Drouin Bird Surveys

The bird survey team has nearly finished the autumn surveys of the control sites.

The remaining dates for the control sites are: Golden Whistler Reserve, 20/04/22; Bellbird Park wetland, 26/04/22; Thornell’s Reserve, 28/04/22. If you would like to join in – Drouin Bowls Club car park 830am.

A few non-control sites will be surveyed in early May; dates and sites to be circulated later.

The results of each survey are being uploaded to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas. As soon as the results have been curated by the Atlas staff, a link will be provided for viewing.

A few highlights to date have included a Spotless Crake at Gum Scrub Creek wetland. The site where the crake was spotted (J) was a hundred metres from Hopetoun Rd, beside the Two Towns Trail and barely 5m from the bulldozers and other machinery working on the development behind the fence!

Spotless Crake (amid the pollution)

Spotless Crakes are not uncommon but are rarely seen because of their furtive nature. Their movements are poorly known and they are thought be sedentary and dispersive.

At the same location, we twice ticked an Australian Hobby. The Hobby is a small, dark falcon with diagnostic narrow wings and rapid, agile flight. It catches most of its small bird and insect prey on the wing.

Australian Hobby c2013

Our most recent survey at McNeilly Park yielded 34 species, including these three usual suspects…

Little Pied Cormorant

White-faced Heron

Narcissistic Pelican (plus pollution, again!)

The ubiquitous Wood Duck was present in good numbers. Here they are lined up for some fun with depth of field camera settings.

In the middle of the line up was a male whose ‘mane’ is clearly visible – two other common names are Maned Duck and Maned Goose.

Maned Goose aka Australian Wood Duck