Merri Birdwatch Report - September 2024

As the days get longer and the weather warms, many birds are calling to signal breeding activities.  This makes them easier to locate during our surveys, contributing to the diversity of species recorded.  Thirty species were recorded on both the East Brunswick (Blyth Street to Moreland Road) and Kirkdale – Merri Parks surveys: a good tally for inner urban locations.

A Black-shouldered Kite, hovering over Northcote Golf Course, was a highlight on the Blyth St-Moreland Rd survey. A pair of Wood Ducks were shepherding their ducklings on the edge of the Golf Course near the Creek. One or two Grey Fantails kept up with the surveyors for a short stretch of the route.

A Wedge-tailed Eagle swooped low over the galgi ngarrk (Craigieburn Grasslands) surveyors, with a gang of Little Ravens in hot pursuit.  Randall Kohn was fast enough to successfully capture the action with his camera – see below.

Wedge-tailed Eagle chased by Little Raven Photograph  Randall Kohn.

There was an unusually large flock of ten Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes in the woodland at galgi ngarrk. Also sheltering from the wind there were Superb Fairy-wrens, a Rufous Whistler, Silvereyes, Grey Fantails, and Brown and Yellow-rumped Thornbills.

Rufous Whistler (male) and Yellow-rumped Thornbill at galgi ngarrk -  Photograph Randall Kohn.

At Coburg Lake, the White Ibis population has increased to an estimated 415. Bin Chicken Island is rather crowded, with over 300 Ibis. A number of Noisy Miner and Magpie-lark nests were spotted. A single Grey-headed Flying Fox was roosting in a willow tree.

There were signs of breeding on the Kirkdale-Merri  Parks circuit: Little Ravens in a very high, large nest on the eastern side of the Creek, a Magpie-lark in a nest near the footbridge, and a pair of Crested Pigeons displaying to each other.

Tawny Frogmouths were spotted but hadn’t started nesting yet, which seems later than usual.

All the summer migrants will have returned to southern Victoria by the time of our next surveys in November.  Join us for plenty of avian action!

This Grey Currawong caught a skink during the Blyth St-Moreland Rd survey. Photograph Peter Mollison.