Waterbirds Galore

I have driven past Lake Connewarre on the Barwon Heads Road 20 or 30 times in the last month, noting the large mixed flocks of waterbirds congregating on the lake and meaning to come back and investigate further but until today had not managed to find the time. Mid afternoon, backlit and a lot of heat haze so not the best conditions for photography but sometimes you have to take what you find...

Most of the birds are Eurasian Coot, thousands of them, with a few intermingled ducks and grebes.

Eurasian Coot, Lake Connewarre

There are also flocks of ducks--mostly Grey Teal--along with Black-winged Stilts. This flock was spooked by a Swamp Harrier flying low over the lake.

Black Swan and Grey Teal, Lake Connewarre

Grey Teal and Black-winged Stilt, Lake Connewarre

I also drove past the Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve. The shallow, ephemeral lakes along on Blackgate Road are usually good for ducks, herons, egrets, ibis and spoonbills but today I found a flock of hundreds of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints. I have seen the occasional small flocks of stints here before as well as the odd Red-capped Plover but this is the first time I have seen migratory waders in these numbers and the first time for Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.

Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve

Red-necked Stint, Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve

Broad-billed Sandpiper @ WTP

Following recent reports of a Broad-billed Sandpiper at the Western Treatment Plant, I went to have a look for myself. Several reports gave fairly specific location details but I was concerned that this could be a needle in a haystack search with so many other small wading birds at the same location. However, with a little homework (a brief perusal of various guidebooks this morning to familiarise myself with the characteristic features) it turned out to be surprisingly easy to find the one individual among the Curlew Sandpipers, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints at Western Lagoon 4. Even better, it was close-by the best viewing area and all the birds were tolerant of three of us standing and watching, allowing for some decent records shots for this lifer for me.

Broad-billed Sandpiper, Western Treatment Plant

While watching and photographing the birds, I commented to one of the other observers that all I wanted now was for a Curlew Sandpiper to come close enough to get the two birds in the same shot for a side-by-side size comparison. No sooner said...

Broad-billed Sandpiper (L) and Curlew Sandpiper (R), Western Treatment Plant

On the way out, I dropped past Ryan's Swamp to find a large flock of Nankeen Night-Herons (approx. 50 birds roosting in various trees at the north-west end of the swamp).

Nankeen Night-Heron, Western Treatment Plant

On departing the plant, I had just finished locking the gate when a Rufous Songlark landed on a fence and started singing. It was getting quite dark with some threatening clouds overhead but I managed a few shots (albeit with slow shutter speeds and wide open aperture)

Rufous Songlark, Western Treatment Plant

Driving home past Lake Connewarre, I spotted a pair of Brolgas with a half-grown chick in long grass about a hundred metres from the road. I pulled over and leapt from the car with camera in hand in time for one shot of them.

Brolga, Lake Connewarre

One of the adults separated from the others and continued to stay in view for another few minutes.

Brolga, Lake Connewarre

White-necked Heron

My wife rang me on her way home this evening after she spotted a White-necked Heron feeding in the swamp on Lake Connewarre Game Reserve along Barwon Heads Road (see map). 15 minutes later we found it again. It was almost sunset with grey clouds in the west darkening the sky even further. The heron was feeding in open marsh with no photographic cover so this was the best I could do but it's my first time photographing this species (and only the second time I've seen it) on the Bellarine Peninsula so I'm happy with the record shot.

White-necked Heron, Lake Connewarre

13th Beach and Lake Connewarre

A quick walk along 13th Beach at Black Rocks end late this afternoon. A few plovers: 4 Red-capped Plover, 6 Double-banded Plover and 1 Hooded Plover but only one co-operated with my stalking

Double-banded Plover,  Black Rocks, 13th Beach

Driving home past Lake Connewarre (just east of the Barwon Heads Airport) as the sun was setting. Lots of swans and ducks on the lake feeding.

Black Swans, Lake Connewarre