn't stink and is actually quite a nice place.

Let us hope that these waterbirds will have a better future!

OUR GARDEN- THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Now that I have finished blogging about the Portland Trip, I can introduce you to our garden and the usual birds.

Our garden is a medium-sized patch of lawn with trees and a path in Melbourne, Victoria. It may not sound like the best birding place, but over the years we have stayed in this house, I have realized that several interesting birds inhabit the place.

The first of these birds is the adaptable, formerly common but now declining (apparently) house sparrow, also known as the sparrow,the English sparrow, the spidgie and the sparra. In our garden, these birds are generally always present during the day, as long as I have the feeder put in its usual place near the shed. Both males and females visit our place, where they like to eat from the feeder, eat the fruits from our fig tree and bathe in the birdbath.

House sparrows at the feeder

Another bird that is often seen near the shed is the larger spotted dove, also called the mountain dove, lace-necked dove, spotted turtledove and Chinese dove. It is closely related to the laughing dove. It is often seen perching on the roof of our house or on our shed. Its cooing call is commonly heard nearby.

A dove on the fence

Last of the three usual suspects is the only native species out of the three- the New Holland honeyeater. Although it is traditionally regarded as a bird of heath and scrub, it thrives in our garden. I have observed birds doing some kind of 'display' in the air, but I don't know the function of this-maybe to attract females? The display generally happens from Autumn to Winter and is often done from the top of the fig tree when it has lost all its leaves.

A honeyeater perched on a tree

These are the three usual suspects. Other birds that often/sometimes visit include Common mynas and red wattlebirds. 2 vagrant birds are the little raven (only seen twice) and the greenfinch (annual vagrant, seen at least once-twice a year).

EASTERN YELLOW ROBIN- Photo Gallery

The Eastern Yellow Robin is a small species of bird that is endemic to Australia. There are two subspecies. Only the nominate, the 'Southern Yellow Robin', occurs in Victoria. Yellow robins eat insect larvae and amphipods. They can be found on the east coast of Australia. The similar western yellow robin replaces it in south-western Australia. Eastern yellow robins build their nests out of bark, grass and spider web. The web of the nursery web spider is often used. Their eggs are apple-green. 2-3 are laid in the nest. Pallid cuckoos often lay their eggs in this bird's nest. Anyway, enough words, get on with the pictures, all taken at the wonderful Otway Fly Treetop Walk in the Otway Ranges!

REFERENCES
'A Field Guide to Victoria's Birds Vol.2- Birds of the Ranges'

ID NEEDED!

At the treetop walk, I saw a bird I couldn't identify eating from a feeder. At home, I identified it as an olive whistler, but aren't they shy birds of the undergrowth that wouldn't really think of coming to a feeder? HELP!

Portland Trip- Day Two or Portland- the trip back home

I woke up to find that we were going home today. While packing, I saw some superb fairy-wrens in the garden and bought my sister to see the waves close-up. As we were about to go, my mum spied some seabirds in the water. I quickly observed them and took a photo. One appeared to be a Pacific Gull, but the other one, seen straight from the veranda of the house, appeared to be a SHY ALBATROSS!

ABOVE- A very cropped, very bad photo of what appears to be a shy albatross! This image really does not do this bird justice.

The drive back home was quite long, with 2 stops. First we stopped in Warnambool to have lunch and go to Logan's Beach to spot whales- we didn't see any, but 1 greenfinch, some house sparrows and a large, dark grey-black, unidentified bird kind of made up for this. Then we stopped in the Otway Ranges to go on a treetop walk- this is when the birds of the day appeared!
The walk was a bit quiet in birds, however,it did turn up a brown thornbill and my almost-lifer eastern yellow robin.

The real climax of the walk was the feeder outside the cafe. To the front, I saw a grey shrike-thrush and lots of crimson rosellas. Then my dad reported an unidentified, yellowish-brown bird to me. I realised that it was a SATIN BOWERBIRD! Lifer! I tried to get good photos of the satin bowerbird, but the images I got aren't good enough to show on this blog, so instead I will show off an image of my also-lifer BASSIAN THRUSH!- Victoria's only native thrush species!

After this, apart from watching a movie in the car, nothing much of note really happened.