Swift Parrots!

So in between the two Swift Parrot surveys, I did actually manage to catch up with some Swifties.

Each winter there's usually a group that turn up and hang out somewhere long enough for birders to go and visit them. This year that spot seemed to Truganina Park in Altona when large flocks of 20-40 birds started being reported there in late June. (This is on the other side of the city, well outside my 5MR.)

I've been birding at the park quite a few times before so knew the area where they'd been reported. As expected, a few other birders were also looking for the parrots when I arrived late in the afternoon on the last day of June.

At first I saw some of them perched high on bare branches over the trees, but the other birders motioned to me that actually there were more in the leafy branches just around me.

They were feeding on lerps I think, very busy in the foliage, when they weren't just perching around or darting about in flight.

It was a pretty overcast day so my photos aren't amazing, especially those against the sky.

But that's ok, I got to see the Swift Parrots again this year. These guys will probably be back in Tasmania by now, or well on their way. They are critically endangered, but hopefully they will have a good breeding season and we will still have them visiting us for many winters to come.

See you next year!

Swift Parrot Surveys - Part 2

At the start of August I headed back to Yarra Bend Park for the second part of the Swift Parrot survey. This time my mum came along. I was still not that optimistic about finding any Swift Parrots here but thanks to an eBird list posted just a few days before I was closing in on those 5MR Scarlet Robins!

it was that time of the year when all the wattle had just come out

We started at Studley Park, near the boathouse, and before we'd only just made it out of the car park we were approached by a local out for this morning walk who had seen our binoculars. He had many bird questions. As we were both heading the same direction he asked to accompany us along the river and we ended up giving an impromptu bird tour for the first part of our walk. He seemed interested but also a bit confused by the whole birding thing. At one point he had to answer a call to tell someone he'd be late to meet them because he was "watching birds at the river". Apparently he was meant to be singing in a church choir that morning.

Anyway, after imparting what bird-knowledge we could and saying goodbye, my mum and I went to check out the area above Yarra Boulevard.

and also have a homemade treat my mum brought- yum!

Up here we found Australian Wood Ducks, Eastern Rosellas, Rainbow Lorikeets, Musk Lorikeets and Galahs all in one tree. And we also saw some Australian King Parrots.

including this guy who was thinking about getting his adult plumage

Swift Parrot Surveys - Part 1

Last weekend we were having some very cold, rainy, wintery weather - a good time to catch up on blog posts!

And as well as cold, rainy weather, winter also brings us Swift Parrots! Each year they migrate from Tasmania to spend the colder months on the mainland with us. And like many birders I like to try to catch up with the Swifties at least once each year while they are here. Back in April I had my first (very brief and unsatisfying) sighting of four in flight at Jells Park.

Then in May I volunteered for the first of the biannual Swift Parrot surveys. My allocated area was Yarra Bend Park where as far as I know Swift Parrots haven't been sighted in recent years (or ever?) and there are no records of them there on eBird at all.

But that's ok! Yarra Bend Park is in my 5MR! And there are flying foxes!

the first stop

I started at Bellbird Picnic Area where the Grey-headed Flying Fox colony is. Checking down by the river, I found a Pacific Black Duck and some Australian Wood Ducks and the first of many flying foxes.

Then I headed up the path to the observation platform where there was nice new signage with lots of bat facts.

cute pic!

There were also Little Ravens, a Tawny Frogmouth and a pair of Eastern Rosellas. But no Swift Parrots.

the Tawny

Stockyard Point

So it seems to take me a while to get around to posting about things on here, for example, this post is about a little birding adventure from about two months ago... eep!

I'd been meaning to take my mum birding at Stockyard Point for a while and so way back on the Labour Day long weekend in March we finally made it down.  We were hoping to see lots of waders before they left on their long journeys north, and maybe some in pretty breeding colours too. 

mangroves near Jam Jerrup

First up, there were about 85 Cape Barren Geese in the farm paddocks just before going through Jam Jerrup. I'm not sure I've ever seen that many together!

Then, after parking the car, we set off down the beach. You need to time your visit to Stockyard Point just right: waders use the point as a high tide roost, and you need get down there early enough to walk along beach before the tide comes in a blocks off access.

the walk down

Usually on the way down you can see some birds in a bit of a wetland over a farm fence, but it was totally dry that day.

no wetland birds today

5MR in March

After only adding one bird to the 2019 challenge in February, I thought I should get out and try to find a few more in March.

back to the Botanic Gardens

Conveniently some Rufous Fantails had been reported in the Royal Botanic Gardens so I went for a look early on Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend. Up to five had been reported during the week but I was still super pleased when I found just one of them. It flitted about only allowing brief clear views and definitely no photos. And it was hanging around with a large flock of Silvereyes which were constantly moving around and feeding.

Silvereyes + snacks

I also found another 5MR year bird - a Golden Whistler that was also possibly associating with this flock.

the whistler was a bit shy

5MR Update

Here's a little update from the first two months of my 2019 5MR challenge!

I got off to a pretty good start in January. I tried to make some grey bars into green bars and got out to a few local places in the weeks they were missing eBird lists.

At Burke Road Billabong Reserve I found some pretty nice local birds like Red-browed Finch, Sacred Kingfisher and Common Bronzewing in the first couple of weeks.

Eastern Yellow Robins can also be found along this path 

and here is a cute little Fairywren near the picnic table

and a female Red-Rumped Parrot from just over the river

The Challenge Begins!

This year I'm going to attempt Jen's 2019 5MR Challenge. That is, to try to find as many birds as I can in my 5-mile radius during the year.

To kick off my challenge, I decided to get out early to the Royal Botanic Gardens. I've only birded here once before, and figured there'd be less people around on New Year's morning than on a weekend when I'd probably usually go.

mmm... look at all that lush greenery through the gate!

I got there just after the gates opened at 7.30am and straight away there was a lot of small bird action. A Grey Fantail appeared, there were some White-browed Scrubwrens in the undergrowth and I noticed a couple of Spotted Pardalotes high up in a tall gum. A whole bunch of Silvereyes also flew in and got some little fruit snacks on one of the bushes.

a sweet little Silvereye

I started around the Ornamental Lake where I found some ducks snoozing on the small landing that the punts leave from.

Pacific Black Duck

Australian Wood Duck