As has become a Hicks family tradition we spent the first day of 1998 and our second New Year's Day down-under on a bird-watching big-day. Usually we limit ourselves to an area within 10 km of home but as we had moved during 1997 (albeit only 5 km from Seaholme to Altona Meadows) we decided to use the same search area as last year.
Seaholme is a small suburb, sandwiched between Williamstown and Altona, to the west of Melbourne, Victoria. Taking Seaholme Station as the centre ofour home range, Melbourne's western suburbs occupy the north-eastern quadrant while much of the south-eastern quadrant is covered by the waters of Altona Bay. The coast and Marybyrnong River form the southern and eastern boundaries with Point Cook R.A.A.F. base the southernmostpoint. The western border was formed by the Derrimut /Hopkins Road (northof Werribee) while to the north we did not cross the Western Highway. This area offers a range of habitats including suburban gardens, grassland, wetlands and coast but little in the way of woodland. Last year we recorded 74 species but felt we could have done better witha bit more local knowledge and more experience of Australian birds. Our aim was to beat last year's total and if possible push on to the magical ton although to achieve this total we would need to be exceedingly lucky.
New Year's Eve had been warm and sticky and it did not seem much cooler when the alarm roused us from a deep slumber at 05:05. It was still dark outside but the first bird of 1998 was heard before we were out of bed when the distant strains of a Skylark wafted through the open window on the light morning breeze (poetical aren't I?). As night gradually gaveway to day, a Willie Wagtail was the second bird to join the dawn chorus quickly followed by a tuneful Blackbird, noisy White-plumed Honeyeaters and even more raucous Common Mynas. A little later the dulcet tones of an Australian Magpie and the more strident calls of a Red Wattlebird were heard. With the light improving and the eyelids gradually unsticking a flock of Silver Gulls drifting over the house became the first birds seen on New Year's Day.
It was 05:40 and time to get out and about. House Sparrow, Starling and Spotted Turtle Dove were seen in neighbours' gardens as we made our way to Truganina Swamp, my local patch. The swamp forms part of Melbourne Water's drainage system acting as a retarding basin to prevent flooding. Laverton Creek flows through the middle of the swamp and has been widened to facilitate flood control. Much of the area is currently dry grassland due to lack of rain but there are areas of salt marsh and reed-bed; the latter mainly to the east of the creek. There is a small freshwater pond/swamp behind Mount St. Joseph's school which is also in the processing of drying out. Kooringal Golf course, to the south-east, is well wooded but there is no access from the swamp. The Western Purification Plant, to the south-west, is similarly out of bounds but the settling tanks can be viewed through the fence and often hold concentrations of ducks and gulls. Since moving to the area, in May1997, I have recorded 91 species here and over recent weeks have regularly seen over 50 species in a two-hour walk. We were hoping for a similar score today.
As we neared the swamp a pair of Magpie Larks foraged on the grass reserve but more birds were being recorded by sound than sight; the buzzing song of several Golden-headed Cisticolas were heard from the first reed-bed while a Greenfinch wheezed and Superb Fairy Wren twittered nearby; the disjointed jangling notes of an Australian Reed Warbler came from the reed beds alongside the upper reaches of Laverton Creek. All this was a bit frustrating for Andrew and Matthew who wanted to see some birds. On cue, three Little Black Cormorants flew towards the coast, following the line of Laverton Creek while a solitary Australian Pelican and a squadron of Straw-necked Ibises glided towards the settling ponds of the Western Water treatment plant. Little Ravens flew over; Purple Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens streaked for the cover of the creek-side reed-beds. Black Swan, Pacific Black Duck and Hoary-headed Grebe inhabited this narrow, reed-fringed, section of Laverton Creek and the whistled call of Little Grassbird came from the reeds. Where the creek widened and the water became shallower a single Great Egret and White-faced Heron fed beside 15 White-headed Stilts. They were joined by 72 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 28 Curlew Sandpipers and three Greenshank, while overhead flew Welcome Swallow and Whiskered Tern,the majority still in breeding plumage although some are beginning to look scruffy. On land a female White-fronted Chat searched for food on the cinder track and a couple of Goldfinches feed from the seed head of a giant thistle. Stubble Quail had been heard calling from the grassland west of the creek for the first time in mid-December and we were fortunate to flush one from near the track on New Year's day. As expected the settling ponds and surrounds of the Western Water treatment plant brought a rush of species. Masked Lapwing, Feral Pigeon and Australian White Ibis foraged on the grassy banks while the tanks themselves held numerous Australian Shelducks, Eurasian Coots, Chestnut and Grey Teal. I was particularly pleased to pick out a pair of Australasian Shoveler. These had first been noted on 27 December and I was hoping they would hang around. Little Pied Cormorants sat on the pontoons separating the ponds and a small flock of White-eyed Duck (Hardheads) swam and dived on the pond closest to the road. Three Galahs flew from Kooringal Golf Course, where we think they roost, to feed on the short turf of the water works and a Royal Spoonbill flew down the creek. At 07:08 Yellow-rumped Thornbill became our 50th species(approximately an hour earlier than last year).
We crossed Laverton Creek and headed north beside the golf course fence. Grey Fantail and New Holland Honeyeater were seen in the bushes. By now the sun was up and had burnt off the early morning haze sending temperatures climbing. Marsh Sandpiper and Red-capped Plover were the only new birds seen on the shallow salt marsh on the east side of the swamp but there were a pair of White-headed Stilts with three young about half adult size. Mount St Joseph's pond, situated behind the school of the same name has been slowly drying out over the last month and has been home to several Australian Spotted Crakes and a couple of Latham's Snipe. Fortunately, the muddy margins had not dried out completely and both the crake and snipe found their way onto our list without too much hassle. With the rise in temperature bird activity had dropped off and as we headed homewards across the north end of the swamp we were bothered more by flies than birds, only Black-shouldered Kite, hovering laboriously over the dry grassland and a Brown Falcon perched on the railway's overhead lines were added to the new year's day list. Back home, our resident Tree Sparrows were up and about having been conspicuously absent when we set out, they must be late risers. Over breakfast in the garden Purple-crowned Lorikeets fed in some flowering eucalypts on the other side of the road and a Song Thrush visited our vegetable patch searching for snails. We had scored well on my local patch recording 61 species and were beginning to think the ton might be possible.
By 09:30 breakfast was over and we were on the road, heading for Point Cook Metropolitan Park. Richard's Pipits were common in the roadside fields. Spectacle Lake, in the Point Cook Metropolitan Park, was even drier than when we had last visited on Christmas Day, with even fewer birds present. Red-necked Stint was the only new bird amongst the small numbers of waders. A male Red-rumped Parrot bursting past the narrow windows of the hide in a kaleidoscope of colour was a nice bonus. From the homestead, we walked through the coastal scrub, hearing first then seeing Silvereye, before following the shore to Point Cook. An immature Pacific Gull and, Crested Terns were perched on the rocks while awinter-plumaged Common Tern patrolled off-shore. The buzzy calls of a White-browed Scrub-wren were heard from the brush at the back of the beach where a Singing Honeyeater was also seen. Further round the coast, also perched on rocks exposed by the falling tide were Pied Cormorants and a solitary Pied Oystercatcher. At 12:45 with the sun high in the sky we headed home for some shade and a late lunch. So far we had recorded 72 species, only two less than last year's total.
Only Andrew and I ventured out after lunch, the others deciding to remain at home in the shade. In the dry conditions the Fairy Martins had abandoned the only colony, of 5 nests, that I knew of within the area, so we dipped out there. Our first new bird of the afternoon was a Singing Bushlark, doing a very passable imitation of a Galah, while perched on a fence in the grasslands to the north-west of Laverton. Nearby, in the same fields we had first seen them on New Year's Day 1997, were a flock of 16 Banded Lapwing which included four juveniles. While scanning a mixed flock of Starlings and House Sparrows, one bird parachuted down to the fence with its legs extended, most un-starling-like. Closer examination revealed it to be a male BrownSonglark. This was a lifer and quite a bit bigger than I had expected. Not a bad way to go past last years total. The time was 15:10. Continuing through the grasslands we found a pair of White-browed Wood-Swallows along Woods Road (near Truganina homestead). I had not previously seen either the songlark or the wood-swallow in this area before and wondered whether the inland drought conditions had pushed these birds further south than usual. Nearby an Australian Kestrel hovered over the desiccated grasses. Now it was time to try and pick up species we had so far missed. Australasian Grebes, in breeding plumage were found at Newport Lakes and two Swamp Harriers terrorised the gulls and ducks at the Williamstown wetlands on the north shore of Kororoit Creek. A walk along the levee between Cherry Lake and Kororoit Creek produced a Crested Pigeon, our 80th species at 17:15, Red-browed Firetail and a Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, but the water level was high in the pool where the creek widens out so no waders were present. Finally, we returned to Point Cook where the Black-tailed Native Hens still refused to show themselves at Spectacle Lake but we were compensated with an Australian Hobby dashing past. Near one of the picnic sites we came close to running over a covey of six Brown Quail that decided to cross the road right in front of the car - at least theygot themselves noticed and on our list. A Little Wattlebird, flying froma flowering gum tree was our 85th and last species of New Year's Day1998.
Is it possible to see 100 species within a 10km radius of Seaholmestation? Well, it should be. In December 1997, I saw 12 species in this area that we did not record on New Year's day. These were Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Black-tailed Native Hen, Red-necked Avocet, Black-fronted Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Arctic Skua, RainbowLorikeet, Fairy Martin, Tree Martin, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and Striated Fieldwren. As we get to know our home range better, there is more chance. Maybe next year - if my contract is renewed!
