The Treatment Plant with Friends

Early Sunday morning, 2 friends of mine accompanied me on a visit to the Western Treatment Plant. Though it wasn't as successful as I hoped, we still saw a fair amount of species (most of which were new to my friends). I also got some fairly good photos.
The trip began along Paradise Road. Various raptors were seen as we drove along the road: several whistling kites, a distant swamp harrier, a black kite and a young brown goshawk all successfully evaded my camera. Thankfully, a pale phase brown falcon was much happier to be photographed. House sparrows, Eurasian starlings and golden-headed cisticolas were all abundant in the grassland. We stopped over at the fairy martin colony we'd seen a few weeks ago, but none of us was able to get a good photo of the birds.

The golden-headed cisticola is a summer migrant to Victoria

The WTP is probably the best place in Victoria to see brown falcons

As we neared Lake Borrie, a variety of waterbirds were visible. A large flock of ducks was made up of a mix of chestnut teals, grey teals and Pacific black ducks, along with a single Australian shelduck. Several hardheads loafed in the middle of the lake. 2 Australian pelicans were resting on the far shore of the lake. Many Eurasian coots and hoary-headed grebes were present in an adjacent pond. While we waited, a flock of Cape Barren geese flew in. We then stopped our car and had some tea and snacks. We watched a swamp harrier dive at the ducks, sending them flying across the lake. We drove on, stopping to photograph several sharp-tailed sandpipers feeding in a roadside pond. As we watched the sharp-tailed sandpipers feed, a lone yellow-billed spoonbill flew overhead.

Cape Barren geese are often seen in the grassland around Lake Borrie

The sharp-tailed sandpiper is the third most common wader in Australia

We then headed to the bird hide at the mouth of Little River. The shrubs around the hide held many delightful white-fronted chats. Unfortunately, there was little visible at the hide. A distant raft of grey and chestnut teals and a white-faced heron flying overhead were all that was seen. On the drive towards Beach Road, we saw some Australian pelicans, many whiskered and white-winged black terns, and some pied cormorants. A distant Australasian gannet was also spotted. As we approached a bridge, a massive flock of welcome swallows was seen perched on the road. Watching the swallows slowly spring into the air as we approached was a magical experience.

The Australian pelican is Australia's only species of pelican

I had never seen so many welcome swallows in one place before!

As we drove down Beach Road, our last sighting of the day was a brown falcon being harassed by a willie wagtail.
It was great to have some friends along for the trip, and hopefully I'll be able to take them birdwatching again.