Nine of us met at Baensch’s Lane for an enjoyable morning of bird watching on the 19th of May.

Some of the observers at Hospital Swamp – all photos by Margaret Lacey
We were quite often distracted from our main aim of counting Blue-winged Parrots, and checking for the possibility of OBP’s.

Purple Swamphens
For our 2 sites, Baensches Lane and Hospital Swamp, we had a total of 49 birds, including 10 raptors and it was great to have Craig explain how to note the various differences. It was especially exciting to see a sub-adult Sea Eagle fly over.

White-bellied Sea Eagle, immature
Blue-winged parrots, including lots of juveniles, numbered 50 and we had good views of them as they fed in the paddock alongside the saltmarsh, and amongst the saltmarsh.

White-fronted Chats
Alison Watson
Below are all the birds identified on this walk:
- Black Swan
- Australian Shellduck
- Pacific Black Duck
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Australian Pelican
- Eastern Great Egret
- Australian White Ibis
- Straw-necked Ibis
- Yellow-billed Spoonbill
- Black-shouldered kite
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle
- Whistling Kite
- Brown Goshawk
- Swamp Harrier
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Little Eagle
- Nankeen Kestral
- Brown Falcon
- Australian Hobby
- Purple Swamphen
- Black-winged Stilt
- Black-fronted Dotterel
- Masked Lapwing
- Tern sp
- Gang Gang Cockatoo
- Eastern Rosella
- Red-rumped Parrot
- Blue-winged Parrot
- Surperb Fairy-wren
- Striated Fieldwren
- Spotted Pardalote
- White-plumed Honeyeater
- Noisy Miner
- White-fronted Chat
- Grey Butcherbird
- Australian Magpie
- Willie Wagtail
- Little Raven
- Magpie-lark
- Flame Robin
- Cisticola
- Little Grassbird
- Brown Skylark
- Welcome Swallow
- Tree Martin
- Common Starling
- Red-browed Finch
- House Sparrow
- European Goldfinch