Last month we visited the always wonderful Melbourne Treatment Plant at Werribee.
Despite being cool and very windy, plus early rain, we had a great day and saw masses of birds…43 species.
Braving the elements
An early highlight was sighting two Glossy Ibis. Later in the day it was the turn of a pair of Brolgas which we saw three times…or six different Brolgas!. These elegant birds with wind-ruffled feathers, half dancing along the sand banks were such a delight to see.
Brolgas
In between times we saw masses of mainly waterbirds, but were not able to identify any rarities.
Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
We followed a different route from usual, though with about 200 kms of roads there are lots of choices, and stayed mostly near the sea.
At lunch time we found a second bird hide which most of us had never seen before. After a cursory look at nearby birds we hunkered down inside, enjoying a respite from the wind.
Lunch
After lunch we were really disappointed to find that the large flock of about 100 splendid Avocets had all flown, and we did not see them anywhere else.
However a small colony of Jewel spiders sheltering in a corner of the hide passageway surprised us with their complex web structure. At the base of their dense combined cobweb they had suspended a small stone, presumably to help stabilise the web in the wind… and what a testament to the strength and versatility of spider silk.
Jewel Spider
Below are all the birds identified on this walk:
- Black Swan
- Australian Shelduck
- Australian Shoveler
- Pacific Black Duck
- Gray Teal
- Chestnut Teal
- Hoary-headed Grebe
- Eurasian Coot
- Australasian Swamphen
- Brolga
- Pied Stilt
- Red-necked Avocet
- Pied Oystercatcher
- Masked Lapwing
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Red-necked Stint
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Silver Gull
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Little Black Cormorant
- Australian Pelican
- Great Egret
- White-faced Heron
- Little Egret
- Glossy Ibis
- Australian Ibis
- Straw-necked Ibis
- Royal Spoonbill
- Yellow-billed Spoonbill
- Little Eagle
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Swamp Harrier
- Superb Fairywren
- White-fronted Chat
- Crow/Raven sp.
- Fairy Martin
- Little Grassbird
- Silver-eye
- European Starling
- House Sparrow
- Zebra Finch
- Bar-tailed Godwit
Ellinor Campbell
Photos by Alison and Phil Watson