Rose Herben, a Conservation Worker with the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, has been monitoring the progress of the Hooded Plovers.
The birds nesting at Point Roadknight have three eggs, which are due to hatch very soon.
The pair west of the Point, appear to have abandoned their nest. Meg Cullen, from Birds Australia visited the nest on 24 September, and found one Hooded Plover egg discarded on the beach. Another bird preyed on it. The second egg lay in the nest on its own. By nightfall, the egg was still in the nest, but unfortunately, no Hooded Plover (parents) to be seen. It appears that the nest has been abandoned.
While Rose was checking the Hooded Plovers, she found a Banded Stilt, washed up on the beach. The Banded Stilt is a native, wader bird, usually found in shallow salt lakes or tidal mudflats.
A White-necked Heron was observed at Aireys Inlet Sewerage treatment ponds.
At the Anglesea Golf Course, Jemma Cripps, from Melbourne University, was monitoring the resident kangaroos. Unexpectedly, two Southern Brown Bandicoots appeared, one with pouch young. The time was about 5.30 in the afternoon. Jemma had a perfect view of them, and was able to photograph their movements as they foraged in the grasses
A Stubble Quail flew into a second-storey window of a house in Anglesea. The bird was found dead beneath the window. It was in perfect condition, and the Museum is very pleased to acquire it for its collection.
An unusual fish was discovered, washed onto the beach at Urquhart Bluff. It was a Red Velvet Fish, which is infrequently observed in areas of reef and weed along the southern coastline. The scaleless body is covered with closely packed, tiny warts, which give it a velvety feel. It ranges in colour from yellowish brown to red. The dorsal fin is most unusual, commencing immediately above the eye, as a fan with four spines. The spines are reputed to be venomous.
Mike and Kaye Traynor