Melbourne. What do you think of when you hear that word? City life, cafes, shops, buskers and urbanity. Not wildlife, wetlands and birdwatching. But in Melbourne city, just next to the Westgate Bridge, is Westgate Park, which is a paradise for birds.
The park is a reliable site for eastern great egrets
You start your journey in the park by coming to the carpark. In front of the carpark is a lake, the first of the many you will pass on this trail. Look carefully for chestnut teal, purple swamphen and black-winged (white-headed) stilts around this lake. You should also see the silver gull, Australia's commonest gull and a common sight throughout Melbourne city near the Yarra River. Then walk to the small info booth. Postered to the sides of the booth are a few photos of birds seen and a checklist of the birds in Westgate Park. Continuing on, you reach a lawn. Continue straight and don't take any of the other paths. You will eventually see the main lake. At certain points where you can see the lake clearly through the trees, stop and look for waterbirds. Royal spoonbills, eastern great egrets, hardheads, chestnut teal, Pacific black ducks, Eurasian coots, white-faced herons and purple swamphens can all be found along this lake. Or, take a detour from the main path to enter a forested area, with striated paradalote, New Holland honeyeater, superb fairy-wren and yellow-rumped thornbills all possible.
Look around the first lake for these black-winged stilts
Welcome swallows are abundant around the lakes in the park
Westgate Park is a great birding site that isn't too far from central Melbourne. P.S: Sorry for the lack of photos, but iPhoto isn't currently working so I can't download anything on here.
