Island hopping in South-east Australia

[kittykat23uk]

Thursday 9 March

 

We headed to Phillip Island for the morning. Here we drove along Kitty Miller Road to Kitty Miller Bay to look for some special waders. En route we encountered more swamp wallabies and Cape Barren Geese.  A Large flock of c130 Masked Lapwing were seen taking off from a road roadside dam. It was a spectacular sight and a reminder of what the mainland may look like without foxes. A nice dark swamp harrier cruised over the farmland. A few Yellow-rumped Thornbill were also heard singing with one piercing up briefly. 

 

P3090028 Swamp Wallaby by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090039 Cape Barren Goose by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

 

Our target was Hooded Plover and we were not disappointed as we saw a pair along the beach. We then headed to Swan Lake. Australian White Ibis were patrolling the edges and Wallabies came down to drink. We had great views of a flock of Red-browed Firetail on the boardwalk, quite stunning little birds! 

 

P3090085 Hooded Plover by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090181_01 Australian white ibis by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090209_01 Swamp Wallaby by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090264_01 Red-browed Firetail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090264 Red-browed Firetail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090272 Red-browed Firetail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090331 Cape Barren Goose by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090348_01 Red-browed Firetail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090381_01 Superb Fairy-wren by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090379_01 Superb Fairy-wren by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090491 Grey Teal, Maned Duck, Black Swan, Little Pied Cormorant etc by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

There was a good variety of waterfowl, including 3 females and 1 young male Musk Duck with a  partial lobe. The male was chased and harassed by one of the adult females. Another new bird was a Black-fronted Dotterel, feeding on the edge of the lake near the hide. An Intermediate Egret was also observed alongside c12 Great Egret on the eastern side of the slowly drying out lake. 

 

P3090513 Grey Fantail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090554  Swamp Wallaby by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090589 Australasian swamphen by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090626_01 Black-fronted Dotterel by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090664 Little Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

 

We stopped at Pyramid Rock Lookout but nothing new was noted. Driving on to Fisher’s Wetland we spotted an introduced European Brown Hare. Arriving at the wetland we observed Australian Pelican and Australasian Shoveler. In the car park an escaped rooster had set up residence and was apparently a regular attendant. 

 

IMG_20230309_110850 Pyramid Rock Lookout by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090665 Brown Hare by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090683 Australasian Shoveler by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090733 Australian pelican by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090761 Domestic Chicken by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

IMG_20230309_122758 by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Walking out along the beach to Stockyard Point, we encountered two Red-capped Plovers and a solitary Double-banded Plover, occasionally with other plovers. A single Sooty Oystercatcher was hanging out with Pied cousins. Eight Far Eastern Curlew, a single Red Knot and good numbers of Curlew Sandpiper and Red-necked Stint were seen on the flats. Our guide recorded Straw-necked Ibis but I must had missed them or they were very distant because I don’t recall seeing these birds. A fantastic Wedge-tailed Eagle hanging in the wind was our near constant companion on the long slog back along the beach.

 

P3090790 Red-capped Plover by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090815 Pied Oystercatcher & Silver Gulls by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090867_01 Red-necked Stint by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091001 Red-necked Stint by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

IMG_20230309_130838 by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

IMG_20230309_130844 by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091020_01 Double-banded Plover by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091028 Red Knot by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091032 Stockyard Point by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091133_01 Wedge-tailed Eagle by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091145 Wedge-tailed Eagle by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091149_01 Wedge-tailed Eagle by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Other wildlife seen included: 

 

- 4x European Rabbit

 

- 6x Blue Blubber Jelly

 

- 1x Giant Green Slantface

 

P3091189 Giant Green Slantface by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

- 10x Australian Yellow-winged Locust

- 1x Bark-mimicking Grasshopper

- 3x Australian Painted Lady 

 

 

Heading back towards Melbourne we stopped at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens. The Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne is made up of the Australian Garden, an award-winning, contemporary botanic garden surrounded by over 300 hectares of remnant native bushland.  Cranbourne Gardens is recognised as a site of State significance for plant and wildlife conservation, home to over 25 endangered or rare and threatened species.    

 

I wish we could have spent more time here, as we barely scratched the surface and only saw a small patch of the native bushland. Just along the trails from the car park delivered Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Fantail and I was delighted to spot my own Koala peering down lazily at us from the safety of the trees. Spotted Pardalote flitted between the branches. Rufous Whistler, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Grey Shrike Thrush,  White-eared Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin and Little Wattlebirds were all in evidence, but the most beautiful of the bush birds has to be the striking male Golden Whistler who was singing his little heart out. 

 

P3091263 Yellow-faced Honeyeater by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091316  Grey Fantail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091336 Koala by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091383_01 Spotted Pardalote by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091467 Spotted Pardalote by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091522 Rufous Whistler by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091536 Rufous Whistler by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091582_01 Black-faced Cuckooshrike by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091621_01 Grey Shrikethrush by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091637 White-eared Honeyeater by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091682 Rufous Whistler by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091708 Golden Whistler by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091765 Eastern Yellow Robin by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Our final stop was at Yarra Bend Park, home of a 20,000 strong Grey-headed Flying Fox colony.   Grey-headed flying-foxes are an important part of Melbourne's wildlife. They used to roost in the Royal Botanic Gardens but their presence there was not sustainable due to the sensitive nature of the vegetation. The colony was relocated to Yarra Bend Park in 2003 which is now the permanent roost site.

 

P3091778 Little Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

The flying-fox colony is best viewed from Yarra Boulevard or Bellbird Picnic Area where there is a path to the flying fox viewing platform. They aren’t actually at the viewing platform anymore, as the colony has moved a few hundred yards down the river from there. On the way to see the Flying Foxes we got distracted by some glorious Rainbow Lorikeets as well as some much better views of Eastern Rosella. 

 

P3091802 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091808 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091827_01 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091835_01 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091835 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091900 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3091975_01 Eastern Rosella by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Arriving at the Flying Fox colony we were able to watch them at close quarters. Some took off and flew along the river, but the main colony doesn’t really get going until dusk and we didn’t stay that long sadly and we soon returned to Melbourne as our tour came to an end. 

 

P3092006_01 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092028_01 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092066_01 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092085_01 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092126 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092142 Grey-headed flying-foxes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3092256 Laughing Kookaburra by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Jay knew that I was rather disappointed that the weather scuppered our chances of seeing some of the rarer nocturnal beasties, so he tried his best to get me onto a nocturnal tour on the following night, but unfortunately initial indications was that it was already full. 

 

After saying our goodbyes to Jess, Devin and I decided to try Flagstaff Garden after sunset to look for Brush-tailed Possums. We were not disappointed as several individuals began to emerge from their daytime roosts including a mother with an adorable little joey on her back. 

 

IMG_20230309_200318 Melbourne. by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090162 Common Brushtail Possum by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090200_01 Common Brushtail Possum by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3090212_01 Common Brushtail Possum by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

We decided to go to that delicious Korean BBQ restaurant for dinner before saying goodnight.

[John M.]

Wow, what a collection of sightings!  Australian white ibis, aka Bin Chicken or Tip Turkey because it has adapted to and flourishes in urban areas 

[kittykat23uk]

Thank you @John M.Well we are down to the final full day now!

 

I haven't added any of my own sightings to Ebird yet but Treeswift helpfully provided the following lists to cover our two day tour:

 

Below, you’ll find the eBird list(s) and a list of all wildlife encountered. 

 

Dandenong Ranges National Park- O'Donohues Picnic Ground: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130442003

Dandenong Ranges National Park- Grants Picnic Ground: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130441889

Bass Highway, Leongatha South: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130441816

Cape Liptrap Lighthouse: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130441741

Wilsons Promontory National Park: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130442600

Fish Creek: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130500643

Kitty Miller Rd: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130500842

Kitty Miller Bay: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130500912

Swan Lake: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501412

Pyramid Rock Lookout: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501442

Fishers Wetland: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501496

Stockyard Point: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501548

Royal Botanic Gardens (Cranbourne): https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501604

Bellbird Park: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130501619

 

Birds:

- 116x species observed (see eBird lists above for a full list of species)

 

Mammals:

- 25x Brown Fur Seal

- 8x Common Wombat
- 1x Mountain Brushtail
- 8x Common Ringtail Possum
- 35x Eastern Grey Kangaroo
- 52x Swamp Wallaby
- 5x White-striped Free- tailed Bat

- 1x Koala
 

- 20,000x Grey-headed Flying Fox
 

- 1x European Hare

- 4x European Rabbit
 

 

Amphibians:

- 10x Eastern Smooth Frog (heard only)

- 3x Southern Brown Tree Frog (heard only)

 

Other:

- 4x Spotted Galaxias

- 6x Blue Blubber Jelly
- 12x Coprosma Hawk Moth
- 2x Black-scaped Bull Ant
- 1x Varied Sword-grass Brown
- 25x Yellow Admiral

- 2x Leopard Slug

- 1x Giant Green Slantface
- 10x Australian Yellow-winged Locust
- 1x Bark-mimicking Grasshopper  
- 3x Australian Painted Lady

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by kittykat23uk

[kittykat23uk]

Friday 10 March

 

Jay had advised me that they would call to let me know if any spaces came up on the night tour. So, with that in mind I decided to have a bit of a lazy start to the morning and have a look around the local market I also found that my hold luggage bag had developed quite a big tear in it so I needed to replace that. As I was walking around the market I got a call from Ruby and she advised me that a space had indeed come up so I was able to book for the night tour. Given the short notice, I was even able to pay cash!

 

The pick up point was close to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, so I decided to head out and spend the late afternoon birding there before I met up with the tour. 

 

It was a pleasant space to spend some time in. Melbourne Gardens extends over 38 hectares and houses a collection of more than 8,500 species of plants from around the world, including amazing and diverse plant collections such as camellias, rainforest flora, cacti and succulents, roses, Californian species, herbs, perennials, cycads, plants from Southern China and, in the Rare and Threatened Species Collection, plants from south-eastern Australia. It is also a good place for birding. 

 

Around the lake, I spotted Dusky Moorhen, Australasian Grebe and Common Mynah feeding young as well as Little Pied Cormorant, and Maned Ducks. An Australasian Darter was drying its wings in the sun.

 

P3100005  Dusky Moorhen by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100041 Common Mynah by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100049 Dusky Moorhen by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100063 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos flew overhead. The Cactus Garden in particular was popular with Little and Red Wattlebirds. Eastern Spinebills, Brown Thornbills and White-browed Scrubwrnes skulked in the shadier spots nearby. Rainbow Lorikeets were surprisingly well-camouflaged amongst the evergreen shrubs. 

 

P3100103 Little Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100083 Little Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100155  Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100169  Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100183  Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100273 Eastern Spinebill by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100291 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100294 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100295 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100343 Brown Thornbill by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100384_02 White-browed Scrubwren by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100400 Little Pied Cormorant by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100409 Maned Duck by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100462  Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100468 Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100492 Swallowtai by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100498 Water Lillies by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100501 Water Lillies by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100567_01 Australasian Grebe by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100597_01 Australasian Grebe by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100615_01 Australasian Grebe by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100617 Brown Rat by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100650_01 Australasian Darter by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100680 Common Mynah by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

I met up with the tour guide, Angus, and we headed off to Westerfolds Park. The rest of the participants were due to meet up at the park itself. As it turned out, a whole family had to cancel as one person had come down with covid. So in the end it was a much smaller group of four that joined the tour. 

 

On arrival, five Eastern Grey Kangaroos were seen from the roadside.  We also watched as a huge mixed flock of over 100 long-billed and 80 Little Corellas, 10 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and about 30 Rainbow Lorikeets came in to roost just before dusk. It was an awesome and very raucous sight! There were also lots of individuals and small groups of Noisy Miners flying around at dusk. 

 

P3100681 Eastern Grey Kangaroo by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100706 Eastern Grey Kangaroo by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100713 Eastern Grey Kangaroo by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100729 Eastern Grey Kangaroo by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Around  30 European Rabbits and a single Red Fox were also seen as we started our walk on the site. We stopped to look up at some bat boxes spotting a few roosting bats. As we carried on we spotted a Common Brush-tailed Possum and a single Common Wombat came out to feed by one of the main tracks.

 

A Tawny Frogmouth flew in and perched nicely on a low branch, then flew off to a broken stick nearby. A bit distant compared to previous sightings though.

 One sought after target here was Owlet Nightjar and Angus soon located a few. One in particular flew in and perched on a broken branch stump. It was very chilled out, that was until we spotted the movement of a Krefft’s Glider, which  glided into the tree spooking the Owlet Nightjar. The Krefft’s Glider (Split from Sugar Glider) didn’t stick around and as quickly as it had arrived it took off and vanished into the night. Despite the briefness of the sighting (and lack of photo opportunity) I was still delighted to see it!

 

P3100754_01 Common Brushtail Possum by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100774_01 Common Wombat by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3100816 Owlet Nightjar by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

We searched further but sadly no more nocturnal mammals revealed themselves and it was soon time to head back. But it was a nice highlight to end with.  Angus kindly dropped me back at my hotel rather than at the pick-up point.

Here’s a link the the ebird list for this evening tour: https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S130605149

[kittykat23uk]

Saturday 11 March

 

Sadly, departure day had arrived. After a late night, I didn’t get up particularly early but I still made the effort to get out for a few hours before my flight home in the afternoon. I had planned to go back to the Royal Botanical Gardens, but I ended up on the wrong tram heading to Royal Park instead. Not sure how that happened! I decided to roll with it in anycase and revisited the same part of the park as the previous visit. 

 

White-plumed and the ubiquitous New Holland Honeyeaters were showing in the scrub, alongside more Red Wattlebirds and Willie Wagtails. A trio of Crested Pigeons added a bit of pomp as they perched in a dead tree. I also came across a rather scruffy Tawny Frogmouth- perhaps a youngster? 

 

P3110011_01 White-plumed Honeyeater by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110083 New Holland Honeyeater by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110131 White-plumed Honeyeater by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110213_01 Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110240 Willie Wagtail by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110286 Crested Pigeons by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110315 Tawny Frogmouth by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Around the pools, Spotted Dove and Chestnut Teal. All too soon it was time to head back, so I caught the tram and wandered back through Flagstaff Gardens noting more Rainbow Lorikeet, a stunning bird to end on, despite how common they are. 

 

P3110333 Chestnut Teal by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110342 Spotted dove by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110367  Red Wattlebird by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110383 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110407 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110472 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P3110485 Rainbow Lorikeet by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

I caught the shuttle bus back to the airport and my flight departed on time a few hours later. It was a long, uncomfortable journey home on a pretty packed flight, but well worth it for the wonderful three weeks I’d had in Australia with @ElaineAust! 

 

The end.  

[janzin]

great report! Made me realize I definitely need more time in Tasmania than I originally thought...although that trip is again put on hold for the moment.

[kittykat23uk]

Thanks, yes tassie deserves a lot of time 😁

[michael-ibk]

Thanks for this report, Jo, really enjoyed it. A very successful trip, great sightings and photos. Really have to get there before too long. 

[kittykat23uk]

Glad you enjoyed it 😀

[TonyQ]

I missed the last few posts, so have just caught up!

A really enjoyable report on a very appealing part of the world.

A wonderful selection of mammals and birds with great photos 

Thank you