Western Treatment Plant _ Orange-bellied Parrot

The Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster is critically endangered to the point of becoming extinct in the wild. Migrating from their breeding territories near Melaleuca in southwest Tasmania to Victoria to take advantage of our comparatively milder winters, only 13 males and 2 females were detected returning to Melaleuca this spring. That means only 15 wild birds. Do you think this is enough for survival of the species? Only 40 years ago flocks of 30-40 could be reliably seen around Werribee and records show they were seen as high as Sydney on the east coast and well towards Adelaide to the west.

BirdLife Australia runs an Orange-bellied Parrot survey three times a year in the winter over habitats from Jack Smith Lake in the east to the South Australian border in the west. Blue-winged Parrots (Neophema chrysostoma - a close cousin in the same genus) are in the habitats the OBPs used to co-occupy with them. They could be considered an "indicator" bird.

Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma

These birds were seen on Heart Hall Road to the east of the RAAF base in July 2016. Wouldn't it be lovely to see a line of OBPs like this.

These birds were seen at Jack Smith Lake towards Yarram in mid-winter on one of the survey days.

The Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Program has been set up with a detailed remit. The Program Team has produced a plan (see link above) which summarises a large body of information on the Orange-bellied Parrot to provide a concise approach to recovery implementation. Part of the Plan is to release 30 captive bred individuals onto 2 mainland sites. 2017 was the first year of release. Eleven birds bred at Healesville and Moonlit Sanctuaries were released in April 2017 at the Western Treatment Plant at Werribee and were quickly seen to buddy up with Tasmanian immigrants. Unfortunately not one Victorian-released OBP has been detected at Melaleuca after migration of the 15 birds referred to earlier and only 3 individuals (all male) have been spotted still around the WTP.

The Victorian Wader Study Group met at WTP last week, Thursday to Saturday, to cannon-net and ring/flag waders.There was a bit of down time. On Thursday evening at dinner, a volunteer, Petra from SA, told us she had seen and photographed an OBP that day!! So the next morning at 6.30 am, three of us including Petra, set off to find the bird. It had been seen at Gate 4 into the WTP. Well, we hadn't been there 10 minutes before a bird was flushed up on to a dock seed-head in a drain. From there it flew to a section of green vegetation just a few centimetres high and allowed close approach to about 6-7 metres. 

Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster

It was pretty dark so the next morning we went back again and the light was just about perfect. Within 5 minutes we had found Y (a male) in the drain and then in dead bushes lining the drain. He provided us with fabulous views.

Blue-winged Paradise

Back in June, Heather Alexander alerted me to the presence of Blue-winged Parrots in paddocks to the east of the RAAF Base at Sale. You beaut. You never know when there may be an Orange-bellied Parrot accompanying them. Subsequently, the next morning we rendevoused at the site on Hearthall Road. It was cold and foggy. There had been a frost. First bird up was a Flame Robin.

not a Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang but a
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea -- thanks to John H for correct ID

Next bird up was a Blue-winged Parrot, exactly where Heather said they would be. Just a few but it was still foggy.

Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma

Once Photoshop has been utilised, the same image becomes a whole lot better.

Is it cheating to use Photoshop?

The fog lifted fairly quickly so we were soon able to see the birds with better clarity and colour.

Here are some on the ground. About 20 I think. There were 72 in the flock [edit: I originally wrote 47 but checking my ID of Flame Robin on eBird -- see above, I discovered we saw 72]. They did a bit of flying about between fence and food but relatively unperturbed by our presence about 40 metres away.

Then, last but not least, in full sunlight rising from behind the camera, a full fence of BWP. Have a go at deciding which birds are male, female and juveniles.

In this last image, my grandson, Ethan, and I spent quite a while carefully determining the gender and age of those on the fence line using our bird guides and, of most help, the Birdlife Australia guides [here and here] to differentiating the OBP from the BWP, Elegant Parrot and Rock Parrot. We do not have the last two as residents in Victoria so the choice is easy. See if you agree!

Magic. f8 and be there.