Marg Lacey often goes out looking for birds and, after sitting for a couple of hours, finds little of interest. Recently her patience was rewarded with some unusual bird sightings in Aireys Inlet.
Early one morning she was photographing a Black-faced Cormorant sitting on Table Rock below the Lighthouse. This is a bird often seen on rock ledges further along the Great Ocean Road, but rarely here.
Black-faced Cormorant
While she was doing this an immature Sea Eagle flew overhead.
Immature White-bellied Sea Eagle
A few days before this she had a couple of entrancing sightings of Rufous Fantails. One, with its glorious, fiery rufous rump shining in the sun, posed on the fence outside her window. Then, while at Distillery Creek, there was another fluttering around the pond.
Rufous Fantail
After that an even more unusual sight was a few Rose Robins, with the male displaying its gorgeous delicate pink upper chest… wow, patience can have its rewards!
Rose Robin
Nick Carter, a PhD student at Deakin University, is studying the movements of Powerful Owls in western Victoria, including the Otways and particularly Anglesea and Aireys Inlet. His project aims to catch Powerful Owls and equip them with GPS/VHF trackers. The data obtained will be used to aid in their conservation. Please send any sightings of Powerful Owls to Angair or Ellinor (0434 820 110) so we can pass them on to him.
Last month’s bird walk was in Aireys Inlet at the block in the Painkalac Valley which is being revegetated with the help of Angair members. We saw 23 species, including lovely sightings of a multitude of Dusky Woodswallows.
Dusky Woodswallow
Photo: Jordan Ayton
We were amazed at the height of plants after only one or two years, with small birds such as Red-browed Finches able to sit and almost hide in the foliage. The First Peoples must have been able to live a life of plenty here with such good soil, plentiful water and fauna.
Ellinor Campbell
Photos: Marg Lacey
FROM OUR READERS … Geraldine Harris
I photographed this Grey Butcherbird in our garden at Anglesea on March 29 and 31.
On the second occasion it was feeding on Ruby Saltbush, Enchylaena tomentosa var tomentosa. This is a new sighting for our bird list!