FAIRFIELD BOATHOUSE

My nephew and I finally found a mutally convenient time to go birding and we met this morning at the Fairfield Boathouse.  By 8 o'clock the fog was lifting, the lorikeets were squawking and it was turning into a lovely autumn day.

Yarra River

We walked over the pipe bridge and along a narrow track beside the Yarra River, dodging joggers, dogs and cyclists.  Grey Butcherbirds serenaded us and Willie Wagtails sang their pretty song.  Not to be outdone, Red Wattlebirds filled the air with their raucous shouts, Noisy Miners mewed and always the ubiquitous Rainbow Lorikeets squawked.  My nephew is a musician and I'm sure his ear will be very helpful with bird song identifcation.

Red-rumped Parrots played quietly on the path in front of us and Long-billed Corellas played noisily high in a gum tree.  Still the lorikeets squawked.

We saw very few small birds this morning (in fact the only one was a White-browed Scrubwren) but we had managed 21 species when we stopped for coffee at the boathouse.  An Australasian Darter flew overhead as we made our way back to the car park, giving us a total of 22 for the morning.  We are lucky to have this wonderful bush so close to Melbourne.