Birding trip to Victoria (October 2000)

(part two - Port Fairy)

by

Tom and Marie Tarrant

 

On Monday 23 October we took the train from Spencer St Station, Melbourne to Warnambool then connected by bus to Port Fairy. The trip took about 3 hours and though the scenery was rather agricultural and fairly boring we did manage to see Pallid Cuckoos, Swamp Harriers and many White-necked Herons from the window.

On arrival at Port Fairy we were met by Harry and taken to the Seacombe House Motor Inn which he and Eleanor manage.

 

Motel entrance

Motel

Motel entrance

Motel

 

Harry Zawacki

Aerial View of Port Fairy

Harry Zawacki

Aerial View of Port Fairy

 

The motel is within walking distance of a public-hide and wetland reserve and Griffith Island (home for 40,000 nesting Short-tailed Shearwaters)

After putting our luggage down  we were soon exploring these areas, and found up to 8 Latham's Snipe, Black-winged Stilt and suprisingly for me Singing Honeyeater (previously I had only come across this species in south-west Queensland)

On the Island we saw Hooded Plover, Pacific Gulls, White-fronted Chat, Black-shouldered Kite, Sooty Oystercatcher and Little Raven. Many dead shearwaters were found along the path near their burrows, foxes are supposedly eradicated although we did see a 'feral' cat on a following day. One of the few native mammals seen on the island was the very dark form of the Swamp Wallaby.

We repeated this walk the next day and saw Black-faced Cormorant for the first time, and saw an Australian Fur-Seal near the light-house. A juvenile Giant Petrel flew past and a few days later Harry and I saw an adult (all-white) Southern G-P, his first for approximately 6 years!

 

Short-tailed Shearwater

Singing Honeyeater

Short-tailed Shearwater

Singing Honeyeater

 

White-fronted Chat

Lighthouse

White-fronted Chat

Lighthouse

 

Hooded Plover

Pacific Gulls

Hooded Plover

Pacific Gulls

 

After our strenuous excursion around the Island, Harry took pity on us and took us out in his van to the local birding 'hot-spots'

We visited a coastal area west of Port Fairy known as 'the Crags' where we had much better views of Hooded Plover, then went inland a short distance to an area known as Yambuk Lake. Hardly had we stopped the truck when I spotted a pair of Painted Snipe (possibly only the third record in Victoria for ten years) The site was excellent, an inundated area with shelter for Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-kneed and Black-fronted Plover, Little Grassbird, Australian Reed-warbler, Whiskered Tern and many Australian (Spotted) Crakes.

 

Red-kneed Plover

Black-faced Cormorant

Red-kneed Plover

Black-faced Cormorant

 

Our next stop was to Tower Hill Nature Reserve, halfway between Port Fairy and Warnambool, this was once the crater of an extinct volcano and up to a few years ago was farmland. Now a reserve with a wide diversity of habitats and species, we saw Koala, Emu with young and before dusk caught up with a male Satin Flycatcher

 

Koala

male Emu with young

Koala

male Emu with young

 

male Satin Flycatcher

Tower Hill Nature Reserve

male Satin Flycatcher

Tower Hill Nature Reserve

 

On wednesday Harry took Marie and I on an overnight trip along the "Great Ocean Road", unfortunately the weather was cold wet and windy but we stopped at many spots including Loch Ard Gorge and the "Twelve Apostles". Along this stretch of coast and at most of the car-parks the original heath-like vegetation remains and birds such as Striated Heathwren, Superb Fairywren and White-fronted Chat were fairly common, however it wasn't until we arrived at Point Addis near Torquay that we had crippling views of a species that we had heard at most sites......Rufous Bristlebird. As we pulled into the car-park we saw a single bird run across the bitumen and then started singing from a log!

 

Loch Ard Gorge

London Bridge

Loch Ard Gorge

London Bridge

 

Rufous Bristlebird

Rufous Bristlebird

Rufous Bristlebird

Rufous Bristlebird

 

Also at Point Addis we came across a flock of Blue-winged Parrots (another new species for us) and had nice views of a Brush Bronzewing, it was also strange to see Crimson Rosellas on the heath with the sea as a back-drop. 

 

Brush Bronzewing

Blue-winged Parrot

Brush Bronzewing

Blue-winged Parrot

 

On the return leg of the trip we stopped at several sites on the Otway Range, however we didn't see a great deal but at Melba Gully near Lavers Hill we had great views of a male Crescent Honeyeater on a waratah.

 

Marie at Melba Gully

Crescent Honeyeater

Marie at Melba Gully

Crescent Honeyeater

 

Thursday and Friday took us in a different direction, Harry was required to work so he lent us the campervan and we headed to the Grampians National Park (about 200kms north of Port Fairy) The Grampians are a mountainous area and on arrival we drove out of Hall's Gap to Boroka Lookout. Birding was quiet but Marie spotted a pair of Scarlet Robins with a group of Superb Fairywrens.

 

Boroka Lookout

Scarlet Robin

Boroka Lookout

Scarlet Robin

 

We spent the night in the campervan near Hall's Gap, and in the morning we sat on a rock lookout and were rewarded with Long-billed Corella,  Sulphur-crested and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, and undoubtely the most exciting for us were Gang-gang Cockatoos which seemed to pass in pairs. Also seen in the area were White-eared Honeyeater, Brush Bronzewing and Eastern Spinebill. The texture of the rocks of the area gave it it's name, "Elephant's Hide" 

 

Eastern Spinebill

Elephant's Hide

Eastern Spinebill

Elephant's Hide

 

We returned to Hall's Gap and decided to walk to Clematis Falls in search of Gang-gang Cockatoos, we were soon rewarded with a group of about six, unfortunately with no males present. The walk was very pleasant and we also came across Spotted Pardalote, Satin Flycatcher, Rufous Whistler, Sacred Kingfisher and Eastern Grey Kangaroo.

 

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Gang-gang Cockatoo

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Gang-gang Cockatoo

 

Trail near Clematis Falls

 Clematis Falls

Trail near Clematis Falls

 Clematis Falls

 

After Clematis Falls Marie talked me into doing the big hike to the "Pinnacle" which towers above Hall's Gap, we met quite a few other hikers and very few birds but the can of beer at the end was most welcome!

 

Orchid

"Silent Street"

Orchid

"Silent Street"

 

The "Pinnacle"

nope!

The "Pinnacle"

nope!

 

View from Pinnacle

The Pinnacle from Halls Gap

View from Pinnacle

The Pinnacle from Halls Gap (directly above the blue sign)

 

During the time in Hall's Gap I realised that I didn't have any images of  Red Wattlebird, not to worry....one came to me!  Also pretty tame and confiding were these Long-billed Corella.

 

Red Wattlebird

Long-billed Corella

Red Wattlebird

Long-billed Corella

 

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This page created by Tom and Marie Tarrant November 2000

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