The Messmates and Brown Stringybarks are in blossom, and are the main attraction for hundreds of Lorikeets.
I know definitely that there are Musk Lorikeets in the flock, as I saw one that had been hit on the road, and I was able to identify it (Web editors note: see picture at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musk_Lorikeet). However, there could be other species as well. One late afternoon, I watched the lorikeets flying in a noisy and frantic manner, changing direction frequently, when a Peregrine Falcon appeared, and flew through the flock. It kept going, and I could hear alarm calls in the distance, but I couldn’t tell if the Falcon had actually taken a bird on the way through.
Birdline Victoria Recent Sightings, reported for 14 February, that a dark morph Pomarine Jaeger was observed gliding above Point Addis. Pomarine Jaegers are similar to the Arctic Jaeger, but heavier and more thick-set, with a robust bill and broad wings, and a larger, white wingpatch at the base of the primaries. They are uncommon visitors to these shores, arriving October–November, and departing April–May. They spend the breeding season in countries such as Finland, Alaska, Canada, eastern Siberia.
The same person reported seeing a Shy Alabatross flying along the coastline at Pt Addis. A few days later, I also happened to see a pair of Shy Albatrosses flying low along the beach area at Bells Beach.
Another sighting, by Neil Tucker in Anglesea, is the Honeybrown Beetle Ecnolagria grandis. For the past few months, there had been an infestation of dark brown larvae feeding on fallen Eucalypt leaves and skeletonising them. The larvae, however, developed into an infestation of beetles, which were identified as the Honeybrown Beetle s (Web editors note: see pictures at http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_beetles/BrownDarkling.htm). These beetles have beautiful golden-brown wing covers, and a dark, rather elongated thorax and head.
Five Royal Spoonbills and one Great Egret were seen foraging together, in the shallow water just near the estuary at Aireys Inlet. Another nice moment was observing two Wedgetailed Eagles circling and gliding just north of Bellbrae.
Mike and Kaye Traynor