Portarlington

Not the best day for birding today with the temperature hovering above 40°C for most of the afternoon. However, low tide late in the afternoon on the beaches along The Esplanade in Portarlington (View Map) provided a few opportunities for observing gulls and terns resting on the stony sandflats with many juveniles present. The Crested Terns were particularly cooperative...

Crested Tern, Portarlington

While there, a small group of Ruddy Turnstones arrived.

These little birds are great to watch as they roll over stone after stone looking for food.

Ruddy Turnstone, Portarlington

Little Corellas at St Leonards

A quick lunchtime trip around the Bellarine Peninsula today and I discovered (not hard given the amount of noise they were making) a flock of Little Corellas at St Leonards Lake Reserve (View Map). It was difficult to count numbers as they were scattered among the eucalypts on both sides of the lake but I estimate 200-300 birds. I have seen one or two Little Corella here previously but never in these numbers. I suspect they've flown south because of the floods inland.

Little Corella, St Leonards Lake

Western Treatment Plant

It has been two months since I've been out birding due to work and family commitments and having spent the last two weeks overseas reading reports every day of rare shorebirds at the Western Treatment Plant, there was only one place to go.

Started at Western Lagoon where there had been reports of Long-toed Stint and Stilt Sandpiper. Did get to see the Long-toed Stint thanks to several other birdos with spotting scopes but too far away for even a record photograph. Dipped on the SS so went over to T-Section for a look only to find that the party had moved to Austin Road...

...so back in the car and drove around to the other side of the pond to see what the attraction was and, sure enough, the Stilt Sandpiper was there, close to the shore.

Stilt Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant

While there, a single Pectoral Sandpiper landed nearby.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant

Couldn't get very close with so many observers there but close enough for record shots of two lifers for the day!

Did, however, get close enough to some of the more common birds:

Red-necked Stint, Western Treatment Plant

Golden-headed Cisticola, Western Treatment Plant