Birrarung Park Before Iso

A few weeks ago, when it looked like we were heading for some kind of lockdown, I took my chance to go out birding while I still could.

I decided on Birrarung Park. I hadn't been there for ages but I used to visit a lot when I first started birding - I saw my first Mistletoebird, Olive-backed Oriole, White-winged Triller and my one and only Song Thrush there.

It was overcast, gloomy weather - stand-by for some fuzzy pictures! Also, there was only one car in the carpark when I arrived so it seemed good for social distancing.

bush bird potential

After a check around the carpark for Tawny Frogmouths, I headed up the gravel track that leads off the main asphalt path around the park. It follows the river bank and has a bit of bush on either side. It seemed very quiet for birds - but a one lone Red-browed Finch was nice!

It's also good to check the power lines along here, but nothing too interesting this time.

I've seen Dusky Woodswallows here before

I scanned the paddocks way over on the other side with my binoculars and found some macropod friends were out for breakfast.

Eastern Grey Kangaroos - from a great distance!

I went down to the riverbank to the spot where I once saw a platypus. Some ripples coming from the very edge of the river bank turned out to be a Little Pied Cormorant.

it posed nicely on a branch for me - as did that piece of rubbish :( 

A young one quickly followed to harass the adult and the adult took off back into the water.

looking for more food

I sat on the bank a while and saw an Australasian Darter come to land on a dead tree before flying off when some kayakers came through. A Gang-gang Cockatoo also flew over, and then it started to rain.

Lucky it was a light, brief shower and I continued to the end of the track which comes to a dead end. The sound of some mountain bikers passing on the other side of the river drew my attention in that direction. And guess who else was over there - a wombat!

it was momentarily disturbed by the mountain bikers

but was soon back to eating

This was actually my second sighting of a daytime wombat along the Yarra in a week. I thought these suburban wombats would stay in their burrows during the day while the trails along the river are busy with people, bikes and dogs - but apparently not! It waddled off out of sight after a few minutes.

see ya!

Back on the main path I found a few more birds: a Common Bronzewing pigeon, Australian Magpies and a kookaburra.

Laughing Kookaburra

There were a lot of Red Wattlebirds around (autumn flocking?) and they were loving the little fruits on what I think are the Tree Violet shrubs.

yum!

The were a couple of others also enjoying these snacks.

Rainbow Lorikeets

I followed another track off the main path which took me away from all the walkers and bike-riders now out and about.

evidence of wombats on this side of the river too

Suddenly I came across a very birdy spot. There were more Red-browed Finches, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, a White-browed Scrubwren and some Silvereyes that were feeding on the ground - not behaviour I usually see.

a lovely, but shy, Eastern Yellow Robin also appeared

There is a small wetland/billabong at Birrarung Park but it has been dry the last few times I've been. I'm sure it had water when I was first birding there because I remember seeing Black-fronted Dotterels.

vegetation is now taking over

So, no water birds here, but from the other side I heard the call of a Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo - one my favourite birds! I could also hear the begging call of a young bird:



When I made it around to the other side, I found a family of three in a bare tree.

2/3

I think this is mum

and this must be dad with his pink eye-ring

There is more of the park to explore, but by now I was pretty much back to where I'd started. The car park was now full, with lot of people around - including some training huskies to be sled dogs because that is actually a thing in Australia.

It had also started raining again but I was happy to head home having seen the wombat and the black cockies!

Take care ♡