Banded Lapwing

A pair of Banded Lapwing were discovered about three weeks ago east of the RAAF base at Sale whilst a BLEG member was searching for the Blue-winged Parrots. I have been checking on them regularly since their discovery and they seem to be settled in. The wet and cold snaps over the last three weeks haven't dented their amour and I have seen one sitting down over the last four days, apparently on a nest ?? It is about 300 metres away from the road so images not so good.

There is a nest in there, somewhere!

HBW TFN

Wednesday 01 June 2016 was a bee-ay-you-tif-ul day. Sunny, warm, no wind at all, just right and ripe for bird watching. Fourteen birders gathered at Stratford and Peter led the way to a Trust For Nature block near his house. We had a walk around the block, a third of which had been recently burnt, and saw 22 species -- Scarlet Robins, Yellow-rumped, Brown and Yellow Thornbills, Eastern Spinebills, White-eared Honeyeaters [right in your face easily seen atop sticks -- ticks for some], Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Little and Australian Ravens overhead and morning tea which finished about 11.45!

We then drove north up the Stockade Road to Berrys Road and birded down a side track viewing a very cold Red-bellied Black Snake in the shade of a fall tree plus lifer bird for Heather and Cathy, five Gang-Gang Cockatoos in a tree by the track. Lunch on the track yielded a pair of Crescent Honeyeaters plus Silvereyes, Musk Lorikeets and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. Twenty-two species here and 35 for the day. It was a great day. Thanks to Pete. Images by Cathy.

Crescent Honeyeater

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

Scarlet Robin

Swiftly getting nowhere

This last weekend [May 14/15] was designated by Birdlife Australia for Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater surveys. We checked out suitable environments at Heyfield, Holey Plains and Jack Smith Lake [well, perhaps not JSL but the birding was excellent]. Five of us failed to see either species but these Musk Lorikeets were occupying ideal Swiftie habitat.

These Red-necked Avocets and one Banded Stilt were occupying their own suitable environment as was this single Hooded Plover, all by itself on the shore of the 90-Mile Beach.